Seafood
Oven-Baked Mackerel Recipe
By Samira Kazan
published January 23, 2026
Mackerel is at its best when cooked right: flaky, juicy, and full of flavor. This mackerel recipe roasts on one tray with fennel, zucchini, green beans, tomatoes, and shallots. The fish turns flaky and juicy, and the vegetables soak up every bit of flavor.
Although some people skip mackerel because they expect it to taste too strong, this method proves just how tasty it can be. A quick herb-garlic-lemon rub, nestle everything on one pan, and bake until the fish is opaque and the vegetables are tender.
If you love easy seafood dinners, try my oven-baked salmon , baked sardines , or this restaurant-style Chilean sea bass recipe .
- What you’ll need
- How to make oven-baked mackerel
- Samira’s tips
- Serving suggestions
- More fish recipes
- Mackerel Recipe Recipe
What you’ll need
- Whole fresh mackerel, cleaned and gutted: Mild, rich, and perfect for roasting whole.
- Olive oil: Helps the herb rub cling and promotes browning.
- Garlic: Minced for the rub and sliced over the tray for aroma.
- Lemon zest and lemon juice: Brightens and balances the fish. And extra slices for stuffing.
- Herbs and spices: fresh thyme, fresh parsley, dried oregano, chili, salt, and black pepper.
- Crusty bread: For serving and mopping up all the juices.
- Tray vegetables (they cook quickly and soak up the fish juices): Zucchini, fennel, shallots, green beans, cherry tomatoes, garlic, lemon, and thyme sprigs.
- Olive oil, salt, and pepper: To dress the vegetables before roasting.
See printable recipe card below for the full ingredients list and quantities.
How to make oven-baked mackerel
Rub the mackerel inside and out with salt and lemon, rinse well, then pat completely dry with paper towels. This helps curb any strong aroma.
Wash and slice the zucchini into rounds, cut the fennel vertically into wedges, and cut the shallots into wedges. Trim the green beans. Spread everything on a large baking tray with the cherry tomatoes. Scatter over the sliced garlic and thyme sprigs, drizzle with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Toss gently to coat and spread in an even layer.
In a bowl, mix olive oil with minced garlic, chopped thyme, chopped parsley, dried oregano, chopped fresh chili, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper until combined.
Brush the herb mixture all over the mackerel, inside and out. Place lemon slices inside the cavity of each fish.
Nestle the mackerel among the vegetables and add a few extra lemon slices over the tray.
Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 to 25 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily with a fork and the vegetables are tender with lightly caramelized edges.
Let everything rest for a minute or two. Serve the fish with the roasted vegetables and plenty of crusty bread, spooning the pan juices over the fish and bread before eating.
Keep any leftover fish and vegetables in the fridge for up to one day. To reheat, place them in a 300°F (150°C) oven, covered, until warmed through.
Samira’s tips
- Dry thoroughly: Patting the fish completely dry helps it roast instead of steam.
- Mind the timing: Start checking at 20 minutes; fish turns opaque and flakes easily when ready.
- Even layers: Spread vegetables in a single layer so they roast and caramelize.
- Bright finish: A final squeeze of lemon over the tray lifts all the flavors.
Serving suggestions
Keep it simple or make it a fuller meal. It’s great with a drizzle of lemon tahini sauce , a side of easy Greek salad , fluffy jasmine rice , rosemary garlic crispy roasted potatoes , or a fresh Mediterranean salad .
More fish recipes
If you make this mackerel recipe , I’d love to hear how it went. Drop a comment and please leave a five‑star review so more people can find the recipe.
Equipment
- Baking sheet
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 2 whole mackerel fresh, gutted, rinsed, patted dry
- ▢ 2 Tbsp olive oil
- ▢ 2 cloves garlic minced (or grated)
- ▢ 1 red chili fresh, finely chopped
- ▢ 1 tsp dried oregano
- ▢ 1 Tbsp fresh thyme chopped
- ▢ 2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- ▢ 1 lemon zest
- ▢ 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ▢ salt to taste
- ▢ black pepper to taste
- ▢ lemon slices for inside cavity
Vegetables (for tray)
- ▢ 2 Zucchini (~300 g) , sliced into ½-inch rounds
- ▢ 1 fennel bulb cut into vertical wedges
- ▢ 2 shallots medium, peeled and sliced into wedges
- ▢ 9 ounces green beans trimmed
- ▢ 1-2 handful cherry tomatoes whole, stem-on if pretty
- ▢ 4 cloves garlic sliced
- ▢ 1 lemon half thinly sliced for the tray, half for serving
- ▢ small sprigs fresh thyme (tucked among veg)
- ▢ drizzle olive oil
- ▢ salt to taste
- ▢ black pepper to taste
To Serve
- ▢ slices of bread for toasts and dipping in juices
Instructions
- Rub the mackerel inside and out with salt and lemon. Rinse well, then pat completely dry with paper towels.
- Spread the prepared zucchini, fennel, shallots, green beans, and cherry tomatoes on a large baking tray. Scatter the sliced garlic and thyme sprigs over the top, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to coat.
- In a bowl, mix olive oil, minced garlic, chopped thyme, chopped parsley, dried oregano, chopped fresh chili, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Brush the herb mixture all over the mackerel, inside and out. Place lemon slices inside the cavity of each fish.
- Nestle the mackerel among the vegetables on the tray. Scatter a few lemon slices on top.
- Bake in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. The vegetables should be tender and lightly caramelized.
- Let everything rest for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the fish with the roasted vegetables and crusty bread, spooning the pan juices over before eating.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Mackerel Recipe
Equipment
- Baking sheet
Ingredients
- 2 whole mackerel fresh, gutted, rinsed, patted dry
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced (or grated)
- 1 red chili fresh, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme chopped
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley chopped
- 1 lemon zest
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- lemon slices for inside cavity
Vegetables (for tray)
- 2 Zucchini (~300 g) , sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 1 fennel bulb cut into vertical wedges
- 2 shallots medium, peeled and sliced into wedges
- 9 ounces green beans trimmed
- 1-2 handful cherry tomatoes whole, stem-on if pretty
- 4 cloves garlic sliced
- 1 lemon half thinly sliced for the tray, half for serving
- small sprigs fresh thyme (tucked among veg)
- drizzle olive oil
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
To Serve
- slices of bread for toasts and dipping in juices
Instructions
- Rub the mackerel inside and out with salt and lemon. Rinse well, then pat completely dry with paper towels.
- Spread the prepared zucchini, fennel, shallots, green beans, and cherry tomatoes on a large baking tray. Scatter the sliced garlic and thyme sprigs over the top, drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently to coat.
- In a bowl, mix olive oil, minced garlic, chopped thyme, chopped parsley, dried oregano, chopped fresh chili, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
- Brush the herb mixture all over the mackerel, inside and out. Place lemon slices inside the cavity of each fish.
- Nestle the mackerel among the vegetables on the tray. Scatter a few lemon slices on top.
- Bake in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until the fish is opaque and flakes easily. The vegetables should be tender and lightly caramelized.
- Let everything rest for 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the fish with the roasted vegetables and crusty bread, spooning the pan juices over before eating.
Nutrition
Recipe on Alphafoodie: https://www.alphafoodie.com/mackerel-recipe/
