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Overhead shot of a smoked mackerel egg bowl with jammy egg halves, avocado slices, and pickled red onion on a wooden board.

Smoked Mackerel Egg Bowl: High-Protein and Filling

A protein bowl built on jammy soft-boiled eggs, flaked hot-smoked mackerel, and quinoa, ready in about 25 minutes with almost no stovetop cooking.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Mediterranean-inspired
Calories: 995
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the bowl
  • 200 g hot-smoked mackerel fillets (2 fillets); skin removed, flaked
  • 4 eggs large
  • 200 g quinoa, cooked cooled slightly
  • 1 avocado medium (150 g); sliced
  • 1 cucumber small (100 g); diced
  • 150 g cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1/4 red onion small; thinly sliced
  • 60 g baby spinach (2 cups)
  • 1 tbsp capers drained, optional
For the dressing and pickle
  • 2 tbsp Greek yogurt
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp fresh dill chopped
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar for the pickled onion
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • pinch chili flakes optional

Method
 

Cook the eggs and quinoa
  1. Bring water to a boil in a 2-quart / 1.9 L saucepan. Lower the eggs in gently with a spoon and boil for 6.5 minutes for a jammy, soft-set yolk.
  2. Transfer the eggs straight to a bowl of ice water for 5 minutes to stop the cooking, then peel and halve.
  3. If your quinoa isn't cooked yet, rinse 100 g dry quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve and simmer in 240 ml water for 12 to 15 minutes until tender and the water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork and let it cool slightly.
Quick-pickle the onion
  1. While the eggs cook, toss the sliced red onion with the red wine vinegar and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes, stirring once, until the edges turn bright pink.
Make the dressing
  1. Whisk the Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and olive oil together in a small bowl until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
Assemble the bowls
  1. Divide the quinoa between two bowls and top with the baby spinach.
  2. Arrange the flaked mackerel, halved eggs, avocado slices, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes over the quinoa.
  3. Scatter the pickled onion and capers on top, then drizzle with the yogurt dressing.
  4. Finish with chopped dill and a pinch of chili flakes if using. Serve right away.

Notes

  • Boil eggs exactly 6.5 minutes for a jammy yolk, not longer.
  • Buy hot-smoked mackerel fillets, already fully cooked, not cold-smoked.
  • Add avocado just before serving to prevent browning.
  • Keep pickled onion, dressing, and quinoa in separate containers for meal prep.