Tostadas de Marlín Ahumado (Smoked Fish Tostadas with Chipotle)
Flaked smoked mackerel tossed with chipotle, tomato and lime, piled on crisp tostadas with avocado and sharp pickled onions.
Made with Chipotle in adobo sauce (homemade) and Pickled red onions (cebollas encurtidas) and Tostadas and totopos (tortilla chips). Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time20 min
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £1.73 a head
- Oven160°C (140°C fan)
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
Flake the mackerel into a bowl, checking carefully for any small bones.
- 2
Add the tomatoes, lime juice, salt and your ready made chipotle in adobo sauce (see the base recipe), and mix gently so the fish stays in pieces.
- 3
Warm the tostadas (see the tostadas and totopos base recipe) in a 160°C (140°C fan) oven for 3 minutes if they have lost their snap.
3 min - 4
Lay avocado slices on each tostada, then spoon on the fish mixture.
- 5
Top with the pickled red onions (see the base recipe) and coriander. Serve straight away.
Tips
- Marlín ahumado (smoked marlin) is hard to find in the UK, and smoked mackerel is a close, widely sold stand-in.
- Chipotle sauce is smoky and hot. Start with half and add more to taste.
- Buy plain hot smoked mackerel, not the peppered or flavoured kind, so the flavours stay clean.
- Mix the fish gently so it keeps flaky chunks and does not turn to paste.
Storing and freezing
Eat straight away. Keep the fish mixture in the fridge, covered, for up to 24 hours. Do not freeze it and do not store assembled tostadas.
Questions
Where does smoked marlin tostada come from?
It is a Pacific coast classic, especially in Nayarit and Sinaloa, where smoked marlin is mixed with tomato, onion and chilli and served on tostadas. Smoked mackerel is a UK stand-in.
Can I use smoked salmon or trout?
Yes, hot smoked trout or salmon both work well, flaked in the same way. Cold smoked salmon is too soft for this recipe.
Is it free from the main allergens?
The dish contains fish but no gluten, dairy, egg or nuts, as long as the smoked fish has no flavoured coating and the tostadas are gluten free. Check labels.
More made with chipotle in adobo sauce (homemade)
Caldo Tlalpeño de Verduras (Smoky Chipotle Vegetable Soup)
VGVGFHamburguesas de Frijol con Chipotle y Guacamole (Mexican Bean Burgers)
DFEFNFSopa de Papa con Chipotle (Mexican Potato Soup with Smoky Chipotle)
GFEFNFSopa de Jitomate Asado con Chipotle (Roast Tomato and Chipotle Soup)
GFDFEFDouble 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.