Six days in the van, and the weather has finally made its mind up. When the temperature nudges you firmly towards a salad, you go with it — and this warm mackerel salad is exactly what I needed: something with weight, warmth, and a proper reason to sit down. Not a sad bowl of leaves. A real lunch.

Tinned mackerel is one of those van-kitchen staples that earns its place every time — if you want more ideas for what to do with a tin, my 8 Quick Tinned Mackerel Recipes are worth a look. It's already seasoned, already rich, and ready in seconds. The trick here — and it genuinely changes the dish — is warming it briefly in a little EVOO and lemon before it goes anywhere near the greens. Thirty seconds in a small pan. That's all. It softens the fish, wakes up the oil it's packed in, and means it folds beautifully into this warm mackerel salad rather than landing on top like an afterthought.

The rest is simple. Lamb's lettuce and rocket for the base – kept dry so the dressing actually clings. Thin-sliced red onion and spring onion rounds for bite and freshness. Cherry tomatoes for the acidity that cuts through the feta. A hard-boiled egg quartered around the edge, because this is a proper salad, not a starter. And feta crumbled generously over the top, because feta deserves to be used generously.

The dressing is just EVOO and lemon with black pepper and a tiny pinch of salt – tiny, because between the mackerel and the feta you've already got all the seasoning you need. A light hand here keeps everything bright rather than heavy.

Ingredients

• 1 tin of mackerel in olive oil, drained
• 2 handfuls of lamb's lettuce
• 1 handful of rocket
• ½ small red onion, very thinly sliced
• 2 spring onions, finely sliced into rounds
• A handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 hard-boiled egg
• 60–70g feta cheese
• 1 tbsp EVOO (for warming the mackerel)
• A squeeze of lemon (for warming the mackerel)
• Parsley - a small handful, roughly chopped, scattered over before serving.

For the dressing:

• 2 tbsp EVOO
• 1 tbsp lemon juice (or lime for a sharper edge)
• Black pepper
• Tiny pinch of salt

This warm mackerel salad comes together in under ten minutes — ideal when you're working in a van kitchen with one burner and limited patience.

Method

Warm the mackerel In a small pan over low heat, add 1 tbsp EVOO and the drained mackerel, broken into large flakes. Add a squeeze of lemon. Warm for 30–40 seconds only — you're not frying it, just taking the chill off and waking up the flavour. Remove from the heat.

Make the dressing In a small cup or jar, combine 2 tbsp EVOO, 1 tbsp lemon juice, a generous grind of black pepper and a tiny pinch of salt. Shake or whisk briefly to combine.

Prep the base Add the lamb's lettuce and rocket to a large bowl. Keep the leaves dry — wet leaves mean the dressing slides off rather than clinging.

Add the aromatics and tomatoes Add the red onion and spring onion to the greens. Toss in the cherry tomatoes.

Assemble Toss the greens with half the dressing. Lay the warm mackerel over the top. Quarter the hard-boiled egg and place the pieces around the edge. Crumble the feta generously over everything. Finish with the remaining dressing and another grind of black pepper.

Why This Warm Mackerel Salad Works

The warm mackerel against crisp, cold greens gives you that restaurant-style temperature contrast without any real effort. The feta and hard-boiled egg add richness and body without making the dish feel heavy. A lemon–EVOO dressing keeps everything bright and clean — especially important when you're working with two naturally salty ingredients. The red onion and cherry tomatoes bring the freshness and acidity that balance the fish and the cheese.

For extra lift, add capers, a pinch of smoked pimentón, or a handful of toasted seeds for crunch — this warm mackerel salad takes well to improvisation.

This recipe is also part of my growing Campervan Cooking Recipes collection — real van life meals cooked on a two-ring hob, no proper kitchen required.

Find more fish and seafood recipes in my Fish & Seafood Hub.
Wonky photos, proper food, genuine adventures – The Flexible Chef