Best Mackerel Fillet Recipe from Spain

Eating more seafood has an incredibly positive impact on your health, but some people are not sure how to cook it or get tired of always eating the same type of fish.

If you are one of them, or if you simply want to try new Spanish mackerel recipes, then the mackerel fillet recipe is perfect for you.

Keep scrolling down this article and learn everything there is to know about Spanish recipes like this one: from how to make it, to tips for storing and serving this dish.

You, dear reader, support this blog. If you purchase through a link, we earn a small commission. As an Amazon Affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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

• Roasted mackerel recipe

• Spanish baked mackerel recipe

• Grilled Spanish mackerel recipe

Background of the Dish

Mackerel is one of the most popular fishes in the coastal region of Andalusia, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that dozens of recipes with this ingredient were created here.

The mackerel fillet recipe is one of the best because it requires only a few basic ingredients, and the cooking process is among the simplest you will find.

We know that other seafood dishes usually take the spotlight, like the bacalao gazpacho or the ensalada de bacalao, but you should definitely give this amazing mackerel dish a try.

Pin for later!

Things You’ll Need for Mackerel Fillet Recipe

To make this mackerel fillet recipe you will need mackerel filets, onion, garlic cloves, olive oil, plus herbs and spices.

Ingredients

• 4 mackerel filets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup (60gr) flour
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 onion
• 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Fresh herbs (for garnish, optional)
• Salt and black pepper to taste

How to Make Mackerel Fillet Recipe – Step by Step Guide

1. The first step in this mackerel fillet recipe is to prepare the vegetables. So peel and chop the onion and mince the garlic. Also, cut the lemon into slices.

2. After that, pat each Spanish mackerel filet dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This helps the filets crisp up when pan-fried.

3. Then, season both sides of the filets with salt and black pepper. You can also add a pinch of your favorite herbs or spices for extra flavor.

4. Now grab a plate or deep tray and put the flour mixed with paprika. Coat the seasoned Spanish mackerel fish with a thin layer of flour.

5. For the next step in this mackerel fillet recipe, place a large skillet or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and allow it to heat up. 

6. Then, add the minced garlic and chopped onion to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes, just until it becomes fragrant. Keep in mind they will continue cooking with the fish.

7. Carefully place the seasoned fresh Spanish mackerel into the same hot pan, skin-side down. If you prefer, you can remove the skin before cooking, but keeping it on adds flavor and helps protect the filet during cooking.

8. After that, cook the Spanish style mackerel for about 4 minutes on each side, or until they turn golden brown and crisp up. The skin should be crispy.

9. In the last minute of cooking Spanish mackerel, arrange the lemon slices around the filets in the pan. The heat will infuse the fish with a lemony flavor.

10. Once the mackerel filets are cooked through and have a nice crispy texture, remove them from the pan. Serve the pan fried mackerel filets immediately, garnished with fresh herbs if desired. 

Substitution of Ingredients

There are a lot of substitutions that you can make to this Spanish mackerel filet recipe, and here we will try to show you most of them.

For example, instead of filets you can make a pan fried whole mackerel, or use other fish such as trout, salmon, tuna, or striped bass.

When it comes to the herbs and spices for this mackerel fillet recipe, feel free to play with them as much as you want, just choose your favorite ones.

You could prepare BBQ mackerel filets, just marinate the fish in a BBQ sauce and remove the paprika and garlic from the recipe.

We believe that pan frying is the best way to cook mackerel filets, but you can make oven baked mackerel filets in foil as an alternative.

Get a hold of the smoked mackerel pate recipe if you want a delicious fish spread for your next appetizer dish.

Tips on Serving Mackerel Fillet Recipe

This mackerel fillet recipe gives you the best main dish for any meal of the day.

Some great side dishes that you can serve with this pan-fried mackerel recipe are a mixed green salad, mashed potatoes, roasted potatoes, or serve it as a stand-alone dish.

To make some creative spins on this mackerel fillet recipe, you could serve it as a sandwich, or use the fish as the topping for a mackerel salad recipe.

For a tapas version of this dish, chop the filets into bite-sized pieces and serve it with dipping sauces such as BBQ, Spanish garlic sauce, or mustard sauce for mackerel.

Some regular or cold smoked mackerel recipes that are perfect for tapas are the mackerel patty recipe and the mackerel pate recipe.

How to Store Mackerel Fillet Recipe

Once you finish making this mackerel fillet recipe you have to let the fish come to room temperature if you want to store it.

Then place the pan fried mackerel filets in a covered container (with a lid or plastic wrap) and take them to your fridge where they can last up to 3 days.

You can also store these Spanish mackerel filets in the freezer for up to 45 days, and thaw them in the fridge overnight before serving.

As well as other regular or smoked mackerel recipes the reheating time is pretty simple: you can do it in the oven, microwave, or a frying pan.

Other recipes with smoked mackerel or regular fish that you can prepare if you are planning on storing them are the Spanish fried fish and the Spanish fish stew.

Recipe Card: Mackerel Fillet Recipe

---

---