Mediterranean Sardine Pasta
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This Mediterranean sardine pasta is brimming with protein and fresh herbs for an extra burst of flavor. Plus, it’s ready in minutes, making it perfect for those busy weeknights when you can’t face the kitchen!
Need more sardine inspiration? Check these 25 Best Sardine Recipes!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love It
I’m a massive fan of Mediterranean-style recipes as they’re packed with healthy fats, protein and citrusy goodness. And I’m pleased to report that this rich and flavorful sardine pasta recipe is no exception!
It’s inspired by the Sicilian Pasta with Sarde, but it’s far quicker to make as it uses canned sardines instead of fresh ones.
The onion and olive oil base brings an incredible depth of flavor, and the zesty lemon and chopped dill add a touch of freshness.
Oh, and reserving the pasta water creates a next-level, silky sauce that clings to the noodles and tender sardines like a dream.
Serve it with a few chunks of crusty garlic bread, and the whole family will be drooling!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sardines: The star of the show! These delicious fish are packed with protein to keep you full and have a tasty, crispy skin. Use canned sardines packed in extra virgin olive oil for this recipe.
- Pine nuts: Offers a hint of nuttiness and crunch. Make sure you toast them first!
- Extra virgin olive oil and onion: To create the delicious savory base of the sauce.
- Long pasta: Any long pasta works here, including spaghetti, linguine, or tagliatelle. The goal is to use pasta that the sauce will easily cling to.
- Chopped dill: Lightens up the dish.
- Lemon: For a boost of citrusy flavor and acidity.
- Capers: Adds glorious saltiness and balances the fishy flavor from the sardines. Leave these out if you’re not a fan.
- Salt and pepper.
How to Make Sardine Pasta
Step-by-step overview. Full ingredients and instructions are in the recipe card below.
Prepare the pasta water: Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.
Prepare the pine nuts: Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat until golden brown and aromatic (photo 1). Just be aware that they can burn quickly, so keep a close eye on them!
Prepare the sauce: In the same pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the finely chopped onions. Sauté until they’re soft and translucent. Add the sardines to the skillet and break them up gently with a fork (photo 2). Cook them for a couple of minutes until heated through. Then, stir in the lemon zest, drained capers, and chopped dill to combine them with the onions and sardines. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste (photo 3).
Cook the pasta: While you’re sauteing, cook the pasta until al dente (follow the package instructions!) (photo 4). Remember to reserve around 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.
Add the pasta to the mix: Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss everything together. If the mixture seems dry, add some reserved pasta water. Toss again. You can then taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper (photo 5).
Plate and enjoy: Serve the pasta with a garnish of chopped dill and a drizzle of olive oil (photo 6).
Notes and Tips
- Use ethically sourced sardines: Overfishing is a major issue, and you’ll want to look for brands with the Marine Stewardship Council Logo (MSC) when shopping.
- Add breadcrumbs: The original recipe from Palermo includes toasted breadcrumbs. They add crunch and texture to the pasta without overwhelming it (or being gritty!). Simply toast 4 tablespoons of breadcrumbs with 2 tablespoons of EVOO in a heated skillet for about 30-40 seconds until the breadcrumbs become golden. Once the pasta is ready, sprinkle them on top, as you would do with parmesan.
- Substitute dill with parsley: If you don’t like dill (or don’t have it!), parsley tastes equally delicious with fish and is usually easier to find.
- Do not add parmesan (ever!): This might be the Italian in me talking, but pairing sardines with parmesan creates an unpleasant clash of flavors. In my book, the cheese overwhelms the fish and is a major no-no.
- Add some chili flakes: Add a few chili flakes or red pepper flakes for a hit of heat! A little goes a long way here.
Serving Suggestions
- Eat it on its own as a quick dinner, or throw veggies into the mix with a simple lettuce salad or a peppery radicchio salad as a side!
- For a carb-loaded lunch, serve it with fresh garlic bread or a hunk of crusty bread.
How to Store
- In the fridge: This sardine pasta is best consumed fresh. But if you have leftovers, let them cool to room temperature and then put them in an airtight container. They should stay delicious in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- In the freezer: Unfortunately, this isn’t a recipe I recommend freezing as the ingredients will lose their texture!
- Reheating: When reheating your sardine pasta, add a splash of water to the dish. This should stop the pasta from drying out and getting crusty.
If you try this Mediterranean sardine pasta recipe, please leave a comment and a rating and let me know how much you liked it!
Mediterranean Sardine Pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons pine nuts
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 onion - finely chopped
- black pepper - freshly ground
- 12 oz long pasta - like spaghetti or bucatini
- zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
- 2 cans sardines packed in extra virgin olive oil - about ½ pound, drained
- ½ cup chopped dill - plus more for garnish
- salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and salt it.
- In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the pine nuts until they are golden brown and fragrant. Once toasted, set aside (note 1).
- In the same pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add finely chopped onions and sauté until they are soft and translucent.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Reserve about 1 cup of pasta cooking water before draining.
- Add the sardines (removing most of the oil from the cans) to the skillet. Break them up gently with a fork and cook for a couple of minutes until they are heated through.
- Stir in the lemon zest, drained capers, and chopped dill, combining them with the sardines and onions. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet, tossing everything together. If the mixture seems dry, add some of the reserved pasta cooking water to create a silky sauce.
- Stir in the toasted pine nuts. Continue to toss until all the ingredients are well combined.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Plate the pasta, garnishing with additional chopped dill. Optionally, drizzle with a bit more extra virgin olive oil.
Notes
Nutrition
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