20 Gourmet Recipes for Canned Sardines: Tasty and Creative Meals (2024)

FAQs

What can I do with a can of sardines? ›

Sardines, very oily little fish, really love a lot of acid. It is hard to beat fresh lemon juice squeezed over them, but a vinegar — white wine, rice wine or white distilled — is also good. To give you a sense of how much to use, I often douse them in my choice of acid, almost as if I were treating them like escabeche.

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines s Americans recommend consuming 8 to 12 ounces of seafood (or about two to three 4-ounce servings) per week to help you reap the health benefits it provides. To meet these recommendations, consumers have a variety of options to choose from, canned sardines included.

Entrepreneur and VC Craig Cooper swears by eating 5 cans of sardines a day. (And loves a 22-minute power nap.) Being an entrepreneur means doing things differently: Creating new products and services. Finding new ways to solve old problems.

Best recipes to make with your sardines

Classically, sardines can be enjoyed with a cracker, fork, and maybe a dash of hot sauce or lemon juice.

And as with all things culinary, the French really do them right. Whether they be grilled then bathed in extra-virgin olive oil before being tinned, or combined with a bit of gentle pepper, or layered with sliced lemon, or just simply put in the tin, they're delicious.

Instead of using cracked black pepper, I recommend turning to a Hot Smoked Paprika or Cayenne Pepper to season oily fish like sardines. This recipe also uses spicy breadcrumbs and a cayenne-spiked mayonnaise to introduce a bit more heat and texture into a quick and absolutely delicious mid-week meal.

What's never debated across the peninsula is how you eat canned fish: on some nice warm Portuguese bread, on top of a salad or for the really good ones, right out of the can. My favorites mirrored the Portuguese. Tuna, sardine and cavala fillets in olive oil are fantastic, regardless of the brand.

Rinse off excess salt.

If you can't find a brand that has a “No Salt Added” version, look for sardines that are packed in spring water. Then, rinsing the sardines may help to reduce some of the salt content. Just empty the can into a colander and rinse with cold water, shaking it and turning the sardines as you rinse.

The FDA recommends a weekly intake of two to three servings of sardines, or 8 to 12 ounces for adults and 4 to 6 ounces for children age 4 to 7. The FDA recognizes the health benefits of eating fish, especially for pregnant people and young children. Pregnant people can eat up to 12 ounces per week.

What is healthier canned tuna or sardines? ›

Canned sardines are often a healthier choice than canned tuna, the experts note. While both are high in protein, sardines are more nutrient-dense. Sardines have a higher combined omega-3 (DHA and EPA) content than tuna fish, says Largeman-Roth. Sardines are also lower in mercury than tuna.

The tiny, inexpensive sardine is making it onto many lists of superfoods and for good reason. It packs more omega-3s (1,950 mg!) per 3-ounce serving than salmon, tuna, or just about any other food; it's also one of the very, very few foods that's naturally high in vitamin D.

Sardines are rich in vitamin D.

10 You can get vitamin D from food, sunlight, or supplementation, though food sources of vitamin D are few. Vitamin D plays a role in immunity, musculoskeletal health, brain health, and potentially cardiovascular health, explains Sarah Schlichter, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist.

They naturally contain a substance that creates uric acid. Uric acid buildup can cause kidney and gout issues for those who are already susceptible. Canned sardines are high in salt. If you're trying to reduce your salt intake, check the label before eating canned sardines.

Sardines provide significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA). These fatty acids protect both your heart and your brain from disease. They do this by reducing blood pressure. High blood pressure harms many organs, but the chief dangers are to the heart and brain.

Eating fish like sardines is an important part of a healthy diet, but as with any food, moderation is key. The FDA recommends eating two to three servings of sardines per week. “It's smart to vary your seafood sources instead of eating the same type each week,” says Largeman-Roth.

The FDA recommends a weekly intake of two to three servings of sardines, or 8 to 12 ounces for adults and 4 to 6 ounces for children age 4 to 7. The FDA recognizes the health benefits of eating fish, especially for pregnant people and young children. Pregnant people can eat up to 12 ounces per week.

Eat sardines 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.