Tired Of Tuna Salad? This Canned Fish Switch Provides A More Luxurious Texture And Taste
Whether you like it as a sandwich, on a plate over lettuce, or in a wrap, tuna salad is a lunchtime classic and a light supper staple. However, maybe after one too many batches, even with variations on the classic tuna salad, you're just plain tired of eating it. What to do? Well, there's another canned fish on the block, and it's the luxurious cousin to canned tuna, perfect for a seafood salad upgrade: canned mackerel. Mackerel is fattier than tuna, has a richer flavor, and a smoother texture that takes canned fish dishes up a notch.
Due to its higher fat content, canned mackerel has a different flavor profile than canned tuna, which means if you're making canned mackerel salad, you might want to go easy on the mayo, or even use a substitute like Greek yogurt. You can also experiment with additions to your mackerel salad, like tangy capers to add some acidity to the rich fish, or toasted cheddar cheese to make a mackerel variation of a classic tuna melt that Ina Garten would approve of.
Other ways to use canned mackerel for a feast
Once you've opened up to the world of canned mackerel, the possibilities go well beyond a simple salad. Mackerel is a popular fish in Mediterranean cuisines, particularly in Spanish and Italian dishes, and is also widely eaten in Japan. With that in mind, you can whip up a Mediterranean-inspired pasta dish with mackerel, tomatoes, and olives, as a version of classic pasta puttanesca, or try canned mackerel with teriyaki vegetables, served over rice, for a healthy, Asian-inspired meal.
On the other hand, substituting canned tuna with mackerel can also work for more classic American comfort foods. For instance, tuna noodle casserole and its salmon variation are cozy and easy-to-make dishes, but choosing mackerel instead can give an extra punch of flavor, with no need for further adjustments. While peas and carrots are a traditional vegetable accompaniment in the casserole, feel free to experiment with broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, or whatever your favorite vegetable may be.