Mackerel Salad That Tastes Like the Coast on a Weeknight
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh mackerel fillets (or two 4.4 oz cans mackerel in olive oil, drained)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for searing fresh fish)
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 cups mixed greens or arugula
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp capers, drained
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, halved (optional)
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 small garlic clove, grated or minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- If using fresh mackerel, pat fillets completely dry with paper towels. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil, and place fillets skin-side down. Cook without moving for 3–4 minutes until skin is golden and crisp. Flip and cook another 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and rest 2 minutes before flaking. If using canned mackerel, drain well and set aside.
- While fish rests, build the salad base. Arrange greens in a wide bowl or on a platter. Scatter cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, red onion, and capers over the top.
- Make the dressing by whisking together olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and grated garlic in a small bowl. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon as needed. It should be bright and slightly tangy.
- Flake the mackerel into generous pieces over the salad. Keep the flakes large enough to taste in each bite — don't shred the fish into tiny pieces.
- Drizzle dressing over the salad. Add halved eggs if using. Serve immediately while everything is fresh and the greens still have their crispness.
Notes
If using fresh mackerel, always pat the fillets completely dry before searing — wet fish steams instead of crisping and you'll lose that golden skin that makes the whole dish better.