Canned mackerel is a brilliant pantry staple. Nutritious, tasty, and usually preserved in brine rather than seed oils, it’s something I always keep on hand for quick meals.
As I don’t currently have access to an oven, my options for using canned mackerel are somewhat limited. That’s how these simple fish cakes came to be. Made with just a handful of ingredients, they’re quick to prepare, economical, and surprisingly satisfying. Served with a fresh salad and a dill and mustard yogurt dressing, they make a delicious low-carb lunch that’s perfect for those days when you forgot to take something out of the freezer.
Mackerel Fish Cakes with Dill & Mustard Yogurt Dressing
Crispy pan-fried mackerel fish cakes topped with a creamy dill and mustard yogurt dressing and finished with freshly ground black pepper. This quick and easy keto-friendly lunch is made with canned mackerel and simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 large tin mackerel in brine, drained (about 280-300 g drained weight)
- 2 eggs
- 3 Tbsp flax meal
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 spring onion, sliced
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 5 Tbsp Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp mustard of your choice
- 1 Tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1-2 tsp lemon juice
- Salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
In a medium bowl, flake the mackerel with a fork, keeping some texture.
Add the eggs, flax meal, lemon zest, dill, and black pepper. Mix until well combined.
Leave the mixture to stand for 5-10 minutes to allow the flax meal to absorb moisture.
Divide the mixture into 6 fish cakes.
Heat a little avocado oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
Fry the fish cakes for 4-5 minutes on the first side, then turn and cook for a further 3-4 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
While the fish cakes cook, combine the yogurt, mustard, dill, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper to make the dressing.
Serve three fish cakes per person with a salad and spoon the dressing over both the fish cakes and the salad.
Notes
- Do not add salt to the fish cake mixture. The mackerel provides sufficient seasoning.
- Season the dressing to taste instead.
- Any prepared mustard will work. Dijon, German, wholegrain, or yellow mustard will each produce slightly different results.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving — 2 servings)
Calories: ~450 kcal
Protein: ~32 g
Fat: ~30 g
Net Carbs: ~3 g
Nutritional information provided with recipes is generated using software tools and AI-assisted calculations, and should be regarded as an estimate only.
