Pescado Zarandeado Recipe (Mexican Fish)
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Aug 4, 2025 
Pescado Zarandeado – This classic Mexican Grilled Fish recipe features delicious red snapper coated with a bold, savory and spicy chile marinade, then quickly cooked to flaky perfection.
Why We Love Zarandeado – AKA Mexican Grilled Fish
Pescado Zarandeado is a brilliantly spiced grilled fish recipe, a dish we came across on our recent trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The cooking method is said to be a 500-year-old grilling technique from the Nayarit state in western Mexico.
Sommer’s Recipe Notes
- Although most home cooks don’t own a specialized Mexican grilling basket to prepare this dish in its most traditional way, the fish can be prepared similarly on a low-heat grill or smoker.
- A thick, spicy, and vibrant Zarandeado sauce is brushed over the surface of the fish to create a tantalizing flavor and aroma. The most traditional recipes suggest making Pescado Zarandeado with whole fish, but I find it’s easiest to prepare and enjoy by purchasing large white fish fillets. Snapper is traditional, but you can use any fresh fish you like.
- Believe it or not, the base of this authentic Mexican Fish starts with mayonnaise, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. However, lime juice and dried chilies are added to increase the irresistible flavor.
- From start to finish, this dish takes just slightly over 30 minutes to prepare. So, although it is an impressive dish with layers of bold flavors, it’s actually super easy to make.
Ingredients You Need
- Red snapper – or other preferred white fish fillets, like sea bass
- Mayonnaise – regular or low-calorie
- Mustard – Dijon is best
- Worcestershire sauce – for a deep, smoky, savory flavor
- Soy sauce – low sodium, or coconut aminos
- Tomato paste – for a thick, vibrant marinade
- Lime – zested and juiced
- Guajillo chile – a moderately hot pepper, similar to jalapeno
- Arbol chile – quite spicy and several times hotter than a jalapeno
- Garlic – minced
- Salt and pepper – to taste
How to Make Pescado Zarandeado
Tips for Success: You need two types of dried chili peppers for this recipe, Guajillo and Arbol. Soaking them brings out their flavor. Make sure the chiles are fully submerged in the water. Place a plate over the top, if needed, to push them down. Allow them to soak for 10 minutes to soften. Once softened, carefully remove the chiles from the hot water. Pop off the stems and shake out most of the seeds.
Find the full Mexican Fish recipe with ingredient proportions, detailed instructions, and a video tutorial in the printable form at the bottom of the post.
Serving Suggestions for Mexican Red Snapper
Serve Pescado Zarandeado with your favorite Mexican sides, like:
- Refried beans, or Stewed beans
- Spanish rice, Arroz amarillo (yellow rice), or Arroz verde (green rice)
- Fresh salsa – jarred or Homemade Salsa Recipe
- Fried plantains or healthier Baked plantains
- Calabacitas AKA skillet-cooked veggies
Pescado Zarandeado (Mexican Grilled Red Snapper)
Video
Ingredients
- 1 large red snapper fillet 3 lbs (or 2 smaller fillets)
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons mustard
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 lime zested and juiced
- 1 dried guajillo chile
- 1 dried arbol chile
- 3-4 cloves garlic
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Heat 2 cups of water on the stovetop and bring it to a boil. Place the dried chiles in a bowl and pour the boiling water over the top to soften the chiles. Make sure the chiles are fully submerged in the water. Place a plate over the top, if needed, to push them down. Allow them to soak for 10 minutes to soften. Once softened, carefully remove the chiles from the hot water. Pop off the stems and shake out most of the seeds.
- Rinse the snapper fillet(s) in cold water, then place on a large baking sheet. Use paper towels to gently press the top of the fish to remove as much moisture as possible. Then cut shallow slits, 1 inch apart, over the surface of the fish fillet, to score the top. Be careful not to cut so deeply into the fish that you cut the fillet into pieces. Sprinkle the top generously with salt. Set aside.
- Move the softened chiles to the blender. Add in mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, tomato paste, lime zest and juice, garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper. Cover the jar and purée until smooth.
- Use a basting brush to coat the surface of the fish fillet with marinade.
- Preheat the grill or smoker to 200°F. (The extra time allows the fish to marinade a few minutes before cooking.)
- Move the fish fillet onto the grates. Brush additional marinade onto the fish to make sure it is very well-coated. Grill or smoke the fish for approximately 20 minutes. Check the thickest part of the fish at 18 minutes to make sure it is just barely firm, but not hard. If grilling smaller fillets, check at the 12 minute mark, and continue to cook if needed. (Fish is best when it’s just cooked through, so the interior is still moist, but flaky.) Carefully remove the entire fillet from the grill. Cut and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this dish does pack some heat! The arbol chiles are quite spicy – easily 2 to 3 times spicier than jalapeno peppers. But it’s that good kind of super spicy that has a deliciously savory taste with a tingle.
To cut the spice level you can opt to leave out the arbol chiles.
The traditional Mexican fish recipe calls for red snapper. However, any flaky white fish will do! Try with cod, grouper, bass, or tilapia.
This marinade is fabulous on white fish, but that’s not all! It’s also delicious on grilled shrimp, chicken, pork chops, or steak!
Grilled snapper or other Zarandeado Mexican Fish will keep well for a day or two, in the refrigerator, in an airtight container.
To reheat, place the fish on a covered baking sheet and bake in a 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes. You want the fish to just be heated through, and not actually cook further.
Wow! What a great recipe! Made this tonight with black beans and cilantro lime rice! Sooo good!!!!!
love the bold flavors with the arbol chili and with red snapper, not one I’m used to making but these ingredients make me comfortable, thank you
this fish recipe is amazing and I never would have cooked red snapper without running into your page! thank you so much for sharing
This Red Snapper is the best I have had in at least 3 years. The dish as a whole was great and I will have to make this again.
Oh my goodness! This has so much flavor – such a great recipe!
Ok, this marinade is delicious!! It has the perfect amount of spice & flavor!! I am excited to try this marinade on other meats!!