Delicious Spanish Mackerel Pate Recipe

The Spanish recipes that used mackerel as the main ingredient were always looked down upon, but in recent years, they have gained new unprecedented popularity.

The mackerel pate recipe is one of the best examples of that, but it is a new take on a traditional and beloved Andalusian recipe.

Keep reading this article and you will learn how to make Spanish mackerel recipes like this pate, plus some extra tips for storing, serving, and replacements that you can make to its ingredients.

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

• Spanish fish stew

• Bacalao gazpacho

• Mackerel patty recipe

Background of the Dish

The Mackerel pate recipe is a traditional recipe from the South of Europe, with a significant influence from Southern Spain.

In its beginnings, it was used for people with low incomes as a way of incorporating nutrients into their recipe while also enjoying a delicious seafood dish.

As time went by, more people got to enjoy this fantastic mackerel pate recipe, until it became a regional phenomenon, gaining new popularity in Andalusia and in other countries as well.

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Things You’ll Need for Mackerel Pate Recipe

To prepare this type of pate you will need canned mackerel (this isn’t a salted mackerel recipe), smoked paprika, cream cheese, and sour cream as the main ingredients.

You will also need a blender or a food processor to make this mackerel pate recipe.

Ingredients

• 2 cans (about 220gr each) of mackerel filets in oil
• 1/2 cup (150gr) cream cheese
• 1/4 cup (100gr) sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 small shallot
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
• Crackers or sliced baguette, for serving

How to Make Mackerel Pate Recipe – Step by Step Guide

1. The first step in this Mackerel pate recipe is to finely chop the small shallot. Also, peel and mince the garlic.

2. Now drain the Spanish mackerel fish from the cans and make sure to remove any small bones and skin if they’re present. Flake the drained mackerel filets into a food processor or blender.

3. Then add the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, chopped shallot, minced garlic, lemon juice, and smoked paprika to the food processor with the mackerel.

4. After that, season the mixture with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper to taste.

5. Next, process the ingredients until they get combined and the mixture is smooth and creamy. You may need to scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl with a spatula and pulse a few more times to ensure everything is evenly mixed.

6. Now taste the healthy mackerel recipe and adjust the seasoning if necessary, adding more salt, pepper, paprika, or lemon juice according to taste. You can also add more cream cheese to tone down the flavor of the mackerel a bit.

7. Once you’re satisfied with the flavor and consistency, transfer the mackerel pate to a serving dish.

8. As an optional step of this Mackerel pate recipe, you can garnish the mackerel pate with chopped fresh parsley, to add more color and freshness. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.

9. You are now ready to serve your mackerel on toast or with a thinly sliced baguette. 

Substitution of Ingredients

There are a lot of changes that you can make to this smoked mackerel recipe, as long as you have the main basic ingredients.

The sour cream is a great addition to the Mackerel pate recipe because it adds a new flavor profile to the traditional version, but you can skip it and add more cream cheese and 1/2 tablespoon of mustard.

If you want to make this recipe with fresh Spanish mackerel then we recommend grilling it, as the cooking process is faster, or try the fresh mackerel pate recipe that uses mackerel fillet.

The paprika is key to reaching the right smoked mackerel pate recipe, but some people also add 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke (you have to be very careful with the amount that you use, if it is your first time try with just a few drops first).

As it happens with other recipes with smoked mackerel, the shallot and garlic clove are secondary components, so we don’t recommend adding a bigger amount.

However, you can add some spiciness to this Mackerel pate recipe with cayenne pepper, chili flakes, or jalapeño pepper.

Try the pan-fried mackerel recipe if you’re a mackerel lover like us.

Tips on Serving Mackerel Pate Recipe

Once you finish making this Mackerel pate recipe you can serve it right away putting it on a table with crackers, toasted bread, or fresh bread.

You can also add chopped hard-boiled eggs to this fish pate recipe and use it as the filling for a nice sandwich (be generous with the amount that you use so it isn’t dry).

For a healthier alternative, you can use this recipe for mackerel pate as a dipping sauce for vegetables like carrot sticks, cucumber slices, celery sticks, bell pepper strips, and cherry tomatoes.

Our favorite way of serving this dish is making an Andalusian tapas table with other Spanish croquettes recipes, like the ensalada de bacalao, bacalao croquettes, and Spanish fried fish.

Not to mention there’s also a mackerel croquettes recipe that’s so flavorful and tasty you won’t be able to stop eating them.

How to Store Mackerel Pate Recipe

Something that we love about this Mackerel pate recipe is that it can be stored for a pretty long amount of time without losing its freshness and original flavor.

First, you can place the Spanish style mackerel spread in an airtight container or a covered plate and store it in the fridge for up to 4 days.

You can also freeze this dish once you finish making the mackerel pate recipe, just again place it in a covered container and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months (add a label on top so you can keep track of the date).

To thaw, take it to the fridge overnight or for at least twelve hours and your mackerel spread will be ready to be served.

Other smoked mackerel recipes that you can store in the freezer are the baked Spanish mackerel and the Spanish mackerel fillet.

Recipe Card: Mackerel Pate Recipe

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