Healthy Mackerel Recipe from Spain

Introducing our healthy mackerel recipe, inspired by delicious Spanish recipes! This dish not only packs a flavorful punch but also provides a nutritious boost.

Here we will talk about the healthy mackerel recipe, one that is filled with nutrients and only calls for an optional dash of oil.

To learn how to cook Spanish mackerel recipes and get some tips on storing and serving this dish, all you have to do is continue reading this article.

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Pssst…!!?? You can’t get enough of Spanish fish recipes? Have a look at my other posts: 

• Salted mackerel recipe

• Mackerel patty recipe

• Mackerel pate recipe

Background of the Dish

During June and September the fishing of mackerel reaches its highest peaks in Andalusia, so it is the perfect moment to try and make new fresh or smoked mackerel filet recipes.

They come in all shapes and forms, but a healthy mackerel recipe is an amazing option when you want to eat healthy and tasty meals.

This Spanish mackerel recipe includes some classic ingredients of the region, such as onion, garlic, fish filets, and a dash of olive oil to take you all the way to Southern Spain.

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Things You’ll Need for Healthy Mackerel Recipe

To prepare this healthy mackerel recipe you need mackerel filets, bell peppers, onion, garlic cloves, and a dash of olive oil.

You will need foil for cooking Spanish mackerel in the oven, but you could skip it if you add oil to the baking pan or turn it into a grilled Spanish mackerel.

Ingredients

• 4 fresh mackerel filets
• 1 lemon
• 1 onion
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup (15gr) fresh chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)
• Aluminum foil

How to Make Healthy Mackerel Recipe – Step by Step Guide

1. The first step in this healthy mackerel recipe is to preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

2. After that, slice the lemon, removing the seeds. Chop the bell peppers and discard the seeds. Peel and chop the onion, and mince the garlic cloves.

3. Now season both sides of the mackerel filet with salt, black pepper, and half of the smoked paprika (saving the remaining half for later on this mackerel filet recipe).

4. Then tear off four sheets of aluminum foil, each large enough to wrap one mackerel filet. Place them on a baking sheet and put a few lemon slices on each sheet of foil. Lay a mackerel filet on top of the lemon slices.

5. Grab a bowl and combine the sliced onions, minced garlic, sliced bell peppers, olive oil, remaining smoked paprika, ground cumin, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper. Toss to coat the vegetables evenly with the spices and oil.

6. Now spoon the vegetable mixture over each mackerel filet.  Fold the foil over the fish and vegetables to create a sealed packet. Make sure to crimp the edges of the mackerel in foil tightly to prevent any steam from escaping.

7. After that, put the mackerel in the oven and cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until the Spanish fish is cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

8. For the final step of this mackerel filet recipe carefully open the mackerel in foil packets (watch out for steam) and transfer them to serving plates. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, and serve hot.

Substitution of Ingredients

This healthy mackerel recipe only calls for a few main ingredients, but still, you can still make some changes to them.

If you don’t have foil then just make a change on how to prepare mackerel: turn it into a grilled mackerel recipe or a pan-fried mackerel recipe.

You can change the vegetables for this Spanish mackerel fillet, removing some or adding more like carrots, eggplant, cucumber, etc.

If you don’t have fresh Spanish mackerel then you can use frozen mackerel filets, but fresh is always better.

Using ingredients such as garlic, white onion, and olive oil is key to nail the Spanish style mackerel, but you can remove them if you don’t like them.

Lastly, you can prepare this roasted mackerel recipe with any seasonings or herbs of your choice, just feel free to use your favorite ones. 

Give a go to the mackerel steaks recipe and the Mediterranean mackerel recipe for they are one of the easiest recipes with mackerel fillet.

Tips on Serving Healthy Mackerel Recipe

Serving this Spanish baked mackerel recipe is as easy as it gets: You just put it on a plate and enjoy it for lunch or dinner.

Although this is a healthy mackerel recipe, you can serve it with some less-healthy side dishes, like patatas bravas.

To stay on the healthy side, you can chop the fish and mix it with some greens to have a mackerel salad recipe that can be served as a main or side dish.

The Spanish baked mackerel recipe goes well with other sides such as Spanish mashed potatoes, baked Spanish sweet potato, or your favorite type of salad.

For more Spanish mackerel recipes to serve in creative ways, you can check our baked mackerel in foil, the smoked mackerel recipe and the Spanish mackerel sushi.

How to Store Healthy Mackerel Recipe

Something that we love about this healthy mackerel recipe is that you can store it in the fridge or in the freezer, depending on how long you want it to last.

As well as most of the recipes for Spanish mackerel, you just have to let it come to room temperature, place it in a covered container and you can store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

To store it in your freezer, do the exact same thing and store it for up to 45 days, to thaw it just transfer it to your fridge overnight.

Mackerel recipes baked like this one usually take 50 minutes or less to make, so we encourage you to enjoy it as fresh and warm out of the oven as you can.

Recipe Card: Healthy Mackerel Recipe

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