Smoked Mackerel Pâté with Horseradish is quick, easy, versatile & full of healthy Omega-3 fatty acids. Perfect as an elegant fish starter, snack or light lunch!
The recipe I’m sharing with you today is super simple yet so delicious. I am a big fan of spreads and pastes as sandwich fillings but also as a moreish addition to an oatcake or a cracker. My Smoked Mackerel Pâté with Horseradish is one of those spreads. It’s quick and easy to prepare so you can enjoy it in no time.
Is Smoked Mackerel Pâté spicy?
It will depend on the type of horseradish cream (sauce) you use. The one I’ve used here was quite mild and creamy but you can also buy hotter varieties with more actual horseradish in the sauce. You could also use fresh horseradish root (if you can get hold of one) but be ware as this stuff really has a kick to it so add a grating at a time and taste, taste, taste!
How can I make Smoked Mackerel Pâté healthier?
This pâté is pretty wholesome, however, I do use full fat mayo in this recipe. The good news is, you can quite drastically reduce the number of fat and calories by making some easy swaps. One of the obvious ones would be using reduced fat mayo instead of full fat version. You could also use half mayo half natural yogurt or reduced fat creme fraiche which works just as well.
Smoked Mackerel Pâté with Horseradish – serving suggestions
This pate is really versatile and could be served as one of the following:
- Paired with some lightly toasted sourdough it would make an elegant fish starter.
- Try it as a snack or light lunch paired with some oatcakes or crackers and array of salad goodies like radishes, cucumber slices and cherry tomatoes (perfect addition to any picnic spread together with my Asparagus and Parma Ham Twists with Pesto, Sun-Dried Tomato and Basil Turkey Rolls and Vegetarian Sausage Rolls).
- It would make a perfect dip for toasted pita bread pieces.
- Delicious sandwich filler.
- It goes really well as a topping for baked sweet potato or regular jacket potato.
- Lovely on its own on top of some mixed salad leaves.
How long will this pâté keep for and can I freeze it?
Smoked Mackerel Pâté can be kept covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezing, however, wouldn’t be advisable as it contains mayo which doesn’t freeze well.
I like my fish pâté smooth and this one looks quite chunky.
I usually flake the mackerel fillets into a bowl and mix all the ingredients with the fork keeping some texture. However, if you prefer really smooth pates the best way would be to put the fillets into the food process and whiz them until smooth before adding all the other ingredients and mixing them in with a fork.
How to make Smoked Mackerel Pâté with Horseradish – Step By Step
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- 1. Prepare your ingredients.
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- 2. Skin your mackerel fillets and flake them into small pieces into a bowl watching out for any pin bones.
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- 3. Add mayo and horseradish cream and mix well with a fork.
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- 4. Add freshly squeezed lemon juice. Squeeze quarter of a lemon at a time, taste and squeeze more if you want to.
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- 5. Add thinly sliced spring onions (scallions) and mix well.
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- 6. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Smoked Mackerel & Horseradish Pâté
Ingredients
- 200-250 g smoked mackerel fillets skinned
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- juice of quarter or half a lemon depending on your taste
- 3 spring onions (scallions) (green parts only + more as garnish) washed and thinly sliced
- 1 Tbsp horseradish cream (sauce) or more depending on your preference
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Take the skin off the mackerel and tear the fish into small pieces then pop them in a bowl. Make sure you pay attention to tiny little bones which you want to discard. If you like your pate really smooth, simply whiz it in a food processor instead.
- Using a fork mix flaked or pureed fish with mayonnaise and horseradish.
- Add juice of a lemon and mix thoroughly. Start with quarter of a lemon first, taste and add more if needed.
- Wash and slice finely your spring onions and mix with the fish.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Nutritional information is approximate and should be treated as a guideline only.
- You could substitute spring onions with small bunch of chives.
- For healthier ingredient substitutions check out the post above.
- Pate will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published on 27 July 2017, but was republished with new recipe card, updated photos, step-by-step process photos, tips and other useful info in February 2019.
More smoked mackerel recipes you might enjoy:
Smoked Mackerel Quiche with Horseradish
Leeks and Smoked Mackerel Risotto
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Linkies:
Cook Blog Share hosted this week by Kirsty over at Hijacked by Twins and Eb from Easy Peasy Foodie
Cook Once Eat Twice hosted by Corina at Searching for Spice
Brilliant Blog Posts hosted by Vicki at Honest Mum Blog
Recipe of the Week hosted by Emily at A Mummy Too
Simple and in Season hosted by Katie at Feeding Boys
Lisa | Garlic & Zest says
This reminds me of a fish dip that I make for parties. I’ve never tried it with horseradish though — that sounds like a great twist!
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you Lisa! 🙂 Horseradish provides that little bit of umami flavour, definitely worth trying! 🙂
Gabi says
I think you can’t have enough long chain omega 3 fatty acid sources. Your delicious looking pate is another smart way to get this important nutrient. On top, fish and horseradish are for me a perfect match:)
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you Gabi! 🙂 Definitely, smoked fish in particular! It’s a lovely combo!:)
Suzy says
This is such a unique recipe using mackerel. Love it!
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you Suzy! 🙂
Helen of Fuss Free Flavours says
Smoked mackerel and horseradish are delicious flavours, so having them together makes perfect sense. I’d definitely use yogurt in the mix, I think that would be utterly delicious.
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you Helen! Yogurt works really well here if you are after lighter version although I would still keep some mayo in. 🙂
Tayler Ross says
I made this for a light lunch yesterday and loved it! I can’t wait to have it again!
joskitchenlarder says
I’m really glad to hear that, thank you! 🙂
Anna | Once Upon A Food Blog says
My youngest loves smoked mackerel pate but she likes it whizzed in the food processor to remove all chance of finding bones. Congratulations on making this look really pretty, I reckon that’s quite an achievement!
joskitchenlarder says
Thank you Anna! 🙂 Kids usually prefer smoother dips and pates, I know my youngest does. M 8-year-old on the other hand is smoked fish aficionado and will eat it in any shape or form pulling little pin bones out as he goes lol
Jacqui says
love smoked mackerel pate and you have made it look so pretty. Im not sure it would have been the easiest thing to shoot. I bet the crunch of radish is lovely with it will have to try remember next time i serve it.
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Jacqui! It is too good, isn’t it? I’m still getting to grips with whole food photography thing as well as my camera, winging it most of the time 😉 Radishes are really nice here but someone on Insta suggested beetroot which I never though of but think would actually work really lovely too. x
Eb Gargano | Easy Peasy Foodie says
I love recipes like this – really simple to make but looks (and I assume tastes) absolutely amazing! Really need to try that smoked mackerel and horseradish combo too – sounds fab! Eb x
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Eb! You’ve got to give this combo a go, it really is delicious! x
Corina says
It looks delicious! I haven’t had horseradish for years as I wasn’t keen on it when I was a child so I’ve avoided it ever since. However, looking at this and reading about it does make me want to try it again. I suspect it’s one of those things I’d then fall in love with! Thanks for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice x
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Corina! Horseradish is not overpowering here at all and fish definitely takes the centre stage. It cuts through the smokiness of the rich mackerel nicely though, making you wonder, mmm what’s that? Oh horseradish! 😉 Give it a go, you might just like it! xx
ema says
One of my favourites – love mackerel pate 🙂
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Ema! 🙂 It’s mine too! x
Vicky | The Flourishing Pantry says
This sounds amazing, I have really got into making my own pate and did a liver one at Christmas. I must give this a try! Thanks for sharing, found you via #RecipeOfTheWeek x
joskitchenlarder says
Hi Vicky, Thanks so much for stopping by! 🙂 I love pate and beside this one chicken livers is my other favourite. I highly recommend smoked mackerel and horseradish combo, oh so good. 🙂 x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins says
I love horseradish but do not have it very often, this needs to change. This looks delicious! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
joskitchenlarder says
Thanks Kirsty! Horseradish cuts through the richness of the fish which works really nicely. I just love it! x