Simple Sardine Salad Recipe - Great For Beginners (2024)

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September 29, 2015

While I’m not scared to eat a sardine whole, I generally mash them into a simple sardine salad and enjoy with crackers or chips. Here’s my favorite basic recipe!

Today I’m sharing my favorite staple sardine salad recipe.

It’s quick and easy to make, and like most things, you can tweak the flavors based on what you have in your house.

Here’s how to make my simple sardine salad

Start with two cans of sardines – this recipe serves two. Feel free to halve it for a onesie!

I really like the Wild Planet brand, and sardines in a flavored oil have the most flavor.

Mash your sardines!

Dump them into a mixing bowl and look away while you mash with a fork.

Then you have something that looks like the tuna salad you’ve been eating for ages!

Chop some some veggies

The smaller the better.

I like peppers, celery and carrots, but today I used green pepper, red pepper and celery because that’s what I had on hand. Mix it up as you like! This was about a cup.

Add binders and seasonings

For my binders, I like a mixture of Greek yogurt to mayo instead of all of one or the other.

The Greek yogurt lightens and brightens, but the mayo adds a richness that I miss when I leave it out.

Mustard is also key for a little kick – Dijon or spicy brown – you pick!

Capers are a favorite flavor of mine, but you could swap them out for chopped pickles or jalapeños if you’d like.

And as for spices, smoked paprika and salt are the must-haves!

Mix it all together!

Mix it all together and you have your fancified tuna salad!

Best served with crackers or tortilla chips, but you can also put this on top of a salad or on bread as a sandwich.

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5 from 5 votes

Simple Sardine Salad

This simple sardine salad is quick and easy to make, and like most things, you can tweak the flavors based on what you have in your house.

Course Lunch, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword sardines

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 2 Servings

Ingredients

2 cans sardines in lemon drained
1 cup minced veggies
1.5 tbsp greek yogurt
1 tbsp mayo
1/2 tbsp mustard
1.5 tbsp capers
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/8 tsp kosher salt

Instructions

Drain sardines of oil and dump into a bowl. Mash with a fork.
Add rest of ingredients and mix well.
Serve with crackers or chips.

Go fish!

More sardine salad ideas (and salmon too):

The Very Best Sardine Salad
Curried Sardine Tapenade
And a whole info post on sardines!
Every Herb Salmon Salad
Salmon Salad Pita Pockets
Curried Tuna Salad

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Comments

Jeri says
September 29, 2015 at 9:18 am
I wonder how this would taste with smoked trout or salmon. Have been getting tired of tuna salad and want something different.
Reply
cara says
September 29, 2015 at 9:23 am
Ok, you might have me semi convinced to try this, haha! Looks really good!
Reply
kim says
September 29, 2015 at 9:59 am
I very much enjoy when you post your recipes Kath- you make the best looking food! Thanks for sharing…will be trying this one for sure.
Reply
Annie says
September 29, 2015 at 10:17 am
I make versions of this all the time, depending on which mix-ins I have on hand, because of your past posts! Love the Wild Planet brand … but lately I can’t find it in my grocery store!
Reply
- Kathleen says
  August 16, 2017 at 11:48 am
  Wild Planet sardines and tuna are both at Costco at a great price.
  Reply
Katie @ Talk Less, Say More says
September 29, 2015 at 10:26 am
I wish sardines came already mashed up like tuna or salmon because I have the hardest getting myself to even THINK about sardines because I can’t get over how they look and I know it will freak me out…but your sardine salads always look so good and make me think that I can actually do that!
Reply
Rose says
September 29, 2015 at 10:49 am
There is a great sardine recipe that I’ve tweaked over time from Alton Brown. http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/sherried-sardine-toast-recipe.html
Instead I use ciabatta bread and split it horizontally, broil the bread, mash avocado, and add sardines marinated in red wine vinegar and franks hot sauce. It’s so good! We have it for dinner about twice a month. Just a suggestion from one sardine lover to another!
Reply
Rachel says
September 29, 2015 at 10:54 am
what kind of crackers are those? they look buttery and delicious!
Reply
Shel@PeachyPalate says
September 29, 2015 at 11:08 am
So darn satisfying! I’m actually on a canned mackerel kick at the moment! Literally eating it daily!!!
Reply
- Braxton says
  January 11, 2017 at 12:24 pm
  Thanks for the recipe
  Reply
Kristabel says
September 29, 2015 at 11:25 am
I love sardines! I have fond memories of sharing sardines, that we put on top of a saltine with a small slice of Monterey Jack Cheese, with my Dad. Since we were the only ones that liked it, it was our special treat.
Reply
Amanda says
See Also
Stuffed Butternut Squash with Veggie Couscous - My Gorgeous Recipes
September 29, 2015 at 11:47 am
What are the health benefits of sardines? I’m weirdly afraid of them, but if I knew they were super good for me, maybe I could get behind it!
Reply
- KathEats says
  September 29, 2015 at 1:15 pm
  they are super good! Packed with omega-3s, calcium, vitamin D and protein. And they’re pretty inexpensive.
  Reply
Bethany @ Athletic Avocaod says
September 29, 2015 at 12:32 pm
I’m actually a HUGE fan of sardines so this salad is right up my alley!
Reply
Kate says
September 29, 2015 at 12:56 pm
I am fan of sardines, but I tried herring recently and was not as pleased! This will be great to switch up my normal tuna routine.
Reply
Kelsey says
September 29, 2015 at 1:32 pm
I know this is really anal, but I’ve tried those sardines before and I can’t get passed the fact that sometimes I find little bones in there. Do you find that there are bones in your’s too, or is it just me?
Reply
- KathEats says
  September 29, 2015 at 2:04 pm
  Yes there are bones, but they are soft and not crunchy like a fish bone in a big fish, so if you just try to mash them up well you don’t notice them when you chew.
  Reply
  - Kelsey says
    September 29, 2015 at 2:44 pm
    That’s really helpful! Thank you.
    Reply
Melissa says
September 29, 2015 at 2:14 pm
Haha for a minute I had flashbacks to your April Fool’s sardine oatmeal post, but this looks good! 😉
Reply
Dani @ Dani California Cooks says
September 29, 2015 at 2:34 pm
Hhhaha at first I was thinking that you had put together a recipe for oats and sardines!
Reply
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine says
September 29, 2015 at 4:20 pm
YES! Sardine lovers unite!
Reply
Kelly says
September 29, 2015 at 4:44 pm
haha, I thought you were going to put oats and sardines together too!….whew!
“look away while you mash with a fork” LOL
Reply
Nikki says
September 30, 2015 at 8:17 am
Oh my God. Are you pregnant? The only time I ever craved sardines was when I was pregnant!
Reply
Sarah says
October 1, 2015 at 9:04 am
Ah, thank you for this! I have a tin in my pantry I keep meaning to use but get scared every time I look at it! Trying it!!
Reply
jill says
October 2, 2015 at 9:15 pm
I finally made sardine salad on celery because of YOUR post. Thanks for the constant inspiration!!!
Reply
Brian Kirk says
March 8, 2016 at 11:55 am
I’m totally trying this, thank you for sharing. I fell back in love with tuna fish salad while in Telluride…a place called The Butcher and The Baker make such a refreshing tuna fish salad and the secret ingredient is lime zest. Also, I once used cottage cheese as the binder…it added a bit more bulk and texture than mayo or yogurt.
Cheers!
Reply
Arcadio says
July 23, 2018 at 11:52 pm
I like to mix in pico de gallo and make a sardine taco with some corn tortillas. And a bit of cheese…yummy
Reply
Stephanie says
January 20, 2019 at 12:19 pm

I make a version of this with the smoked paprika but not with so many chopped veggies. I love them so I can’t wait to make this as an appetizer for my family. I tend to buy Trader Joe’s wild caught sardines in spring water or olive oil but they don’t have the added lemon that Wild Planet offers. I might try to add a little fresh lemon juice and let the sardines marinate a bit before proceeding with the recipe.
Reply
Alyssa says
February 2, 2019 at 1:39 pm

I didn’t feel like chopping up veggies so I just mashed the sardines, added the Greek yogurt, the Dijon mustard, the Smoked paprika and sent it as is on some rice crackers and it made a great quick snack, thanks for the inspiration!
Reply
Stephanie says
March 8, 2019 at 1:45 pm
I’m going to try this. I eat sardines on a salad 3-4 times a week and this will be a nice variation to mix it up a little. For anyone that doesn’t like sardines, I urge you to try Seasons brand. They have no bones and are the mildest sardines I’ve ever tried. We buy them by the case at Costco 🙂
Reply
Sue says
December 4, 2019 at 10:17 pm

Yum! Stuffed this into avocado halves. Used sardines canned with piri pepper for a kick (but not lethal). What a great salad!!
Reply
Maren says
June 9, 2020 at 9:53 pm

It’s rare that I make a recipe exactly as written but that’s what I did with this one and it was just delicious! I had it on crackers with a squeeze of lemon and will definitely be making it again.
Reply
- Kath Younger says
  June 10, 2020 at 5:50 am
  Thank you!
  Reply
Barbara Cooper says
November 21, 2021 at 3:51 pm

I like this recipe! Recently bought the exact same sardines on sale at Costco. They have a nice smokey taste, thought they could be used in a salad, and here it is. I even have the capers!
Reply

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Simple Sardine Salad Recipe - Great For Beginners (2024)

FAQs

How do you eat sardines for beginners? ›

The best way to eat tinned sardines? Tinned sardines mashed on toast with black pepper and chopped herbs is a fail-safe. Drained if it's sardines in olive oil or with the tomato and other sauces. Or sardines with scrambled eggs and chopped tomatoes (on toast again).

See Details ›

How do you make sardines taste good? ›

20 WAYS TO EAT A SARDINE + RECIPES

Straight out of the can.
On a cracker.
Add mustard to that cracker.
Mix it with mayo, salt & pepper… ...
Sauté in oil, garlic, onions, and tomato with a bit of lemon juice, salt, and pepper. ...
Toss a few in a salad.
Put a few in a pasta dish.
And of course, straight out of the can.

More items...

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Do you need to prepare canned sardines? ›

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.

Know More ›

Is it healthy to eat sardines daily? ›

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).

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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.

What condiments go with sardines? ›

My Favorite Ways to Enjoy Sardines

I love them on top of a Wasa cracker with a healthy shmear of mayo, some dill, and often a sliced Persian cucumber or hard boiled egg (and always a hit of flaky salt). They're also great piled onto grilled bread with lots of olive oil, or tossed into a pasta dish.

Get More Info ›

Can you eat canned sardines raw? ›

This article has been viewed 215,661 times. To eat canned sardines, enjoy them straight out of the can, or with a drizzle of lemon juice, hot sauce, or balsamic vinaigrette if you like.

Read On ›

What is the proper way to eat sardines? ›

Classically, sardines can be enjoyed with a cracker, fork, and maybe a dash of hot sauce or lemon juice. But to confine the culinary uses of this tinned fish to just that is to sell sardines way short. Sardines are extremely versatile, lending themselves well to a humble snack, hearty lunch, or fancy dinner.

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Are canned sardines healthy? ›

Sardines are small, oily fish that contain important nutrients, including omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, and protein. Both fresh and canned sardines have health benefits and can help support the health of your heart, bones, and immune system.

Read On ›

How do the French eat canned sardines? ›

And as with all things culinary, the French really do them right. Whether they be grilled then bathed in extra-virgin olive oil before being tinned, or combined with a bit of gentle pepper, or layered with sliced lemon, or just simply put in the tin, they're delicious.

See Details ›

Do you need to remove bones from sardines? ›

It's natural to avoid consuming fish bones, after all, they aren't edible in most cases. However, when it comes to canned sardines, don't let the presence of bones stop you -- you can totally eat them.

What crackers go best with sardines? ›

Saltines and sardines are a time-honored American pairing, as sardines are plentiful along many U.S. coastlines, and the crackers were invented in Milton, Massachusetts in the 1800s.

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How many times a week should you eat sardines? ›

Is it safe to eat sardines every day? Eating fish like sardines is an important part of a healthy diet, but as with any food, moderation is key. The FDA recommends eating two to three servings of sardines per week.

Learn More ›

Is 2 cans of sardines a day too much? ›

Because mercury is nearly all seafood and shellfish, the Food and Drug Administration recommends consuming no more than eight to 12 ounces — or two to three servings — per week for adults.

Can I eat a tin of sardines every day? ›

Canned Sardines' Health Risks

While dietary cholesterol doesn't affect blood cholesterol levels as significantly as we once thought, it's still best to limit high-cholesterol foods and stick to eating sardines about twice a week rather than every day. Both fresh and canned sardines provide similar nutritional benefits.

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Do you just eat the whole sardine? ›

Fish such as sardines, pilchards and herring are delicious to eat whole, but not everyone likes all the small bones – although they are edible.

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How are sardines traditionally eaten? ›

The traditional way to eat sardines is grilled, with plenty of salt and preferably between late spring and mid-autumn when they have more fat!

Find Out More ›

Should you eat sardines in oil or water? ›

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.

Find Out More ›

Simple Sardine Salad Recipe - Great For Beginners (2024)

Here’s how to make my simple sardine salad

Mash your sardines!

Chop some some veggies

Add binders and seasonings

Mix it all together!

Simple Sardine Salad

Ingredients

Instructions

More sardine salad ideas (and salmon too):

Reader Interactions

Comments

Leave a Reply

FAQs

How do you eat sardines for beginners? ›

Do you need to remove bones from sardines? ›

References