For an easy, nutritious punch up for main courses and snack plates, it’s awfully tough to beat tinned sardines. Ours are hand-packed in extra virgin olive oil with a delicate, but meaty texture. They’re shelf-stable so they’re always at the ready, they’re delicious right out of the can, and they enliven dishes with a clean and rich fresh-from-the-sea taste.
Our sardines are responsibly harvested using small scale purse seine techniques that minimize bycatch. Sardines are short-lived and reproduce quickly, so they don’t accumulate toxins like larger (and overfished) predators like tuna and swordfish. On salads and in sandwiches, sardines make a lovely substitute for those overfished species. And sardines are amazingly versatile as snacks on crackers or with hunks of good bread. Here are some of our favorite ways to enjoy sardines.
Sardines and Crackers
Nutritious snacks don’t get a whole lot easier than this classic pairing. Our tender, mild-flavored sardines are a great match with our crackers, making a wonderful, fun combo of crunchy and delicate. Plus, since our sardines and crackers are shelf-stable, they’re a no-fuss, easy snack on the go or at home.
We love pairing our Organic Sourdough Sea Salt Crackers with our Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil with a hunk of avocado, pickled red onion and cilantro. Or, try the same crackers with our Sardines in Coconut Curry. Add dollop of your favorite chutney on top to take it to the next level.
Sardines on Toast
Want to taste a little bit of pure summer heaven? Try our Sardines in Tomato Sauce layered on a thick slice of grilled, buttered bread topped with garlicky bruschetta. Pretty much any bread will do—sourdough, maybe a baguette, half a ciabatta roll, all good.
A simple prep of our Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil on toasted bread, drizzled with more olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt makes a fast, scrumptious meal or snack too.
Sardine Sandwich
Sardines make fantastic sandwiches because of their tender texture they stand up well to thick breads and sandwich fillings. Try making a Scandinavian-inspired sandwich with rye bread, greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, hard-boiled eggs, and a couple of our Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, then add whatever toppings you like.
Another easy sardine sandwich is our Sardines in Tomato Sauce on a sliced ciabatta roll with a spread of good cream cheese. Cream cheese made from goat milk is a particularly great pairing here. And don’t forget a classic tuna salad sandwich, with sardines standing in for the tuna.
Try: Turkish Sardine Sandwich, Balik Ekmek
Sardine Salads
Our sardines are a fantastic substitute for tuna in salads. A great, easy option for a hearty sardine salad is a mix of fresh herbs, green onions, ripe tomatoes, and our Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, dressed with a simple Dijon mustard, garlic and olive oil vinaigrette.
Or if you love Salade Nicoise, simply swap out the tuna that salad recipe normally calls for with our tinned sardines for a fresh take on a classic salad.
Sardines and Rice
Wholesome and delicious meal pairings don’t get much simpler than canned fish and rice. For a fast and vibrant seafood curry, all you need is our Sardines in Coconut Curry, a bowl of fluffy basmati rice and your favorite additions like yogurt and pickled onions.
Love paella? Try topping your paella recipe with a tin or two of our Sardines in Tomato Sauce — our Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil work well here too. It’s pretty hard to go wrong with any sardines and rice recipes.
Sardines and Pasta
Sardines and pasta are a classic and hearty combination sure to please anyone at your dinner table. Wholesome nutty grain and the rich umami of fish is just one of those pairings that seems to work no matter what you do. We like a baked penne pasta with sardines in a sauce of tomato, cream and thyme. It’s a rich and satisfying dinner that’s easy to prepare.
Or try a simple dish like Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil with a long pasta like perciatelli, lemon zest, capers and breadcrumbs. Basically, pick your favorite pasta and add one of our tins of sardines and you have a perfect base for any meal.
