Tinned Mackerel Recipes: Quick Ideas for Lunch and Dinner

Tinned mackerel recipes are the quickest way to turn a storecupboard tin into dinner. Tinned or canned, the fish is already cooked, so you can flake it onto buttered toast with a squeeze of lemon and call it lunch, or use it in fishcakes, pâté, a potato bake, stuffed peppers, avocado toast, Peking mackerel, braised leeks and a melt sandwich. All of them are fast, most are made for one, and none of them is sad desk lunch territory.

Jump to: How to Eat Tinned Mackerel · The Recipes · Smoked & Potted Mackerel · More Tinned Mackerel Recipes

How to Eat Tinned Mackerel

Tinned mackerel is already cooked, so you can eat it straight from the tin. For the simplest lunch, drain it, flake the fillets onto buttered toast and add lemon juice and black pepper. Heat it gently only when a recipe calls for it, because it dries out quickly. Once a tin is open, tip any leftovers into a covered container, keep it in the fridge and use it within a couple of days.

What to Do with Tinned Mackerel

When you have a tin and no plan, these are the quickest routes from the storecupboard to the table:

• On toast: flaked with lemon, or as mackerel and avocado toast.
• Mashed: into fishcakes with potato, or blended into a no-cook pâté.
• Baked: as a creamy potato bake, or stirred through rice in stuffed peppers.
• In a salad: try the warm mackerel and feta salad, ready in under ten minutes.
• Between bread: a griddled mackerel melt with cornichons and sourdough.

Tinned Mackerel Lunch and Dinner Ideas

If you are planning tinned mackerel meal ideas by time of day, these are the ones I reach for.

• For lunch: mackerel and avocado toast, the warm mackerel and feta salad, or a griddled mackerel melt.
• For dinner: the creamy potato bake, stuffed peppers, or fishcakes with a green salad.
• For something lighter: mackerel with braised leeks, or Peking mackerel in lettuce cups as a snack or starter.

What to Eat with Tinned Mackerel

Mackerel is rich and oily, so it likes something sharp and something starchy alongside.

• Something sharp: lemon juice, white wine vinegar, mustard, cornichons or pickled red onion.
• Something starchy: sourdough or toast, boiled new potatoes, rice or couscous.
• Something fresh: peppery rocket, cucumber, ripe tomatoes, spring onions or parsley.

Brine, Olive Oil or Tomato Sauce?

The packing liquid changes what the fish is good for:

• In brine: cleaner and leaner. Drain it well and use it where you want the mackerel to take on other flavours, as in fishcakes, pâté and avocado toast.
• In olive oil: silkier and richer. Best eaten almost as it is on toast or in salads, and the oil can go into a dressing or the mayonnaise for the melt.
• In tomato sauce: sweeter and saucy. Good in stuffed peppers, stirred through rice or pasta, or simmered into a white bean and tomato soup, less good when you want a clean fish flavour.

Which Tin to Buy

The Flexible Chef’s Tip: the secret to the best tinned mackerel recipes is good tinned fish. I prefer mackerel in olive oil or brine, as it lets the natural flavour come through without heavy sauces getting in the way. Fillets are better for salads and toast, while a tin of chunks is fine for fishcakes and bakes.

Tinned Mackerel Recipes

These tinned mackerel recipes are quick, resourceful and mostly made for one. Each uses a single tin, and the ingredient lists say which kind.

Mackerel Fishcakes

Ingredients

• 1 tin of mackerel in brine, drained
• 2 medium potatoes, peeled and boiled
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 small fresh red chilli, chopped
• Parsley, chopped
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Olive oil for frying

Method

1. Mash the boiled potatoes in a bowl.
2. Flake the mackerel and add to the mashed potato.
3. Add the onion, beaten egg, parsley, flour, chilli, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
4. Shape into small patties and coat in breadcrumbs.
5. Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry for 3–4 minutes each side until golden and crispy.
6. Serve with homemade tomato ketchup or a squeeze of lemon.

Mackerel Pâté (no cooking)

Ingredients

• 1 tin of mackerel in brine, drained
• 100g cream cheese
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• Pinch of chilli powder
• Fresh parsley, chopped
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Crackers or toast to serve

Method

1. Place the mackerel, cream cheese, lemon juice, mustard, chilli powder, and shallot in a food processor.
2. Blend until smooth and creamy.
3. Season with salt, pepper, and chopped parsley.
4. Transfer to a serving dish and chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
5. Serve with crackers or toast.

If you ever get hold of smoked mackerel, my Smoked Mackerel Pâté for One is the richer, creamier cousin of this one.

Mackerel and Potato Bake

Ingredients

• 1 tin of mackerel in oil, drained
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 200ml cream
• 200g grated cheddar
• Grating of nutmeg
• Sea salt and white pepper to taste
• Fresh thyme leaves

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. In a greased baking dish, layer the sliced potatoes, onion, and garlic.
3. Flake the mackerel over the potato mixture.
4. Pour over the cream and season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, and thyme.
5. Sprinkle the cheddar over the top.
6. Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
7. Remove the foil and bake for a further 20 minutes until golden and the potatoes are tender.
8. Rest for a few minutes before serving.

Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 1 tin of mackerel in tomato sauce
• 4 large bell peppers, tops removed and deseeded
• 240g cooked rice (I use brown rice for extra bite)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley, chopped

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.
2. Mix together the mackerel, cooked rice, onion, garlic, chopped tomatoes, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
3. Stuff the peppers with the mixture and place in a baking dish.
4. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
5. Remove the foil and bake for a further 10–15 minutes until the peppers are tender.
6. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving.

Mackerel and Avocado Toast

Ingredients

• 1 tin of mackerel in brine, drained and flaked
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 slices wholegrain bread, toasted
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Red chilli flakes

Method

1. Mash the avocado until smooth.
2. Add the red onion, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chilli flakes. Mix well.
3. Spread the avocado mixture over the toasted bread.
4. Top with flaked mackerel and serve immediately.

Peking Mackerel

I stumbled upon this recipe a few years ago, and it's become a favourite. Unfortunately, I can't recall where I originally found it, but kudos to the genius who created it! This dish is a delightful, fishy twist on the traditional Peking duck and makes for a perfect snack or starter.

Ingredients

• Little Gem lettuce hearts to make two 'cups'
• Hoisin sauce
• 1 small ripe mango, peeled and cut into small slices
• 1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded, and cut into thin strips
• White parts of a bunch of spring onions, cut into thin strips
• 1 tin of mackerel fillet, drained and flaked
• 1-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
• Fresh coriander or parsley for garnish

Method

1. Separate the Little Gem lettuce hearts to create two 'cups'.
2. Spoon one teaspoon of hoisin sauce into each lettuce cup.
3. Place a slice of mango in each cup.
4. Add the strips of cucumber and spring onion.
5. Top with flakes of mackerel.
6. Sprinkle a little of the julienned ginger on top of the mackerel.
7. Garnish with fresh coriander or parsley.

This recipe is simple yet full of flavour, providing a refreshing and delicious experience.

Mackerel with Braised Leeks

I came across this delightful recipe a while back, and it's become a staple in my kitchen. It's a flavourful and nutritious dish that's quick to prepare, perfect for a solo meal or sharing.

Ingredients

• 1 medium-sized leek (white part only)
• 50 ml chicken stock
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• Olive oil
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tin of mackerel fillets, drained
• Fresh parsley
• Handful of pine nuts

Method

1. Heat a frying pan and dry roast the pine nuts for a few minutes until they turn lightly brown. Keep an eye on them to avoid burning. Set aside.
2. Remove the outer leaves of the leeks, cut them vertically into halves, rinse thoroughly to remove any grit.
3. In a frying pan over low heat, add a generous splash of olive oil. Place the leeks flat side down in the pan and pour in the chicken stock. Cook gently for about 15 minutes until the leeks are tender.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the white wine vinegar, olive oil, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper until well combined.
5. Divide the braised leeks onto two plates, or one if you're dining alone. Place the mackerel fillets on top of the leeks and drizzle with the vinaigrette.
6. Sprinkle the toasted pine nuts and freshly chopped parsley over the dish.

This dish is simple yet packed with flavour, making it an ideal choice for a quick and healthy meal.

Mackerel Melt Sandwich

Perfect for sharing or enjoying all to yourself if you're feeling peckish.

Ingredients

• 1 tin of mackerel fillets in olive oil, drained and flaked (reserve the oil)
• 100ml olive oil
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 shallot, chopped
• Small handful of parsley, chopped
• 12 cornichons, chopped
• 4 slices of sourdough bread
• 100g of your favourite melting cheese, shredded

Method

1. Place the egg yolk in a mixing bowl. Slowly pour in the reserved oil from the tin and the 100ml of olive oil while whisking vigorously until the mixture thickens into a mayonnaise. Season with sea salt and white pepper to taste.
2. Spread the mayonnaise on both sides of each slice of bread. Combine the remaining mayonnaise with the flaked mackerel, chopped shallot, parsley, and cornichons. Mix well, breaking up the mackerel into smaller flakes.
3. Layer each sandwich with a slice of bread, a portion of shredded cheese, the mackerel mixture, and more shredded cheese, and top with another slice of bread.
4. Heat a pan over medium-low heat. Cook the sandwiches until golden brown and the cheese is melted, about 3–4 minutes per side.

Smoked and Potted Mackerel: When You Want a Treat

Tinned mackerel is the everyday fish. Smoked mackerel is the treat. I can’t find it in the local supermarkets, but on a campervan trip in Cantabria I stumbled on smoked mackerel loins from Conservas Nardín. They aren’t cheap, but they’re worth it for a treat, and I used them to make the pâté below.

• Smoked Mackerel Pâté for One: smoked mackerel loin blended with mascarpone, crème fraîche, lemon and chives. Made in the van in Cantabria.
• Nearly Fortnum's Potted Mackerel: tinned mackerel, ghee, lemon, parsley and smoked paprika. Twenty minutes, one small jar, and Fortnum's would charge considerably more.

For fresh mackerel as well as smoked and tinned, see my Mackerel Recipes guide.

More Tinned Mackerel Recipes

Salads and Lunches

• Warm Tinned Mackerel, Feta and Herb Salad, ready in under ten minutes.
• Mackerel Salad: My Psarosalata Plate, inspired by the Greek classic.

Hot and Hearty Tinned Mackerel Recipes

• Tinned Mackerel Veggie Hash, quick and easy with a proper vegetable base.
• Mackerel Couscous with Vegetables, with tinned mackerel and a splash of hot sauce.
• Mackerel Soup with White Beans and Tomato, a tin of mackerel in tomato sauce simmered with onion, garlic and beans. A one-pan soup for one, made in the campervan.

Cooked in the Van

• A Simple RidgeMonkey Fish Bake, tinned mackerel and baked beans cooked low and slow when supplies are running low.

When the Tin Is Sardines

• Casa Adora Sardine Brunch Skillet, for when the tin is sardines.

Sardines are only one of the other tins in the cupboard. Tuna, anchovies, cockles, mussels and squid all have recipes in my Tinned Fish Recipes guide.

Tinned mackerel recipes are some of the most cost-effective meals you can make, because a tin of mackerel is one of the cheapest ingredients you can keep to hand, whether you’re cooking at Casa Adora or on the road in the campervan. If you want to know more about why it’s worth eating regularly, 10 Ways How Consuming Fish Can Improve Your Health makes the case.

If these tinned mackerel recipes saved your supper, you can buy me a coffee ☕ on Ko-fi.

Footnote

These tinned mackerel recipes are part of my Inland Fish and Seafood hub, a collection of resourceful ways to prepare the sea's bounty from the heart of rural Spain. The smoked and potted recipes also sit in the Pâté & Rillettes hub, the whole family of tins is gathered in Tinned Fish Recipes, and fresh, smoked and tinned mackerel all sit together in my Mackerel Recipes guide.
Find more recipes and food adventures here.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef