Filling and healthy, this simple tinned mackerel potato salad is easy to put together as you only need to boil the potatoes. It couldn't be easier! It's a great recipe for tinned fish and perfect for lunch or dinner. You can even make it with leftover new potatoes for a really quick meal.
I love using tinned mackerel. It's definitely got to be one of my favourite tinned fish. I love the fact that it's a bit meatier than tinned sardines and also there are no bones to take out. It's also less dry than tinned tuna. I really do feel it's underappreciated as far as tinned fish goes!
Tinned mackerel is great in so many recipes. I use it in pasta and on pizza and also in salads like this tasty potato salad with tinned mackerel. I use tinned mackerel in olive oil for this as the olive oil it's in can be used in the dressing.
It's such a tasty way of making an easy main meal salad.
What ingredients do you need?
To make this tinned mackerel potato salad you'll need:
- Tinned mackerel - It has to be tinned mackerel in olive oil for this. Not in brine, spring water or tomato sauce. This is because you use the oil for the dressing.
- New potatoes (also known as salad potatoes) such a Jersey Royals - These potatoes are small and waxy and great at absorbing flavours in this kind of salad.
- Tomatoes - I usually use cherry tomatoes but you can use larger tomatoes cut into slices.
- Red onion - I like the colour it adds but you can use spring onion or a mild brown onion instead.
- Salad leaves - I usually use a bag of mixed leaves but it's up to you what kind you use. Rocket (arugula), spinach and watercress all work really well.
- Mustard - This is for the dressing and I use English mustard. It is quite strong though so you can replace it with a milder mustard if that's what you prefer.
- White wine vinegar - Also for the dressing.
How do you make this salad?
This salad is super simple to make. The only cooking you need to do is boil the potatoes. And as you can use leftover salad potatoes, you might not even need to do that.
Besides that, it's just a matter of whisking together the ingredients for the dressing and chopping the tomatoes.
Can you adapt this recipe?
There are lots of ways you can adapt it. Instead of potatoes you can use crispy homemade croutons or pasta. Pasta shapes like fusili and penne work well in this.
You can make it a bit spicier by adding some jalapenos or sliced fresh chilli pepper.
Can you make it with a different tinned fish?
Yes you can. I love mackerel as it has no bones in it but sardines also work. Tuna is also great in it.
If you want to try and make it with a tinned fish that is in brine or spring water, just drain it and use some extra virgin olive oil from a bottle. You won't get quite as much of the fish flavour into the salad dressing but it will still be good.
Can you make it in advance?
Yes you can, although as it is so easy to assemble I think it's best not to prepare it too long in advance. The salad leaves can go a little soggy if they have the dressing on for too long.
So, if you need to, prepare the salad but add the dressing when serving. You can prepare the salad up to 24 hours in advance and store it in the fridge.
Alternatively, as it is so easy to put together, just cook the potatoes in advance and assemble everything when serving.
More main meal salad recipes
I love eating salads as a main meal and I do have a whole recipe post devoted to main meal salads.
You might also like one of these recipes:
Recipe
Tinned Mackerel Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 300 g new potatoes
- 90 g tomatoes I use cherry tomatoes, halved
- 50 g salad leaves
- 125 g tinned mackerel in olive oil
- ½ red onion sliced
- ½ teaspoon mustard I use English mustard
- 3 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- Pinch salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Clean and halve the potatoes and boil them until cooked. It will probably take about 15 minutes.
- Separate the tinned mackerel from the olive oil in the tin.
- Put the olive oil from the tinned mackerel plus the vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper in a jar and shake. Alternatively put in a small jug and whisk.
- Drain the potatoes and rinse them under cold water so they cool a little. It doesn't matter if they are still warm though.
- Assemble the salad with the salad leaves, potatoes, tomatoes, onion and mackerel. Pour over the dressing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Places I'm sharing this recipe
Cook Blog Share hosted by My Dinner.
Marita
Great recipe. I like using Mackerel, because its one of the more sustainable fish and I am always looking for ways to use it. Thanks for sharing this recipe at #cookblogshare
Corina Blum
Thanks Marita. I do think it's a great fish too and it's definitely a good choice being more sustainable than some other fish.
Carrie Carvalho
I love mackerel and it's so handy to keep a tin in the cupboard. This is such a lovely salad, great for a quick and healthy meal.
Corina Blum
I totally agree Carrie - I always have a few tins of fish in the cupboard for easy meals like this.
Lesley
I love potato salad and think your combination of mackerel, red onion and mustard with the potatoes sound delicious. I don't think you can ever have enough recipes for potato salad.
Corina Blum
I totally agree! I think that about most things in fact and I especially love trying out new salad combinations at the moment.
Karen S Burns-Booth
Tinned fish is SO handy to have in the pantry for delicious salads like this! Looks fabulous Karen
Corina Blum
Thanks so much Karen! I always have a few tins of fish in the cupboard, often for when I haven't planned what to make for dinner! I'm really pleased you like this.