8 Great Recipes That Start with a Can of Sardines

Whether packed in olive oil or tomato sauce, canned sardines are delicious hot or cold in salads and so convenient for adding to pasta sauces. With a few cans of sardines stashed in the pantry, you can make these simple, heart-healthy, budget-friendly recipes any time of year, including a quick Thai red sardine curry, a pineapple and sardine toasted sandwich, Sicily's famous pasta con le sarde, and much more.

01 of 09

Quick Sardine Curry

Quick Sardine Curry
Cecilia8240

Canned sardines are combined with Thai red curry paste and coconut cream to make a super-quick, spicy-sweet fish curry! Serve over rice or toast. This recipe can be easily stretched to more servings by adding more canned sardines and stirring in baby spinach leaves for a boost of color.

02 of 09

Island-Style Sardines and Rice

Island-Style Sardines and Rice
Acacia Creech

If you love spicy chile peppers and and you love sardines — you'll love this tasty West Indian-style fish stew that's typically eaten for breakfast served on hot white rice. Habanero chile peppers can be substituted for scotch bonnet peppers if desired.

03 of 09

Sardines with Sun-Dried Tomato and Capers

a plate of sardines topped with capers, sun dried tomato strips, and lemon slices
iloveoliveoil

If you are someone who is a bit skeptical of sardines, give this tasty recipe with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, lemon, and herbs a go! The ingredients really balance out the fishy flavor, and turn a can of sardines in olive oil into a gourmet meal. Serve with a rice salad or sautéed spinach for a light lunch or dinner.

04 of 09

Avocado Salsa and Sardine Frenchy

Avocado Salsa and Sardine Frenchy
Photo by Christina.

Put a can of canned sardines to good use in this simple, deliciously different lunch or light dinner recipe in which warm toasted French bread slices are topped with mashed avocado salsa, sardines, and tomatoes. Best of all — it's tasty and good for you!

05 of 09

Chef John's Pasta con le Sarde

a bowl of Sicilian-style bucatini with saffron, sardines, fresh fennel, sultanas, and pine nuts
Chef John

Sicily's famous 'pasta con le sarde' simply translates to pasta with sardines, but it actually has a lot more going on than you might think! Fresh fennel, saffron, pine nuts, and golden raisins also feature in this gourmet dish that represents so many of the flavors of Sicily.

06 of 09

Pop's Tomato-Braised Sardines

Pop's Tomato-Braised Sardines
Diana71

Known as "ginisang sardinas" in the Philippines, this recipe involves marinating canned sardines in lime juice before cooking them in a rich and delicious cherry tomato and white wine sauce under the broiler. Spoon over hot rice, adding a squeeze of lime juice over each portion.

07 of 09

Sardines and Pineapple Sandwich Toast

Sardines and Pineapple Sandwich Toast
B. Tario

Canned sardines, pineapple, marmalade and potato chips make for a fun, fruity, and fishy filling for hot toast! "I enjoy each ingredient in their own ways so I was hesitant in how they would work together," says Allrecipes Allstar B. Tario. "Well let me tell you that they played well together and was a pleasant surprise!"

08 of 09

Pasta de Sardine

Pasta de Sardine

Canned sardines in tomato sauce are combined with garlic and fettuccine for a clever and quick dish for anyone who loves seafood pasta. Add a generous squeeze of lemon, and top with red pepper flakes and grated Parmesan cheese for a perfect balance of flavors.

09 of 09

More Inspiration

Pan-Seared and Crusted Ling Cod
Pan-Seared and Crusted Ling Cod | Photo by Allrecipes Magazine.
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