How to prep and cook different types of fish

Salmon is one of the most popular fish, and for good reason. It has a rich, meaty texture, is easy to cook and has a robust enough flavour to stand up to bold spices and marinades as well as more simple pan-frying or grilling. At M&S, our exclusive Caledonian Gold salmon are fed on a special diet of Peruvian anchovies and other oily fish which are naturally high in omega-3. Try it in traybakes, stir-fries, tarts or cooked in the air fryer.

With a mild, clean flavour and succulent, flaking texture, it’s no wonder cod is one of the UK’s favourite fish. Our line-caught cod is responsibly sourced from crystal-clear Norwegian waters. Use it in anything from easy traybakes to Mediterranean-inspired stews, pair with Asian flavours in a simple baked cod with rice and grapefruit salad recipe.

Oily fish, like mackerel and sardines, are sustainable, high in omega-3 and taste delicious – both are well worth adding to your weekly shop. Mackerel and sardines have a rich flavour that can stand up to bold flavours – try on the barbecue or marinaded in soy, ginger and garlic then grilled. Smoked mackerel makes for great shortcut dinners – our Collection Sweet Cured Hot Smoked Mackerel, which is brined in muscovado sugar then dry cured with Scottish Blackthorn sea salt and hot smoked over chestnuts and beech, is delicious flaked into kedgeree. Oil-packed tinned sardines are a healthy, waste-fighting store cupboard staple – try our Collection Sardines in Chilli piled on toast with a zingy beetroot dip.

Popping your fish under a hot grill is quick and easy. This technique works especially well for skin-on fish such as salmon or mackerel, where you'd like the skin to crisp up. Line your grill pan with buttered foil to prevent the fish sticking, and pre-heat the grill to high for 10 minutes. The cooking times will vary depending on the size of your fish – thicker fillets like salmon will need 5-6 minutes per side, while thinner fillets, like Dover sole, only need a couple of minutes. Add more butter and baste as the fish cooks, and watch it like a hawk to prevent it drying out or overcooking.

A trusty traybake is a midweek dinner saviour, and it works really well for fish, allowing it to absorb the flavours of everything else in the tray – whether that’s a fragrant Thai curry or juicy cherry tomatoes. Plus, there’s less washing up – win win. The key for fish traybakes is to think about the timings of whatever else is in the tray and add the fish at the correct time. So if you’re baking potatoes, roast these first then add the fish at a later stage to prevent it from overcooking. Try the technique in this punchy, bold harissa cod traybake served with a zingy grapefruit salsa.

Choosing your fish in a responsible way which helps to protect our oceans can feel like a minefield. At M&S, we’ve done the hard work for you with Forever Fish – our rigorous sourcing policy which means 100% of our fish and seafood is responsibly sourced, and you only get a good catch. Diversity is key, so aim to incorporate different varieties of fish into your diet. Prevent waste by freezing fish or opting for smoked or tinned fish, which will last longer. We also have an incredible range of frozen fish and seafood, which is a great option for cutting back on food waste.