What Are Sardines and How Can I Use Them?

Wondering what to do with sardines? This guide covers how to pick them, cook them, store them, and swap them — with 9 recipes to put them to work.

Recipes using sardines

There are 9 recipes that contain this ingredient.

Perciatelli with Fresh Sardines

Sicilian pasta con le sarde with fresh sardines, sweet currants, toasted pine nuts, fennel, and crispy breadcrumbs. Authentic Italian coastal flavor.

Bumstead Sandwich

The legendary Dagwood Bumstead sandwich: a towering, impossible stack of ham, bacon, meatloaf, sausage, lobster, sardines, fried egg, cold spaghetti, and everything else in the fridge.

Kitty Heaven Cat Food

Homemade cat food with canned sardines, cooked rice, minced liver, and parsley. A simple 4-ingredient recipe your cat will love, ready in 5 minutes with no cooking required.

Sardine Sandwich Butter

Sardine sandwich butter: a three-ingredient compound butter of softened butter, mashed boneless sardines, and a dash of lemon. Spread on tea sandwiches, crackers, or hot toast.

Sardines

Canned sardines warmed in white wine over a soft fennel and onion relish. A simple, elegant Mediterranean-style fish dish using the sardine oil for cooking.

Open Face Sardine Sandwiches with Quick Aioli

Try something different for a sandwich with this simple recipe that will be your new favorite.

Sloppy Sardines

Sloppy sardines over rice: canned sardines simmered with onions, green pepper, tomato and garlic, served on a bed of fluffy long-grain rice. Pantry-friendly weeknight protein on a budget.

Norwegian Sardine Pate

Norwegian sardine pate blends mashed sardines with cream cheese, lemon juice, and hot sauce into a smooth spread. Garnished with capers and served with toast.

All 9 recipes