How to Eat Canned Sardines

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Canned sardines are a nutrient-dense food full of vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. These silver fish are also inexpensive and easy to prepare. Canned sardines come packed in water, oil, lemon juice, or tomato sauce, which makes it easy to use them in a multitude of dishes. Keep it simple and eat them plain, on toast, or in a salad. Or, make a quintessential dish like fisherman’s eggs or fried sardines.

Ingredients

Fisherman’s Eggs

  • Canned sardines
  • 1 small shallot
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 3 sprigs of parsley
  • 4 eggs
  • Salt and pepper

Fried Sardines

  • Canned sardines
  • ½ cup (60 g) of flour
  • 1 cup (120g) of breadcrumbs
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water
  • 1 ⁄ 2 cup (120 ml) plus 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of oil
  • ½ cup (60 g) of capers, drained and rinsed
  • ½ cup (60 g) of fresh parsley leaves
Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Keeping it Simple

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  1. straight out of the can. You don’t need a complicated recipe to enjoy sardines! Simply grab a fork and eat them straight out of the can for a healthy, protein-packed snack. You could add a drizzle of lemon juice, hot sauce, or balsamic vinaigrette on top if you want. [1]
    • Canned sardines are great items to bring on backpacking trips or stash in emergency kits.
    • Opt for sardines canned in water instead of oil if you have any heart conditions.
  2. Sardines add another layer of flavor to any salad! Mix them into your usual recipe or try chopping sardines, oranges, olives, and hardboiled eggs and tossing them with your favorite lettuce blend. Add a simple dressing and enjoy! [2]
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  3. The salty flavor and rich texture of sardines is the perfect complement to crispy, crunchy bread. Just toast up a slice from your favorite loaf, butter it, and spread a few sardines over top. Alternatively, spread mayonnaise on toast, top it with sardines, and sprinkle the whole thing with a little bit of fennel. [3]
    • Rather than making a tuna sandwich, just use sardines on your sandwich instead.
  4. Choose your favorite crackers and top them with sardines. Add a little hot sauce on top if you like a spicy snack! You could also spread mayonnaise or mustard on the cracker before adding sardines, if you’d like. [4]
  5. Put a small amount of olive oil in a saute pan. Add sardines and chopped garlic and cook at medium-high heat until the garlic begins to brown. Toss the sardines and garlic with your favorite pasta. Try adding them to fettuccine noodles and alfredo sauce or mix them with linguine, capers, and lemon. [5]
  6. Sardines are a great addition to any pizza! Add them to a classic pepperoni and sausage pizza for added flavor and dimension. Or, spread sweated onions across a disk of dough, scatter chopped sardines over top, drizzle with olive oil, and top with salt, pepper, and crème fraîche. Bake for 10-15 minutes at 450 °F (232 °C). [6]
    Bart van Olphen, Seafood Chef

    Canned sardines provide an affordable, sustainable source of protein, healthy fats, and other nutrients. Rinse sardines before use to remove excess salt or oil. Try them mashed in pasta sauces, on salads, or blended into dips and spreads. Sardines pair well with acidic and creamy ingredients that cut through their rich flavor.

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Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Making Fisherman’s Eggs

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  1. Set your oven to 500 °F (260 °C) and allow an oven-safe serving dish to warm for 5 minutes in the oven while it preheats. [7]
  2. Use a cutting board and sharp knife to finely chop 1 small shallot, 2 cloves of garlic, and 3 sprigs of parsley. Add these ingredients, plus the canned sardines, to the warm dish. Sprinkle black pepper over the top. [8]
  3. Put the dish in the oven and allow it to cook for 6 minutes. Using a potholder, carefully remove it from the oven. Crack 4 eggs in a bowl and pour them gently into the dish. Season the eggs with salt and pepper. [9]
  4. Carefully return the dish to the oven and let it bake for 7 more minutes. The egg whites should be cooked, but still jiggly. Remove the dish with a potholder and allow it to for 5 minutes to continue cooking. Serve fisherman’s eggs with toast and hot sauce. [10]
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Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Making Fried Sardines

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  1. Rinse the sardines and pat them dry. Place ½ cup (60 g) of flour in a bowl and season it with salt and pepper. In another bowl, beat 2 eggs with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of water. Put 1 cup (120g) of breadcrumbs in another bowl. [11]
  2. Put 2 or 3 sardines in the flour and toss them until they’re lightly coated. Shake off the excess flour then dunk the sardines in the egg mixture. Transfer them to the bowl of breadcrumbs and coat them evenly. Repeat until all the sardines are breaded. [12]
  3. Heat 1 ⁄ 2 cup (120 ml) of oil in a frying pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat. Work in batches, adding one layer of sardines to the pan at a time. Cook until they are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Flip them over and fry them until they’re cooked through, about 3 minutes. [13]
    • Repeat until all the sardines are cooked.
    • For the remaining batches, add more oil to the pan if needed.
  4. Transfer the cooked sardines carefully to a plate lined with paper towels. While they’re hot, season them with salt. [14]
  5. Heat 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of oil in the same pan you used before. Add ½ cup (60 g) of capers, drained and rinsed, and ½ cup (60 g) of fresh parsley leaves to the oil. Fry for 1 minute, then remove the capers and parsley and put them on top of the sardines. Enjoy! [15]
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How many times a week should you eat sardines?
    Jalpa Sheth
    Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist
    Jalpa Sheth is a Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist and the Founder of Jalpa Sheth Nutrition & Wellness. With over seven years of experience, she specializes in weight management, medical nutrition therapy, sports nutrition, vegetarian and vegan nutrition, and wellness nutrition. She holds a Master’s degree in Health & Nutrition from Brooklyn College, CUNY, and a Certificate of Training in Adult Weight Management from the Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics, CDR.
    Jalpa Sheth
    Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist
    Expert Answer
    Try to eat sardines 2-3 times a week! Eating any kind of seafood 2-3 times per week can be helpful.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-eat-sardines-like-an-adult-article
      2. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-eat-sardines-like-an-adult-article
      3. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-eat-sardines-like-an-adult-article
      4. ↑ https://www.alexfergus.com/blog/51-sardine-recipes-for-the-fussiest-of-fish-eaters
      5. ↑ https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-eat-sardines-like-an-adult-article
      6. ↑ https://www.alexfergus.com/blog/51-sardine-recipes-for-the-fussiest-of-fish-eaters
      7. ↑ https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/47126/7-things-to-do-with-canned-sardines/
      8. ↑ https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/47126/7-things-to-do-with-canned-sardines/
      9. ↑ https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/47126/7-things-to-do-with-canned-sardines/
      1. ↑ https://www.chowhound.com/food-news/47126/7-things-to-do-with-canned-sardines/
      2. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/fried-sardines-with-spicy-dipping-sauce-and-fried-herbs-3111010
      3. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/fried-sardines-with-spicy-dipping-sauce-and-fried-herbs-3111010
      4. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/fried-sardines-with-spicy-dipping-sauce-and-fried-herbs-3111010
      5. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/fried-sardines-with-spicy-dipping-sauce-and-fried-herbs-3111010
      6. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/fried-sardines-with-spicy-dipping-sauce-and-fried-herbs-3111010

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To eat canned sardines, enjoy them straight out of the can, or with a drizzle of lemon juice, hot sauce, or balsamic vinaigrette if you like. Alternatively, serve the sardines on buttered toast, or on top of your favorite crackers. You can also use sardines as a pizza topping in place of pepperoni or sausage. If you’d like to try cooked sardines, saute them in some olive oil and garlic until the garlic turns brown. Then, add the sardines to a pasta dish, like fettuccine noodles with alfredo sauce. To learn more, like how to fry breaded sardines, scroll down!

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