This Creamy Smoked Mackerel Pasta Bake is very easy and ready in just 20 minutes. Smoked mackerel fillets are an easy addition to pasta as they don't need any extra cooking. I've mixed the fillets with leeks, kale and cream cheese then topped it all with some grated cheese to make a simple pasta bake. You could even leave off the grated cheese and just serve it as a lovely creamy smoked fish pasta dish. A little horseradish added to the cream cheese gives the sauce an extra kick and cuts through the strong flavour of the mackerel.
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Common Questions
Mackerel is an oily fish. Smoking the fish helps preserve it and gives it a longer shelf life, as well as adding a deep flavour. The smoked fillets are already cooked, ready to eat and can be eaten hot or cold.
NHS guidelines recommend we eat one portion of oily fish per week. Smoked mackerel is packed with protein, omega-3 fatty acids as well as minerals and vitamins. It is also usually cheaper than salmon and so a good choice for an oily fish recipe.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- The mackerel fillets are already cooked, which makes them a very easy ingredient for a pasta bake. You can buy them simply smoked or with added flavours such as smoked peppered mackerel, hot smoked, or even honey and soy flavoured. Remove the skin, check for bones and flake the fillets before adding to the pasta.
- This recipe works with either mackerel fillets or tinned mackerel.
- I've used leeks and kale, but you could also use onion in place of the leeks and green cabbage or spinach to replace the kale. Fresh spinach doesn't need cooking, just stir it into the pasta at stage 3 so it wilts down.
- You can use any pasta shapes in a pasta bake.
- For the topping, use a hard grated cheese such as cheddar or mozarella. Mozarella has a milder flavour. Pre-grated cheeses that you buy in bags don't always melt as well as if you grate it yourself. This is because the pre-grated cheeses contain additives to stop it clumping together in the bag, which can also mean it doesn't melt as easily.
- Sprinkling over some breadcrumbs gives a nice crunchy topping and is a useful way to use up any leftover bread. Remember you can store breadcrumbs in the freezer and use them from frozen so this can help minimise your food waste.
Other Smoked Mackerel Recipes
If you're looking for other smoked mackerel recipes, you might also like Smoked Mackerel Pate, Smoked Mackerel Fishcakes or a Smoked Mackerel with Asian Noodles salad
How to make Smoked Mackerel Pasta
This is a super easy recipe and ready in just 4 easy steps.
Fry the leeks 
Stir in the cream cheese and mackerel 
Add the pasta 
Top with cheese and bake
- Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the penne as per the packet instructions, then drain. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the butter and fry the leek and kale for 10 minutes or until the leaves are tender but still dark green and slightly firm.
- Remove the skin from the mackerel and check for any bones. Flake the fish and stir in with the cream cheese and horseradish sauce and heat for 1 minute.
- Stir in the pasta and season with black pepper. If you're using fresh spinach, add it here.
- Pour everything into an oven proof baking dish, scatter with breadcrumbs (optional) and grated cheese and grill until the top is crisp and golden.
Serving Suggestion
Mackerel pasta is a great one pot dish as it already contains vegetables. You could also serve some other seasonal green vegetables on the side such as broccoli to add some more colour to your plate.
Sustainability
In order to protect fish stocks, it's important we choose fish from sustainable sources. This means eating fish that are not in danger of being over-fished. The Marine Conservation Society Good Fish Guide recommends handline-caught mackerel from the southwest of England because of its ring-fenced quota and low impact methods. Look for the MCS logo on fish you buy or ask your fishmonger. MCS is an international non-profit organisation.
Storing, freezing and reheating
Smoked mackerel has a shelf life of several weeks when stored in the fridge. You can also freeze the mackerel fillets for up to 3 months. It may say on the packet that you can't freeze it. This is because it is a particularly oily fish and the taste after it has been frozen may be slightly different. If you do freeze it, try to use it up as soon as possible.
The pasta bake can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days. Store it in an airtight container to prevent the smell of the fish leaking into the other food.
You can also prepare this mackerel pasta bake ahead of time and keep in the fridge. If you do this remember it will all be cold so you would need to re-heat in the oven. Cover with foil and re-heat for 20 minutes at 180°C/350°F. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
📖 Recipe
Creamy Smoked Mackerel Pasta Bake
Ingredients
- 300 g penne organic
- 10 g butter organic
- 2 leeks organic, trimmed, washed and sliced
- 200 g kale organic
- 340 g cream cheese organic
- 400 g smoked mackerel fillets MSC certified, skinned and flesh flaked into large chunks
- 2 tablespoon horseradish sauce organic
- 1 dash black pepper organic, fairtrade, freshly ground
- 100 g breadcrumbs organic
- 50 g Cheddar Cheese organic, grated
Instructions
- Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil and cook the penne as per the packet instructions, then drain. Meanwhile, heat a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the butter and fry the leek and kale for 10 minutes or until the leaves are tender but still dark green and slightly firm.300 g penne, 10 g butter, 2 leeks, 200 g kale
- Stir in the cream cheese, smoked mackerel and horseradish sauce and heat for 1 minute.340 g cream cheese, 400 g smoked mackerel fillets, 2 tablespoon horseradish sauce
- Stir in the pasta and season with black pepper.1 dash black pepper
- Pour everything into an oven proof baking dish, scatter with breadcrumbs and cheese and grill until the top is crisp and golden.100 g breadcrumbs, 50 g Cheddar Cheese
Notes
Tips
- You can buy the fillets simply smoked or with added flavours such as smoked peppered mackerel, hot smoked, or even honey and soy flavoured. You can also use tinned mackerel.
- I've used leeks and kale in this recipe, but you could also use onion in place of the leeks and green cabbage or spinach to replace the kale. Fresh spinach doesn't need cooking, just stir it into the pasta at stage 3 so it wilts down.
- You can use any pasta shapes in a pasta bake.
- For the topping, use a hard grated cheese such as cheddar or mozarella. Mozarella has a milder flavour.
Storage
Smoked mackerel fillets can be frozen for up to 3 months. They also keep well in the fridge for up to several weeks. Store the pasta bake in the fridge for 2-3 days in an airtight container to prevent the smell of the fish leaking into the other food. You can prepare this pasta bake ahead of time and keep in the fridge. To re-heat, cover with foil and re-heat for 20 minutes at 180°C/350°F. Remove the foil and bake for another 10-15 minutes.Nutrition per serving
The Nutritional Values are computer generated estimates based on industry standards and are provided as a helpful guide only.
Nigel
I can’t afford organic vegetables or groceries, my heating bill has gone through the roof. Can I still make this with conventionally grown and manufactured food?
REALMEALDEAL
Yes you can make all the recipes with conventionally grown and manufactured food. I list items that are available to buy as organic to help improve awareness but of course we all have to buy to our budgets and they are being squeezed in a big way right now. You might like to look at some of my vegetarian recipes which are much cheaper to make than any using meat or fish.
Ruth Brown
This meal was lovely. It was easy to make and very tasty. But we did find that we only needed 2/3 of a portion each.