Baked Mackerel with Lemon
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Baked mackerel is one of the easiest ways I know to cook fresh whole fish. Mackerel has a richer flavor than many white fish, so it doesn’t need fiddly seasonings or a complicated sauce. Lemon, olive oil and fresh herbs are enough to enhance its flavor while the oven takes care of the cooking.
I’ve made this baked mackerel recipe with lemon several times and like it because there’s very little prep once the fish has been cleaned and gutted.
I grew up in England, where fresh mackerel and soused mackerel are both familiar, and mackerel fishing trips out to sea are possible, but baking whole mackerel is the method I use most and this recipe isn’t something I think I could get tired of anytime soon.
Baked Mackerel at a Glance
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 20 minutes
- Total time: 35 minutes
- Servings: 2
- Cuisine: Not cuisine-specific
- Main ingredients: Whole mackerel, lemon, olive oil and fresh herbs
- Best cooking method: Oven-baking
- Storage: Refrigerate cooked mackerel for up to 3 days
Why You’ll Love This Baked Mackerel
- Whole-fish cooking: No need to fillet the mackerel before it goes in the oven.
- Short prep: Once your fish is cleaned and gutted, you only need to score, season and dress it.
- One-pan method: The fish cooks on a single baking tray, so cleanup is simple.
- Works with everyday sides: Couscous, potatoes, roasted vegetables and salads all go really well with the rich fish.
Baked Mackerel Recipe Ingredients
- Whole mackerel: Ask the fishmonger to clean and gut the fish for you. I recommend choosing two fish that are reasonably similar in size, so they cook at about the same rate.
- Lemon: Thin slices fit into the shallow cuts and the cavity of the fish. Keep a few wedges for serving if you want more lemon at the table.
- Olive oil: Use a little to grease the baking tray and drizzle the rest over the fish before baking.
- Bay leaves and fresh herbs: Bay leaves are optional. Rosemary is my first choice with fish (I love it with salmon too!) although thyme and oregano are also good options.
How to Bake Whole Mackerel
I cook this whole mackerel recipe in a 425°F (220°C) oven. Score one side of each fish, season inside and out, tuck in lemon and herbs and coat the skin with olive oil. Start checking at about 20 minutes.
The thickest part of the fish should reach 145°F (63°C), and the flesh should be opaque and you should be able to separate the flesh with a fork. As soon as it separates with a fork, it’s done. Cooking it further at this point overcooks it.
Why Lemon is So Good with Mackerel
Mackerel is an oily fish with a stronger flavor than cod, haddock and many other white fish. Fresh lemon adds acidity that cuts some of that richness and tastes good with rosemary, thyme and oregano. I like tucking slices into the scored fish because this way the lemon is in direct contact with the flesh as it cooks, infusing more flavor.
Tips for Baking Whole Mackerel
- Pat the fish dry: Dry skin browns more readily than wet skin.
- Shallow cuts are best: Score through the skin and only partway into the flesh so the fish holds together.
- Use similar-size fish: Two fish of roughly the same size are more likely to finish cooking at the same time. If this isn’t possible, keep in mind you may have to remove one a few minutes before the other.
- Check the thickest section: Insert the thermometer into the flesh near the backbone without touching bone.
- Use temperature as the final check: Whole fish vary in size, so 20 minutes is a guide rather than a guarantee.
Substitutions and Variations
- I’ve made this with lime instead of lemon, and enjoyed it that way too.
- You can use rosemary, thyme, oregano or a mixture of the three.
- Leave out the bay leaves if you don’t have any. They add a very subtle flavor anyway.
Handy Baked Fish Equipment
- Baking sheet: Large enough for 2 whole mackerel with room around them.
- Chef’s knife: Useful for making the shallow diagonal cuts.
- Instant-read thermometer: Checks the thickest part of the fish.
- Fish turner: A wide slotted spatula that helps lift the cooked fish without breaking it.
How to Store
- Refrigerate: Cool leftovers promptly, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Reheat until the fish reaches 165°F (74°C). Gentle oven reheating is less likely to dry it out than high heat.
- Freeze: Cooked fish can be frozen for up to 3 months for best quality, although the texture may be softer after thawing. Defrost the fish overnight in the refrigerator.
- Make ahead: Raw fish can be refrigerated for a day or 2 before cooking. Keep it cold and add the lemon, herbs and seasoning shortly before it goes in the oven.
What to Serve With Baked Mackerel
Mackerel is rich enough that I usually serve the fairly simple sides with it. My pearl couscous salad is good with it, as is this couscous salad with parsley and lime that adds more citrus and herbs. Or you could try my roasted potatoes with garlic.
Broccoli, green beans or a tomato and onion salad are more good options for sides. I sometimes add broccoli to the same tray and spritz it with oil. Cooked with the fish, it comes out perfectly crisp-tender.
Baked Mackerel FAQs
Yes. I find that fillets cook much faster than whole fish, so I’d start checking them after about 8 minutes and use 145°F (63°C) at the thickest part as your doneness check.
No. The fish can be baked with the head on or removed. What matters is that it has been cleaned and gutted before cooking.
For this specific recipe, no. Thaw the fish in the refrigerator first. A thawed fish is much easier to score and fill with lemon, and it will cook more evenly than a frozen whole fish.
No. It’s best to leave the skin on when baking whole mackerel. It helps hold the fish together, and the oiled surface can brown in the oven. Some people like to eat the crispy skin. If you don’t, you can simply leave it.
Baked Mackerel with Lemon
Ingredients
- 2 cleaned and gutted whole mackerel
- 1 lemon, halved lengthwise then thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Large dried bay leaves, optional
- Fresh rosemary, thyme and/or oregano, optional
Equipment
- Rimmed baking sheet
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Instant-read thermometer
- Fish turner or wide spatula
- Measuring spoons
Method
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Pat the mackerel dry. Use a little of the olive oil to lightly grease a rimmed baking sheet.
- Arrange the bay leaves on the baking sheet if using, then place the mackerel on top.
- Make several shallow diagonal cuts across one side of each fish with a sharp knife.
- Season the fish inside and out with salt and black pepper. Tuck lemon slices into the cuts and inside the fish, then add fresh herbs if using.
- Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the fish.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the thickest part reaches 145°F (63°C). The flesh should be opaque and separate easily with a fork.
- Serve hot with extra lemon wedges if liked.
Notes
- Whole mackerel vary in size, so treat 20 minutes as a guide and use the internal temperature as your final check.
- Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the flesh without touching the backbone for the most accurate reading.
- The head can be left on or removed. Either way, the fish must be cleaned and gutted before cooking.
More Mackerel and Fish Recipes
Now you know how to cook fresh mackerel, you might like to try some other fish recipes. My ikan bakar coats whole fish with chili, tamarind and belacan before grilling. Penang asam laksa also uses mackerel, this time flaked into a sour, spicy noodle broth. My lemon and lime salmon is a quicker fillet option, and you can make my low carb fish cakes with fresh or canned fish.
