Grilled Stuffed Snapper

I spent so much time in my kitchen last month that I was starting to feel a little burnt out.  Decorating hundreds of sugar cookies and baking dozens of Christmas desserts for weeks at a time will do that to a girl.🤣  So... I decided to take a much needed mini hiatus from cooking last week so we existed on leftovers and sandwiches.🌯🥪  

I spent some time scrolling through the 92 recipes in my blog cue to find the inspiration to kickstart my 2025 meals.  This Grilled Stuffed Snapper recipe jumped out at me because it's been in my blog cue for over 18 months.  It was intended to be made out of a whole fish and finding fresh whole snapper in my little landlocked town proved to be VERY difficult so it just kept getting left behind.🐟😬 

With my renewed energy and enthusiasm for cooking, I headed to the grocery store in search of a whole snapper.  It was no surprise that I didn't find one but I did score a nice big snapper filet.  So with the snapper filet in my car, I headed home to adapt this recipe that I'd waited so long to make.👩🏻‍🍳

​Unfortunately, my inaugural meal of 2025 was a bit of a disappointment.😒 I don't know whether it's because I had to adapt it for a filet instead of a whole fish or if it was the flavor profile that I found off putting but either way - this wasn't my favorite fish dish.  I hesitated to even share this recipe with you but I do think that there could be other people who might enjoy it.  I still think that it's worthy of a try - especially if you're lucky enough to live in an area where fresh whole snapper is available.  

Grilled Stuffed Snapper
Stuffing
2 Tablespoons butter
6 scallions, sliced thin
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/2 poblano pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
8 ounces fresh spinach
2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped

Fish
3 scallions, minced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
4 whole snapper, scaled
1/4 cup vinegar (I used dark balsamic but you can also use white)
2 Tablespoons butter
lemon wedges

For stuffing, melt butter in skillet.  Add scallions, garlic, thyme, ginger and poblano.  Cook 2 minutes. 

Add salt, pepper, allspice and spinach and cook until wilted and softened. 

Stir in cilantro.  Cool.

Combine scallions, garlic, salt, onion powder, brown sugar, pepper, allspice, nutmeg and cayenne. 

Rub vinegar over the each fish.

Rub spice mixture over each fish.  

Top with stuffing.  Wrap fish in foil.

Top each piece with a pat of butter.  Roll up edges to seal packet tightly. ​

Place packets on grill and cook 15 minutes.  

Transfer packets to a baking sheet.  Let fish rest 5 minutes.  Open packets, slide fish onto filet and serve with lemon wedges.

If you would like the whole fish version of this recipe - check out the printable version.  

​Ciao!

Click here for a printable version of this recipe