Saba no Teriyaki (Teriyaki Mackerel with Sesame Spinach)
Rich mackerel fillets grilled until the skin crackles, then lacquered with teriyaki glaze and served with sesame spinach.
Made with Teriyaki sauce. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time25 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £2.45 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Pat the mackerel dry with kitchen paper and dust the flesh side lightly with the cornflour. This helps the glaze cling.
- 2
Heat the vegetable oil in a large non stick frying pan over a medium high heat. Lay the fillets in skin side down and cook for 4 minutes, pressing gently so the skin stays flat.
4 min - 3
Turn the fish and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in your ready made teriyaki sauce (see the base recipe) and spoon it over the fish for 1 to 2 minutes, until glossy. The fish should flake easily and be opaque all the way through.
3 min - 4
Meanwhile, put the spinach in a colander and pour over a kettle of boiled water. Squeeze out the water, toss with the sesame oil and sesame seeds and a pinch of salt.
- 5
Serve the mackerel on warm rice with the spinach alongside and the pan sauce spooned over.
Tips
- Mackerel is oily, so it needs very little added fat in the pan. A hot pan and dry skin give the crispest result.
- If the glaze reduces too far, add a splash of water to the pan to loosen it.
- Salmon fillets or trout work in the same way if mackerel is not in your shop.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten fresh. Keeps 1 day in the fridge, cooled within 1 hour. Reheat gently until steaming hot, and serve the spinach cold or warm.
Questions
Why dust the fish with cornflour?
The thin coating soaks up surface moisture, so the fish browns and the sticky teriyaki sauce clings instead of sliding off. Gluten free cornflour is fine for coeliacs when labelled.
How do I know the mackerel is cooked?
The flesh turns from translucent to opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Fillets this thin take about 6 minutes in total.
More made with teriyaki sauce
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.