This Easy Smoked Mackerel Pate can be made in minutes. It's a great dinner party starter that also works as part of a sharing platter for an evening get together with family or friends. Or just enjoy with some toasted sourdough for a light meal option.
This smoked mackerel pate recipe is super simple to make. Combining smoked mackerel with yogurt and lemon juice to cut through the oily fish and butter.
I prefer my smoked mackerel pate without cream cheese as I'm never keen on the combination of cheese and fish. I also prefer the acidity you get when using natural yogurt, which balances the fish.
It's less cook and more assemble and blitz together in a food processor. A great starter for a novice cook, or for someone looking to enjoy something tasty and nutritious, without too much prep.
What I like about this pate is that it can feed a crowd, and can be made a day in advance and kept in the fridge. Prior to serving, simply remove from the fridge and serve with toast when you're ready.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Prep time is minimal, this pate can be cooked and in the fridge to chill in just 15 minutes.
- Make ahead earlier in the day of the day before, and store in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
- This recipe is easily doubled up if you need to feed a crowd.
- Mackerel is an oily fish rich in omega 3 fatty acids, and this pate is a great way of adding oily fish to your diet.
Recipe ingredients
- Butter - I use unsalted butter to sauté the onion and garlic. Don't be tempted to use oil, you need the butter to help the pate set!
- Onion - I use a small onion to flavour the pate.
- Garlic - I always use fresh garlic in this recipe, although frozen garlic can work too,
- Smoked mackerel - I use regular smoked mackerel fillets (roughly 3 fillets) with the skin and bones removed.
- Yogurt - I use natural yoghurt or plain Greek yogurt in this recipe.
- Lemon - I add the juice of half a lemon in the actual pate, and also serve the pate with a wedge of fresh lemon for those who like to add a little more.
- Seasoning - I season the pate with sea salt & black pepper to taste.
How to make smoked mackerel pate
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the onion and garlic and sauté gently over a medium heat until soft. Take care to cook the onions, but not to colour them.
- Place the onion and garlic mixture into a food processor together with smoked mackerel, yogurt and lemon juice.
- Blend together until you reach the desired consistency.
- Taste the pate and season to taste with salt and pepper, and blend through.
- Spoon the pate into bowls, cover with cling-film and chill in the fridge for at least 45 minutes before serving.
TIP TIP: Smoked mackerel is saltier than fresh mackerel, this is due to the smoking process. Also the level of smoke can vary greatly from producer to producer. So to avoid over seasoning, taste the pate and only then season it with salt, adding a little at a time to suit your taste.
Recipe variations
- Smoked mackerel - I went for regular smoked mackerel fillets, but you can swap these for peppered smoked mackerel if you prefer. You might want to cut back on the black pepper when seasoning the pate.
- Butter - Only use butter or a plant based alternative, never oil, as the butter helps the pate to set.
- Yogurt - I used natural yogurt in this recipe as it adds acidity which helps cut through the oily fish. However, you can swap this for creme fraiche, or sour cream if you prefer.
Serving suggestions
I make this pate a lot, sometimes as a starter but sometimes as a quick mid-week supper with a pile of hot toast. It's great on a sharing platter, alongside other fish and seafood; or as a dinner party starer when you have friends round.
Useful hints and tips
- Always check there are no bones in the mackerel fillets. Nobody will thank you for bone fragments in their pate.
- Only season the pate to taste once it is made. The level of salt added will depend on how salty the fillet are.
- This mackerel pate freezes well so make a double batch and save some for an easy meal another day.
- Allergy advice: gluten free, egg free, soya free and nut free. For comprehensive and detailed allergy advice go to Allergy UK.
FAQs
Smoked mackerel is an oily fish high in protein and a great source of omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B12. We should all be looking to increase the amount of good fish oils in our diet and mackerel is a great fish for this. However, smoked mackerel does have more salt than fresh mackerel, this is due to the smoking process.
Once prepared, place the pate into bowls and cover with kitchen foil or clingfilm. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
If you have bought the smoked mackerel fresh and it hasn't already been frozen, then yes. In fact I often buy twice as much as I require so that I can double up the portion. I then freeze it in individual sized containers, ready to take out of the fridge for a quick lunch or light supper on busy days.I
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Additional recipe suggestions
If you like this recipe then try some of my favourite seafood starter recipes:
- Prawn Cocktail with Tarragon Mayonnaise
- Scallops with Pea Puree & Butter Sauce
- Scallops with Celeriac & Bacon
- Beetroot Cured Salmon
Easy Smoked Mackerel Pate
Equipment
- chopping board
- Kitchen knife
- small saucepan
- weighing scales
- Food Processor
- 6 individual serving bowls
Ingredients
- 50 g butter
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 300 g smoked mackerel fillets (roughly 3 fillets - skinless and bones removed)
- 100 ml natural yoghurt
- juice of half lemon
- sea salt & black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the onion and garlic and saute gently over a medium heat until soft. Take care to cook the onions but not to colour them.
- Place the onion and garlic mixture into a food processor together with smoked mackerel, yogurt and lemon juice. Blend together until you reach the desired consistency.
- Taste the pate and season to taste with salt and pepper, and blend through.
- Spoon the pate into bowls, cover with cling-film and chill in the fridge for at least 45 minutes before serving.
Notes
• Please note that the nutrition information provided above is approximate and meant as a guideline only •
Chloe says
This went down a treat with my nan - she loves smoked mackerel. I always forget how easy fish pate is to make too, so simple though!
Lesley says
Thank you Chloe, fish pates are so easy to make, and store really well too.
Hazel says
Such a tasty pate and I cant believe how easy it wasto make.
Lesley says
Thank you Hazel, I'm glad you enjoyed the pate.