We know that the world is filled with picky eaters, but the sooner in life you are exposed to new flavors the more open you will be once you grow up, and the Spanish recipes are an amazing alternative to start trying delicious new things.
Spanish mackerel recipes often come out as too sophisticated, but with the baby Spanish mackerel recipe, you will have the perfect dish to impress the little ones.
Read this article to learn everything about this mesmerizing kid-friendly recipe, how to cook Spanish mackerel sticks from scratch, and some tips for serving and storing.
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Pssst…!!?? You can’t get enough of Spanish fish recipes? Have a look at my other posts:
Background of the Dish
The recipes with mackerel have existed for centuries in Andalusia because it was a popular fish in the coastal areas of the region, but people usually associated them with food for adults.
As easy mackerel recipes reached a new level of fame, people started trying new ways of bringing this dish to little kids, as mackerel is filled with nutrients and proteins.
During the 1950s fish sticks became mainstream worldwide, and they soon were adapted to become the best Spanish mackerel recipe for kids.
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Things You’ll Need for Baby Spanish Mackerel
To make your own fish sticks you will need mackerel filets, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, and eggs as the main ingredients.
Besides this baby Spanish mackerel recipe we have other mackerel recipe ideas in our blog that are also child-friendly, so feel free to check them out.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Spanish mackerel filets, skinless and boneless
- 1 cup (80gr) breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (50gr) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooking spray or olive oil for greasing
How to Make Baby Spanish Mackerel – Step by Step Guide
- For the first step on this fish mackerel recipe, you have to preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the mackerel filets into finger-sized strips, resembling fish sticks.
- Now grab a shallow dish and combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, salt, and pepper then mix well. You could add more spices, but since it is a kid-friendly fish recipe we recommend sticking to the basics.
- After that, dip each mackerel filet strip into the beaten eggs, allowing the excess to drip off. Roll the strips in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the breadcrumbs onto the fish to adhere.
- Then, place the coated Spanish fish sticks on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly spray the fish sticks with cooking spray or brush with olive oil for extra crispiness.
- For the cooking step on this Spanish mackerel recipe, bake in the preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and the coating is golden brown.
- Let the fish sticks cool slightly before serving. Serve the baby Spanish mackerel with a side of ketchup, tartar sauce, or a favorite dipping sauce.
Substitution of Ingredients
The baby Spanish mackerel dish is one of the best fish recipes kids will eat, especially because the thick crust adds a nice texture and the mackerel has a pretty neutral flavor.
For a change, you could add more spices to this mackerel fillet recipe, or a different mix of herbs, just make sure to use the ones that your kids like.
You could turn it into a mackerel steaks recipe, just make sure that they are properly cleaned and adjust the cooking time to the thickness of the fish.
Since the cooking method is baking this is a pretty healthy mackerel recipe, but you could choose to fry them as an alternative and guarantee a crispy outside.
Lastly, you can follow simple canned mackerel recipes and make this one with canned mackerel, but you would have to clean it and shape it into sticks.
Tips on Serving Baby Spanish Mackerel
Once you finish making the best mackerel recipe you will have fish sticks ready to be served right away.
We recommend eating Spanish mackerel sticks with dipping sauces that your kid already likes, or adding some for grown-ups, such as ketchup, BBQ sauce, aioli, sour cream and chives, hot sauce, etc.
The baked Spanish mackerel recipe goes well with other side dishes such as a Spanish mixed green salad, a Spanish potato salad, or a tortilla de patatas if you want to turn it into a full meal.
You could also serve the baby Spanish mackerel dish as an appetizer or tapas, and everyone will want to enjoy this mackerel for babies.
Other mackerel fish recipes that you can make and serve as tapas are the grilled mackerel recipe, cured mackerel recipe or steamed mackerel recipe.
How to Store Baby Spanish Mackerel
Just like other recipes with mackerel filets, you can easily store the baby Spanish mackerel and enjoy it later.
You just have to let the baby king mackerel sticks cool to room temperature and place them in a covered container, with a lid or plastic wrap.
Then, take it to the fridge and store it for up to 3 days, or to the freezer where it can last up to 45 days (then thaw overnight or for 12 hours before serving).
To guarantee that this fresh mackerel recipe doesn’t lose its crispiness after storing it, we recommend that you reheat it in the oven, brushing it with a bit of oil or cooking spray on the outside.
Recipe Card: Baby Spanish Mackerel
Baby Spanish Mackerel Recipe
We know that the world is filled with picky eaters, but the sooner in life you are exposed to new flavors the more open you will be once you grow up, and the Spanish recipes are an amazing alternative to start trying delicious new things.
Spanish mackerel recipes often come out as too sophisticated, but with the baby Spanish mackerel recipe, you will have the perfect dish to impress the little ones.
Read this article to learn everything about this mesmerizing kid-friendly recipe, how to cook Spanish mackerel sticks from scratch, and some tips for serving and storing.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Spanish mackerel filets, skinless and boneless
- 1 cup (80gr) breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (50gr) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooking spray or olive oil for greasing
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Cut the mackerel filets into finger-sized strips, resembling fish sticks.
- In a shallow dish, combine breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Mix well. You could add more spices, but since it is a baby-friendly fish recipe we recommend sticking to the basics.
- Dip each Spanish mackerel filet strip into the beaten eggs, allowing the excess to drip off. Roll the strips in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing the breadcrumbs onto the fish to adhere.
- Place the coated Spanish mackerel fish sticks on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly spray the fish sticks with cooking spray or brush with olive oil for extra crispiness.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-20 minutes or until the fish is cooked through and the coating is golden brown.
- Allow the fish sticks to cool slightly before serving. Serve the baby Spanish mackerel with a side of ketchup, tartar sauce, or a favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
For a crispier outside you can cook it as baked mackerel in foil, being careful when you open the packets.
You can turn it into a king mackerel recipe or a whole mackerel recipe, but since this is a baby Spanish mackerel recipe, we recommend sticking to the regular clean filets.
As well as other child-friendly fish recipes, it doesn't call for many spices so a good way of adding flavor is using your kid's favorite sauces for dipping.
Nutrition Information
Yield
5Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 333Total Fat 12.8gSaturated Fat 4.5gCholesterol 159mgSodium 364mgCarbohydrates 16.3gFiber 1.1gSugar 1.5gProtein 36.3g
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