Cuban recipe

Baked Whole Snapper Stuffed with Shrimp and Sofrito Criollo

Name: Baked Whole Snapper Stuffed with Shrimp and Sofrito Criollo
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 95 min
Total time: 160 min
Ingredients: 1 whole snapper, 2 to 2.5 kg before cleaning, prepared for stuffing by the fishmonger; 450 g raw shrimp, peeled and deveined; 150 g onion; 150 g red bell pepper; 3 garlic cloves, minced; 200 g crushed tomatoes; 50 ml dry white wine; 30 ml olive oil; 3 g salt; 10 g chopped parsley; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 20 ml lemon juice; 15 ml olive oil; Remaining salt to taste (up to 10 g total); Pepper to taste; 50 g onion, cut into pieces or slices; 100 ml low-salt fish stock; 50 ml dry white wine

Baked whole snapper stuffed with shrimp and thick sofrito criollo. A festive dish for 6, ideal for Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve.

CiberCubaNovember 11, 2026

AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Preparation25 min
Cooking1 h 35 min
Total time2 h 40 min
Servings6 servings
DifficultyMedium

A whole snapper, head and tail intact, brought to the table golden and stuffed is the kind of presentation that draws the family closer for a look. In this version, chopped shrimp are mixed with a thick sofrito criollo of onion, bell pepper, garlic and tomato.

This Cocina Cubana dish is made for sharing on Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve or Christmas. It combines the flavors of sofrito criollo with the presentation of a stuffed whole fish and is served with the cooking juices.

Method

Prepare the fish

Ask the fishmonger to remove the scales, entrails, backbone and accessible bones, leaving the head, tail and skin intact so the fish can be put back into shape. Keep it refrigerated and check it before stuffing; the complete absence of bones cannot be guaranteed.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba

The sofrito

Heat 30 ml oil in a skillet and sauté 150 g chopped onion and the chopped red bell pepper for 8 minutes. Add 3 minced garlic cloves and cook for 1 more minute.
Pour in 50 ml white wine and let it reduce. Add the crushed tomatoes and about 3 g salt, and cook for about 10 minutes, until you have a thick sofrito with no free liquid.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Spread the sofrito in a shallow container and refrigerate immediately until completely cold (about 30 minutes or until cold). Keep the shrimp in the refrigerator as well. While the sofrito cools, preheat the oven to 180 °C.

Assembly

Pat the fish dry with paper towel. Just before assembling, season it with the remaining salt to taste, pepper, the remaining crushed garlic, lemon juice and 15 ml oil. Do not leave it in the citrus juice for hours.
Chop the shrimp and mix them with the cold sofrito and parsley. Stuff the fish immediately, without packing or overfilling it, and close it with kitchen string or food-safe toothpicks, which you will remove when serving. If you have leftover stuffing, cook it immediately in a separate small baking dish.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Place the remaining 50 g onion in a baking dish with the fish stock and the other 50 ml wine. Put the snapper on top and bake immediately.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Bake

Loosely cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake at 180 °C for the first 35–40 minutes. Uncover and continue until the skin is golden.
The total oven time is approximate: 60–75 minutes, including the initial time with the dish covered, depending on the thickness of the fish. Since the fish is stuffed, check that the center of the stuffing and the thickest part of the fish reach 74 °C; if not, continue cooking.
Let rest for 10 minutes, remove all the string or toothpicks, and serve with the cooking juices.

Tips and variations

Safety: The stuffing and fish must be kept refrigerated until ready to assemble. Stuff and bake immediately, without leaving the stuffed fish at room temperature. The sofrito must be completely cold before mixing it with the raw shrimp.

Doneness: Oven times are approximate and depend on the thickness of the fish and your oven. Doneness is the ultimate guide: the center of the stuffing and the thickest part of the fish must reach 74 °C. If they haven't, continue cooking for a few more minutes, covering again if the skin gets too dark.

Bones: Even if the fishmonger removes the backbone and accessible bones, the complete absence of bones cannot be guaranteed. Warn your guests, especially children.

String and toothpicks: Count how many toothpicks or loops of string you use so you can remove them all before serving.

Salt: The recipe allows up to 10 g in total; start with less and adjust after tasting, as the stock and tomato already contribute salt.

Leftover stuffing: If you have any left over, cook it immediately in a separate small baking dish alongside the fish in the oven, until the center of the stuffing reaches 74 °C.