Mackerel for dogs with quinoa and spinach
Mackerel for dogs with quinoa, spinach, zucchini and egg: omega-3-rich oily fish in a homemade meal. How to choose it fresh and get every bone out.
- Time
- 45 min + 10 min resting
- Makes
- About 1.25 kg / 2.75 lb (2 days for a 15 kg / 33 lb dog; almost 3 days for a 10 kg / 22 lb dog)
- Type
- Main meal
- Difficulty
- Medium
- 32 % fresh mackerel, boneless
- 29 % quinoa
- 18 % zucchini
- 8 % egg
Follows THE RULE. All 7 ingredients are on our safe list: nothing that could harm your dog.
Mackerel for dogs is one of the best sources of omega-3 you can buy at almost any fish counter, and it usually costs a lot less than salmon. In this recipe it goes with quinoa, spinach, zucchini, carrot and egg, and it doesn't need salmon oil: the fish already brings its own EPA and DHA.
Steamed, mackerel lifts off the backbone in two clean fillets, turning a toasty color, juicy and with a strong smell that almost every dog loves. The quinoa soaks up the fish's fat, and you look for the bones once the fish is cooked. It's the recipe for the week you buy mackerel in the morning and cook it that same day.
Why it works
Mackerel provides complete protein, vitamin D and a good dose of the omega-3s EPA and DHA, which play a role in skin, coat and joint health. The egg adds protein so the dish doesn't rely on a single ingredient. Quinoa is a pseudocereal with more protein than rice and supplies the energy. Spinach, in a moderate amount, adds folate and iron, and zucchini and carrot add gentle fiber. The eggshell offsets the high phosphorus in the fish and quinoa.
Step by step
Rinse and cook the quinoa
Rinse the quinoa in a fine strainer under the tap, rubbing it with your hand, until the water stops foaming: this washes off the saponins, which taste bitter and can irritate the stomach. Cook it with 400 ml (1⅔ cups) of water and the carrot in small dice, covered, over low heat for 15 minutes, until you can see the little spiral germ.
Boil the eggs
In a separate saucepan, boil the eggs for 10 minutes. Cool them in cold water, peel and chop them.
Steam the mackerel
Place the mackerel fillets in a steamer (or in a colander set over a pot of boiling water, covered) and steam for 8-10 minutes, until the flesh is opaque and comes apart with a fork. If you bought it whole, steam it whole for about 12 minutes.
Take your time with the bones
Let the mackerel cool for a couple of minutes and flake it with your fingers. Remove the backbone if it's still there, the thin bones along the sides and any dark skin or fat from the belly area. This is the step that takes longest: don't rush it.
Blanch the spinach and cook the zucchini
Drop the spinach into boiling water for 1 minute, drain it, squeezing hard, and throw that water away: some of the oxalates go with it. Chop it. In a skillet with 3 tablespoons of water, cook the zucchini, cut into 1 cm (½ inch) dice, covered, for 5-6 minutes; add the spinach at the end and stir.
Mix and add the calcium
Combine the quinoa, vegetables, mackerel and egg in a large bowl. Let it cool for 10 minutes, sprinkle over the ground eggshell and stir well so it's evenly spread.
How much should I feed?
Approximate daily portion for a "spayed or neutered adult" profile. Split it into two meals (three or four for puppies).
— g a day
| Weight | 3 kg | 5 kg | 10 kg | 15 kg | 20 kg | 30 kg | 40 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grams/day | 185 | 270 | 455 | 615 | 765 | 1,035 | 1,285 |
Puppy, senior, very active or on a diet? Calculate the exact portion.
- Energy
- 139 kcal/100 g
- Protein
- 36 % dry matter
- Fat
- 24 % dry matter
- Calcium:phosphorus
- 1.3 : 1
Values estimated from the ingredients (BEDCA/USDA data). An everyday meal. To feed it daily as the only food, add a vitamin and mineral supplement for homemade diets.
Storage
Fridge: 2 days at most in an airtight container; cooked oily fish oxidizes and loses its freshness quickly. Freezer: up to 2 months in one-day portions, well sealed so they don't pick up odors. Thaw in the fridge and serve lukewarm or at room temperature.
If you don't have…
- You can't find fresh mackerel
- Cleaned, boneless fresh sardines in the same amount, steamed for 6-8 minutes
- Your dog has bladder stones or is prone to them
- Green beans instead of the spinach, in the same amount
- You don't have quinoa
- White rice: 170 g (scant 1 cup) uncooked, boiled for 18 minutes in 500 ml (2 cups) of water; reduce the eggshell to 4.5 g
- Your dog doesn't tolerate egg
- Leave it out and add 100 g (3.5 oz) more mackerel
Cooking tips
- To tell whether mackerel is fresh, look at the eye (bright and bulging), the skin (sharp stripes and a metallic shine) and the smell (like the sea, not strongly fishy). If in doubt, don't buy it for your dog.
- Mackerel is fattiest and cheapest in season; in the North Atlantic that's roughly late winter through spring. Ask at the fish counter what's local and fresh that week.
- To feed it every day as the only meal, add a vitamin and mineral supplement made for homemade diets: the recipe covers protein, energy, calcium and omega-3, but not every vitamin and trace mineral.
- You don't need salmon oil with this recipe: mackerel already provides more than enough omega-3 for the day.
Safety
- Buy very fresh mackerel and keep it cold until you cook it: poorly refrigerated oily fish builds up histamine, which isn't destroyed by cooking and can cause vomiting, redness and itching.
- Remove every bone, including the thin ones along the sides: fresh mackerel doesn't have the soft bones of canned fish.
- Spinach in moderation because of its oxalates: here it's less than 8% of the batch, and it's blanched with the water thrown away. Don't make this recipe your dog's only meal for weeks: rotate it with others. If your dog has or has had urinary stones, use the green-bean substitution.
- Always cooked: raw fish can carry Anisakis.
Frequently asked questions
Can dogs eat mackerel?
Yes, fresh, cooked, boneless mackerel is one of the best fish for dogs: it's rich in omega-3 and vitamin D, and low in mercury because it's a small fish. Serve it steamed, poached or baked, without salt or frying oil. Because it's fatty, introduce it gradually if your dog isn't used to oily fish. Note that this means Atlantic mackerel, not king mackerel, which is high in mercury.
Can I give my dog canned mackerel?
Only if it's packed in water with no added salt, which is hard to find. Most canned mackerel comes in oil, in a marinade or with salt, and isn't suitable. If you find one in water, drain it well and use it in the same amount. If not, fresh or frozen mackerel is safer and usually better value.
Can dogs eat spinach?
Yes, cooked (ideally blanched, with the water thrown away) and in moderation. Spinach provides folate, iron and vitamin K, but also oxalates, which in excess can contribute to urinary stones. In a recipe like this one, where it's a small part of the dish, it's fine for a healthy dog. If your dog has stones or kidney problems, swap it for green beans.
Is quinoa good for dogs?
Yes, cooked quinoa is safe and provides more protein and fiber than rice. The key is rinsing it very well before cooking to remove the saponins, bitter compounds in the outer coating that can irritate the stomach. If your dog has never had it, start by mixing it with their usual grain.
What's in it, in detail
If they liked it, try
The fridge list
The foods your dog can eat, can have in moderation and must never eat, on a single printable page.