Recipe: Mackerel Pasta

I'm always looking for a quick way to add protein to meals. Lately I've been exploring the use of canned meats. I didn't grow up on canned meats (my mom had an aversion to them explaining that it was all she was fed in her youth), so my experiments are an exciting growth activity for me. I'll randomly pick a can of meat at the grocery store with the thought that I can figure out how to make use of it later. The results have been hit-or-miss. I haven't yet found a recipe for corned beef that makes me a fan of it, but Spam is a new-found favorite (though I have to use it sparingly; it's not the healthiest of the canned meats!).

I've had a can of mackerel sitting in my pantry for months. I've been too intimidated to try to use it. For one, I've been expecting a strong fish flavor and have been reluctant to try it. For another, what does one do with it? One doesn't hear of mackerel fish sandwiches or mackerel patties. However, we're about to go out of town on vacation. I've been avoiding the grocery store to keep our perishable food waste to a minimum. Once down to bare bones, I finally turned to the dreaded can of mackerel.

Using a Walder Wellness recipe as inspiration, I tailored it to the ingredients I had on hand. I kept it to one pot, and it was a rather quick meal (less than 30 minutes). It was so yummy! The fish flavor was surprisingly mild, and I felt great about eating this meal. Mackerel is a valuable source of Omega-3s and proteins.

Mackerel Pasta

Servings: About 8 half cups.

Ingredients:

• 1 8oz box pasta (I used red lentil spaghetti)

• 1 T. cooking oil (I used EVOO)

• 1 tsp. minced garlic

• 1 15 oz. can mackerel

• 1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes

• Italian seasoning to taste

• Grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

1. In a Dutch oven, cook the pasta according to directions.

2. Drain and set aside.

3. Saute garlic over medium heat until fragrant.

4. Stir in mackerel, tomatoes, and Italian seasoning.

5. Warm for 1-2 minutes.

6. Stir in pasta.

7. Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled over the top.

Do you have a favorite canned meat or canned meat recipes? I’d love to hear about it.