Sardine Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What can I add to sardines to make them taste better? ›

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.

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.

You can eat them right out of the can, top them with onions or peppers, or add condiments such as mustard, mayo, or hot sauce. Usually, the heads have been removed, but you'll be eating the skin and bones. In fact, that's where some health benefits lie.

Yes, both Shea Rawn and Manaker suggest you can eat canned sardines daily, but there are a few things to consider if you do. Manaker notes that recommended seafood intake is 8 to 12 ounces per week (depending on your age and individual factors).

The best side dishes to serve with sardines are garden salad, potato wedges, pita bread, sautéed mushrooms, seed crackers, avocado salad, steamed broccoli, tomato bruschetta, tomato tortellini soup, couscous salad, grilled zucchini, roasted beet salad, lemon rice, garlic spinach, herb-roasted potatoes.

20 WAYS TO EAT A SARDINE + RECIPES

Sauté in oil, garlic, onions, and tomato with a bit of lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Gets rid of fishy smell and taste, and eat with a bowl of rice! Make a dip: Mash together sardines, mayo, chopped parsley, capers, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.

Sardines in water have roughly half as much fat, but the amount of saturated fat isn't a lot higher in olive oil-packed sardines. In other words sardines in olive oil have more fat, but it's the good stuff.

The most healthful choices on this list that are available canned include anchovies, Atlantic mackerel, clams, crab, oysters, sardines, shrimp, and trout. Canned seafood brands offer varying levels of testing to ensure lower mercury levels.

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.

Should you rinse canned sardines? ›

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.

With a wide array of sardine recipes, you will find that any time of the day is a good time to have sardines. Sardines are rich in omega-3 and protein, making them an excellent food to have after the gym. The nutrients found in sardines can help with muscle soreness after a workout.

“Sardines are packed with high-quality protein, which has a higher thermic effect—meaning it can boost metabolism slightly,” says Retelny. On top of boosting metabolism, sardines are packed with hunger-satisfying protein. Eating foods that help you feel full or stay full longer can help curb unnecessary snacking.

Thanks to their many important nutrients, including beneficial omega-3 fats, sardines are a nutritious type of fish for most people. However, people with gout may need to consume sardines in moderation. This is because they are high in purines, a compound that can make gout symptoms worse.

Also, Consumer Lab testing found that sardines were “very low in mercury” compared to albacore tuna levels, which came in 10 to 20 times higher. They note, however, that because of the arsenic levels in sardines, it's not recommended to eat more than one can per day.

Cook out two cloves of minced garlic in lots of olive oil (add the oil from the sardines later too), add some cherry tomatoes and a can of chickpeas, your tinned sardines and sprinkle paprika over to finish.

Canned sardines can be eaten straight out of the can. My favorite is sardines in mustard on saltine crackers. Sardines in cans can be eaten straight from the can. It's a good idea to drain the liquid that comes with them.

Canned sardines are a rich source of protein, amino acids, vitamins and essential fatty acids; they are used by the body to reduce inflammation, build and maintain bones and support the nervous system. Sardines canned in water are a healthier option with lower cholesterol and lower fat than those canned in oil.