Huachinango and Rabirrubia are different fish, but they're close enough in the kitchen to stand in for one another.
Lutjanidae
Red snapper is a prized firm-fleshed fish from the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, with distinctive red skin and sweet, nutty white flesh. In Mexico it is called huachinango and is one of the most iconic fish in the cuisine — most famously prepared a la veracruzana with tomatoes, olives, and chiles. It is also popular grilled whole, deep-fried, and in ceviches across Latin America.
Full guide →Lutjanidae
Yellowtail snapper is a slender, vividly colored reef fish found throughout the Florida Keys, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, identifiable by its vivid yellow stripe running from snout to tail. Its flesh is lighter and more delicate than red snapper — mild, sweet, and white — and is typically served whole: grilled, fried, or baked. In Caribbean Spanish it is called rabirrubia, meaning 'yellow tail.' It is a cornerstone of Florida Keys and Caribbean island seafood menus and is popular for whole presentation at the table.
Full guide →Both are Lutjanidae snappers from the same Gulf and Caribbean waters — yellowtail snapper is more delicate and lighter-fleshed, red snapper is firmer and more intensely flavored.
| Country | Huachinango | Rabirrubia |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸United States | Red snapper | Yellowtail snapper |
| 🇬🇧United Kingdom | Red snapper | Yellowtail snapper |
| 🇫🇷France | Vivaneau rouge | Vivaneau à queue jaune |
| 🇪🇸Spain | Pargo rojo | Pargo cola amarilla |
| 🇦🇷Argentina | Pargo colorado | Rabirrubia |
| 🇲🇽Mexico | Huachinango | Rabirrubia |
| 🇵🇹Portugal | Pargo | Pargo rabo amarelo |
| 🇧🇷Brazil | Vermelho | Pargo rabo amarelo |
| 🇮🇹Italy | Lutiano rosso | Lutiano coda gialla |
| 🇩🇪Germany | Roter Schnapper | Gelbschwanzschnapper |
Browse every species in the atlas on the fish index, or identify one from a photo with Identify my cut.