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    Home » Seafood

    Mackerel in Olive Oil

    Published: Oct 10, 2019 · Modified: Dec 11, 2021 by Nora Rey · This post may contain affiliate links · 13 Comments

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    An effortless and flavorful way to prepare mackerel is to poach it in extra-virgin olive oil and aromatics. It makes cooking fish at home easy — no fuss, no muss. My favorite part is that there’s no mixing involved in the pan.

    The inspiration for this dish comes from Spanish Sardines or Spanish-style Sardines, the ones sold in tin cans or glass jars.  It’s a pantry staple we constantly have at home. They are tasty, shelf-stable, and an excellent source of protein as well as omega-3 fatty acids. Making a homemade version does not require a lot of work and won't make the kitchen smell fishy. 

    Mackerel in olive oil on a serving plate.
    Jump to:
    • Why you’ll love this recipe
    • What you’ll need
    • Ingredient notes and substitutions
    • How to make this recipe
    • Frequently asked questions and tips
    • The key takeaway
    • Watch how I make it here
    • More seafood recipes you may like
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Why you’ll love this recipe

    • These tender fillets of mackerel are delicious, healthy, and effortlessly prepared.
    • It won't make your kitchen smell like you've just cooked fish.
    • The dish is also gluten-free, it that matters to you.

    What you’ll need

    Mackerel fillets on a cutting board.
    Mackerel fillets
    Ingredients include carrots, sweet pickles, shallot, garlic, olives, bay leaves, ginger, sugar, bird’s eye chili, fish sauce, paprika, water, vinegar, and extra-virgin olive oil.
    Salt and pepper are not in the picture.

    Ingredient notes and substitutions

    • Mackerel: It is also labeled as Atlantic, Norwegian, Boston, or North Atlantic Mackerel. You can easily spot them in the supermarket by their distinctive wavy lines that run on their backs. Buy fillets of mackerel, or you can fillet them yourself at home. 
    • Sweet pickles or gherkins: These are cucumbers pickled in sweet brine. Gherkins are a smaller variety of cucumbers with bumpier skin.
    • Olives: I used green olives (like Manzanilla olives), but you can use any kind and preferably pitted.
    • Extra-virgin olive oil: Aside from its health benefits, I specifically used extra-virgin olive oil for its flavor. The oil's rich flavor penetrates the fish and makes it delicious as the oil becomes the sauce in the dish. You can also use regular olive oil if that's what you have available.
    • Vinegar: To get the fishy taste out of mackerel, use white distilled vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or cane vinegar.
    • Bird's eye chilies: If not available, you can use ¼ teaspoon (or more) of red pepper flakes instead.

    How to make this recipe

    Prepare the Ingredients: (1)Cut each mackerel fillet into three pieces.

    1. Mackerel fillets divided into 3 pieces each.

    (2)Peel and slice the carrots diagonally into ½-inch thick pieces.

    2. Slicing carrot diagonally on a cutting board.

    (3)Cut the sweet pickles or gherkins in half if they’re too big for one bite. (4)Do the same for the shallots.

    3. Slicing pickles. 4. Cutting shallot in half.

    (5)Smash the garlic and remove the peel. (6)Get the olives, bay leaves, and chilies ready.

    5. Smashing garlic. 6. Showing olives, bay leaves, and Bird's eye chili in a clear bowl on a cutting board.

    (7)Peel a small knob of ginger, then grate or mince.

    7. Mincing ginger with a knife on a cutting board.

    (8)Make the sauce by combining ¼ cup of water, vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, fish sauce, paprika, salt, sugar, and ginger in a cup or bowl. 

    8. Mixing water, vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, fish sauce, paprika, salt, sugar, and ginger in a measuring cup.

    Cook: (9)In a sauté pan, arrange the fish preferably in a single layer. (10)Add the carrots, sweet pickles, olives, shallots, garlic, bay leaves, and chilies. There won’t be any mixing involved, so make sure you lay them out evenly. 

    9. Laying cuts of fish fillet on the bottom of the pan. 10. Carrots, gherkins, olives, shallots, garlic, bay leaves, and chilies over the fish.

    (11)Pour the prepared sauce. (12)Add ground pepper to taste. Set to medium heat, cover, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes until the carrots are tender.

    11. Liquid being poured over the fish, aromatics, and vegetables. 12. Raw fish, aromatics, and vegetables in the liquid on a pan.

    Taste the sauce and adjust — you may need to add more sugar, salt, or ground pepper. If it's too watery, cook for a few more minutes uncovered to let some of the water evaporate.

    Serve: If you are like me (and a million other Filipinos), I will enjoy this over a bowl of hot steaming rice. You can also serve it with pasta, potatoes, or use in sandwiches. As an option, you can add a squeeze of lemon.

    cooked mackerel in extra-virgin olive oil in the pan

    Frequently asked questions and tips

    Why use mackerel?

    Mackerel is delicious and inexpensive but is often overlooked and underrated as a fish. It is packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids and has low levels of mercury. Its fishiness puts some people off, but correct handling and cooking with the right ingredients can make you forget that. I like Mackerel for this recipe because its meaty texture easily absorbs the flavors. Its firm flesh doesn't get mushy after cooking but instead gets flaky and moist.

    How can you tell if Mackerel is fresh?

    If you're buying the whole Mackerel, a good indicator will be the eyes — they have to be bright, clear, and not sunken. The gills should be red, and the skin is shiny and springs back when touched. Most importantly, the fish shouldn't smell fishy at all. If you are buying fillets, the flesh should not be too soft or falling apart. For frozen Mackerel, pick a well-sealed package with no freezer burn, frost, or ice crystals.

    What other types of fish can I use?

    A similarly delicious alternative would be Spanish Mackerel. Sardines and milkfish (or bangus) are excellent substitutes, but you have to be careful as they have substantially more pin bones. Some recipes would require cooking in a pressure cooker until the bones and heads become soft and safe to consume. Using fillets of fish will cut down cooking time significantly. Other types of oily fish as alternatives would be salmon or tuna fillets.

    Can I use vegetable oil?

    In a pinch, you can. Since vegetable oil is neutral-tasting, the dish won't be as flavorful.

    The key takeaway

    This recipe is hard to mess up; just remember to use good quality fresh or frozen fish.

    Watch how I make it here

    More seafood recipes you may like

    • Okoy or Ukoy (Shrimp and Vegetable Fritters)
    • Tuna Belly with Tomato-Mango Salsa
    • Homemade Pad Thai
    • Chili Garlic Shrimp
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    Did you make this recipe? I would love to know! Your feedback helps me make better recipes.  Please rate, review, or comment below. Questions about this recipe are welcome, too!

    Let's connect on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, Twitter, and Youtube. Be sure to tag me when you try any of my recipes @recipesbynora!

    📖 Recipe

    mackerel in olive oil on a serving plate

    Mackerel in Olive Oil

    An effortless and flavorful way to prepare mackerel is to poach it in extra-virgin olive oil and aromatics. It makes cooking fish at home easy — no fuss, no muss. My favorite part is that there’s no mixing involved in the pan.
    5 from 12 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Filipino
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 621kcal
    Author: Nora Rey
    Cost: $10-$12

    Equipment

    • A sauté pan

    Ingredients

    • 4 mackerel fillets from 2 whole fish (about 1¼ pounds or 567 grams) (see note)
    • 2 cups sliced carrots (255 grams) bite-size pieces
    • 1 cup sweet pickles or gherkins (113 grams) bite-size pieces (see note)
    • 1 cup shallots or red onion (100 grams) bite-size pieces
    • 6 cloves garlic smashed
    • ½ cup pitted green olives (85 grams) whole or cut in half (see note)
    • 4 bay leaves dried or fresh
    • 4 Bird's eye chili pepper (see note)
    • ¼ cup water (58 grams)
    • ½ cup vinegar (128 grams) (see note)
    • ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil (171 grams) (see note)
    • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
    • 1 teaspoon paprika
    • 1 teaspoon salt or more
    • 1 tablespoon sugar or more
    • 1 tablespoon grated ginger
    • Ground black pepper or whole black peppercorn to taste
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    Prepare the Ingredients:

    • Cut each mackerel fillet into three pieces.
    • Peel and slice the carrots diagonally into ½-inch thick pieces.
    • Cut the pickles, olives, and shallots in half if they're too big for one bite.
    • Smash the garlic and remove the peel.
    • Peel a small knob of ginger, then grate or mince.
    • Make the sauce by combining ¼ cup of water, vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil, fish sauce, paprika, salt, sugar, and ginger in a cup or bowl. 

    Cook:

    • In a sauté pan, arrange the fish on the bottom. 
    • Add the carrot slices, sweet pickles, olives, shallots, garlic, bay leaves, and chilies. There won't be any mixing involved, so make sure you lay them out evenly.
    • Pour the prepared sauce and add pepper to taste.
    • Set to medium heat, cover, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes until the carrots are tender.
    • Taste the sauce and adjust — you may need to add more sugar, salt, or ground pepper. If it's too watery, cook for a few more minutes uncovered to let some of the water evaporate.

    Serve:

    • If you are like me (and a million other Filipinos), I will enjoy this over a bowl of hot steaming rice.
    • You can also serve it with pasta, potatoes, or use in sandwiches. As an option, you can add a squeeze of lemon.

    Video

    Notes

    • Mackerel: It is also labeled as Atlantic, Norwegian, Boston, or North Atlantic Mackerel. You can easily spot them in the supermarket by their distinctive wavy lines that run on their backs. Buy fillets of Mackerel, or you can fillet them yourself at home. 
    • Sweet pickles or gherkins: These are cucumbers pickled in sweet brine. Gherkins are a smaller variety of cucumbers with bumpier skin.
    • Olives: I used green olives (like Manzanilla olives), but you can use any kind and preferably pitted.
    • Extra-virgin olive oil: Aside from its health benefits, I specifically used extra-virgin olive oil for its flavor. The oil's rich flavor penetrates the fish and makes it delicious as the oil becomes the sauce in the dish. You can also use regular olive oil if that's what you have available.
    • Vinegar: To get the fishy taste out of Mackerel, use white distilled vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or cane vinegar.
    • Bird's eye chilies: If not available, you can use ¼ teaspoon (or more) of red pepper flakes instead.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 621kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 47gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 106mgSodium: 909mgPotassium: 1231mgFiber: 3gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 5903IUVitamin C: 43mgCalcium: 100mgIron: 4mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @recipesbynora or tag #RecipesByNora!
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. jomelyn

      January 27, 2022 at 3:29 pm

      5 stars
      Ive never thought of this recipe for mackerel, great idea.

      Reply
      • Nora

        January 27, 2022 at 8:04 pm

        The original idea was for sardines, but I like mackerel because they're meatier and also inexpensive. =)

        Reply
    2. Dennis

      September 01, 2021 at 7:00 pm

      Your making it very simple make, I’ll try to do this my self, thanks Nora

      Reply
    3. Tin

      September 01, 2021 at 1:37 am

      5 stars
      Perfect for healthy meals at home! Love this!

      Reply
    4. Chato

      August 30, 2021 at 2:08 am

      5 stars
      Super yummy

      Reply
      • Apol

        August 30, 2021 at 10:45 am

        5 stars
        Flavorful

        Reply
    5. Ana

      August 29, 2021 at 11:31 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe is amazing. Easy to make and it is so healthy! Will definitely try with other fish

      Reply
    6. Maileen

      August 29, 2021 at 7:56 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe. It works with other kinds of fish too.

      Thank you

      Reply
    7. Lian Reyes

      August 28, 2021 at 6:12 pm

      5 stars
      I often see mackerel in the fish market here but I never buy them cos I never knew what to do with them except to grill. This was easy to prepare. I think mackerel tastes better than sardines and the flesh is not as delicate.

      Reply
      • Nora

        August 28, 2021 at 6:31 pm

        Hi Lian! I know exactly what you mean! And yes I agree, mackerel is meatier and has a better texture. Thanks for your comment.

        Reply
    8. Jaymie

      August 28, 2021 at 3:21 pm

      5 stars
      Excellent recipe. So easy, healthy and delicious! Love this!

      Thank you Nora💕

      Reply
      • Nora

        August 28, 2021 at 6:41 pm

        Hello Jaymie! Thank you and glad you liked it!

        Reply
        • Bim

          August 29, 2021 at 11:49 pm

          5 stars
          This recipe is healthy and easy to make. I’ll try this using brancino. Thank you Nora!

          Reply

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