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This is my family’s smoked mackerel pâté recipe. It’s a family tradition to serve this pâté as an appetiser at Christmas. But it is delicious any time of the year.
Smoked mackerel pâté recipe
This recipe is adapted from a recipe passed down through my husband’s mother’s side of the family.
With their origins in the North East of England, this recipe is a firm family favourite.
It is always on our Christmas menu as an appetiser and we love eating it just about any time of the year.
It only takes a few minutes to make, plus it is inexpensive but utterly delicious.
What’s not to love?!!
We tend to serve it with toasted sour dough or carrot crudités.
Our family’s smoked mackerel pâté recipe

Smoke mackerel pâté
A simple but delicious smoked mackerel pâté recipe perfect for serving as a Christmas appetiser.
Ingredients
- 400g Smoked mackerel fillets
- 150g Cream cheese
- 100g Crème fraîche
- 2 tbsp Creamed horseradish
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: Dill as garnish
Instructions
Ideally you need the pâté to chill and set for a couple of hours before serving. However I have made it and served it straight away and it still goes down very well!
- Remove skin from the mackerel
- Flake the mackerel and remove any visible bones and leave to one side.
- Zest and then squeeze the lemon into a bowl
- Mix in the crème fraîche
- Mix in the creamed horseraddish
- Stir in the mackerel
- Add in a pinch of cayenne
- Add salt and pepper to taste
Transfer the pâté to a serving bowl and pop it into the fridge to chill for a couple of hours.
Add the dill as garnish just before you serve.
Notes
This recipe makes enough for 4 people. Scale up the ingredients to make more.
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Hello, I’m Luci, founder of Mums Make Lists (Est. 2011). Over the last decade or so, I have combined my experience as a mum, journalist and shopping editor to create useful guides and lists of ideas and inspiration to make it easier for busy parents to plan and host kids’ parties and find great gifts. Read more.