20 Best Uses For Canned Sardines

Smelly, oily, and tightly packed — those are probably the only things that come to mind when you think about sardines. Indeed, these tiny fish don't have much of a reputation stateside, but they're beloved diet staples in countries like Portugal and Spain. For that reason alone, it's worth looking at these often-maligned fish.

But we thought we'd illustrate our point rather than tell you why they're so good. To that end, we've compiled a list of unique ways to incorporate canned sardines into your cooking. From simple sandwiches and dips to gourmet tapas and grazing boards, canned sardines effortlessly elevate the flavors in whichever dish you create. If you keep an open mind and follow our recommendations, we promise you'll find a new appreciation for their mild fishy flavor, satisfying saltiness, and meaty texture. So, dig through your cupboards and brush off the dust, it's time to look at sardines in a whole new light.

You're probably used to adding meatballs or chicken to your pasta, but why not switch up your proteins and try some canned sardines instead? Thanks to their mild fishiness and moderate saltiness, sardines pair seamlessly with pretty much any ingredients you have around the house. Some of our favorites include a quick lemon, kale, and sardine pasta and a no-brainer cherry tomato and sardine spaghetti.

But our ultimate favorite remains chef Fabio Trabocchi's take on pasta con la sarde. This classic Sicilian dish combines bucatini, sardines, Espelette pepper, almonds, and dill to create a dish that tastes way more complicated than it is. To make it, flay sardines in tomato sauce from head to tail. Next, cook garlic, Espelette, and sardines in a pan. Combine cooked pasta, almonds, and dill with the other ingredients before finishing with lemon zest.

Everything sounds better in French, right? That's certainly true when it comes to tartines. In fact, a tartine is essentially just an open-faced sandwich. But don't be mistaken — this isn't your grandma's tuna melt. Rather, this sardine tartine recipe combines the tiny canned fish with crème fraîche, currants, pine nuts, and onions. The result is a colorful weeknight dinner option that looks way fancier than it is.

To make one, simmer white wine vinegar, sugar, salt, bay leaves, and red pepper flakes together until the sugar dissolves. Marinate the onions and currents in the vinegar mixture. While the flavors are getting acquainted, spread crème fraîche on hearty bread. Season with salt and pepper. Top with sardines, the onion-currant mixture, toasted pine nuts, parsley, and some lemon juice.

You may see butter as just a condiment, but for the French, it's an apéro-worthy spread. To create this cocktail hour favorite, you'll need European-style butter (the fattier, creamier, and saltier, the better), a can of sardines, a lemon, and some chives.

Let the butter soften at room temperature, then mash the sardines into it until combined. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and top with chives. Do like the French and use it as a spread on toast, crackers, or raw vegetables. If you want to serve something a bit fancier, consider topping butter-slathered toast with sliced radishes. Outside of cocktail hour, you can use your homemade fish butter on sandwiches in place of mayonnaise or mustard. It also tastes delicious when melted over asparagus or green beans.

We've all heard of dessert crumbles, the tasty treats that combine fruit, flour, and butter. But have you ever tried a savory crumble? With their delightful flavor and built-in cooking container, canned sardines are the perfect base for this cozy dish.

Start by removing and draining the sardines from the can (but keep the oil). Use a fork to mash the fish, then return it to the tin. Combine the crumble ingredients (cubed butter, flour, almond powder, thyme, lemon zest, and salt) and pour over the mashed sardines. Bake the can for 15 minutes in a 340-degree oven. Serve with a side salad to make it a complete meal. And don't forget the sardine oil. Combine it with salt, pepper, and vinegar for a fishy vinaigrette that perfectly complements the crumble.

Cheese and charcuterie boards are great, but they can get a bit monotonous if you're not careful. One way to infuse some newness into your appetizer spread is by adding canned sardines to your go-to ingredients. Or, you could replace the meat altogether and serve several types of canned seafood in its place. Plan on serving sardines with at least two other seafood options, one smoked and one shellfish.

Accessorize your seafood with a couple of pickled items such as cornichons or capers. The acid and vinegar in these items help turn down the fattiness of your main ingredients. Add some freshly chopped herbs (dill, chives, and parsley work well), and a spicy ingredient to finish off the experience. Serve with a few crunchy options such as crackers, cucumbers, or crostini.

Just because you're following a paleo diet doesn't mean you can't enjoy party snacks. And wouldn't you know it? One of our favorite paleo-friendly appetizers includes sardines. That makes sense, considering one tenet of the paleo diet involves eating fish, like sardines, that are high in omega-3 fatty acids.

This dip combines canned sardines with diced cucumbers, red bell pepper, and green onion. All you have to do is mix all of the ingredients together and finish with a squeeze of lemon. Serve alongside cucumber slices and plantain chips. Not only is this sardine-based dip full of flavor, but it has all kinds of protein. In fact, just five small sardines contain 14.8 grams of protein. Give it a try and indulge guilt-free at your next gathering.

Whether eaten alone as an appetizer or with a salad as a main dish, crispy croquettes are welcome at any time. You're probably used to ham or potato croquettes, but with a dish this tasty, why limit yourself? Once again, sardines are a simple recipe substitution that will change the way you look at croquettes.

You can combine canned sardines with butter, shallots, spices (chili flakes and dill), flour, and milk. Cook the ingredients together, then chill in the refrigerator overnight. To make the crust, combine parmesan, breadcrumbs, and black pepper. Dredge the sardine mixture in flour, then coat with egg before pan-frying in oil. Serve alongside a lemony aioli or with a simple salad of lettuce, new potatoes, and lemon juice. However you choose to eat them, you won't believe how tasty these fishy fritters are.

The French aren't exactly flexible when it comes to experimenting with their beloved cuisine. That's especially true when the dish in question is something as classic as Niçoise salad. However, we think they might be willing to forgive us for playing around with the ingredients in this meal-worthy dish just a bit.

A staple of Nice, France, Niçoise is a composed salad that features potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, green beans, tomatoes, black olives, capers, and canned tuna. We like tuna just fine, but it tends to be a bit dry, especially the water-packed variety. To fix this issue, and to give your salad a bit of novelty, we recommend replacing tuna with sardines. Since the ingredients are so similar, you can use the same amount of sardines as you would tuna. As if that weren't handy enough, you can even use some of the sardine oil when making the dressing.

You're already used to adding tuna to salads. Are sardines really all that different? Right, we didn't think so, either. Instead of falling back on the same old tired recipes, give your salads a new lease on life by swapping tuna for sardines.

These versatile little fish pair well with just about every salad combination you can think of. However, we're particularly fond of pairing sardines with Mediterranean-inspired flavors. For example, we like pairing sardines with potatoes, arugula, cucumber, black olives, cherry tomatoes, and orange bell pepper. Serve with a simple balsamic vinaigrette or experiment with a homemade honey mustard dressing. They also play well with the tomatoes, cucumber, and feta cheese found in Greek salads. Dress with a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and black pepper.

Few breakfast items inspire us more than lox bagels. The fattiness of the salmon, the creaminess of the cream cheese, and the freshness of the dill — has there ever been a combination as perfect as this one? We doubt it, but we're also willing to switch up our breakfast routine from time to time in the name of experimentation.

Instead of fresh lox, this swap involves mashing canned sardines with canned salmon. Slather the mixture on top of a cream cheese-covered bagel and finish with some lemon juice, fresh dill, and capers. While this substitution isn't the perfect stand-in, it is cheaper, easier, and faster to prepare than a standard lox bagel. So, why not give it a try? Your stomach (and your wallet) will thank you.

Static Media owns and operates Tasting Table and Mashed.