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This brightly-flavored Spicy Sardine Salad Sandwich offers a punch of heat with spanish-style sardines and a healthy dose of Omega-3 fatty acids.
This post is sponsored by King Oscar | Thank you for supporting the brands I trust.
Easy lunches and smarter choices—two things that inspired this Spicy Sardine Salad Sandwich. We’re currently living in a world that’s becoming more aware of how unhealthy processed deli meats are, and that can really cramp a sandwich lover’s style. What’s a sandwich without meats folded over cheeses and more meats, right? The good news is you can throw this nutritious and delicious ‘wich into your rotation for good balance while also being kind to the environment. And hey, you might not even miss that loaded Italian hoagie ;)
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If you can eat canned tuna, you can eat sardines.
Canned sardines have a bad rap, yet canned tuna still seems to be a popular option from the canned fish aisle. The thing is, they’re not that different from one another when it comes to taste, smell, or texture. And where they do differ, King Oscar’s fillets come out on top. These versatile hand-packed fillets marinate in olive oil along with other flavors and spices to jazz things up. (Think: zesty tomato sauce, Mediterranean, spicy cracked pepper…) Anything you do with canned tuna, you can do with canned sardines. Even the ubiquitous tuna salad sandwich. However, me taking an approachable tuna recipe and swapping in sardines is less about trying to prove my point and more about encouraging you to consider a smarter option—for your health and the environment.
King Oscar Sardines are wild-caught and sustainable.
If fishing practices and sustainability are important to you, you’ll be pleased with King Oscar’s methods. King Oscar catch their sardines with purse seine nets which have no contact with the sea bed the way trawls do; there are also very low levels of bycatch. Some of KO’s sardines are fished out of Norway’s fjords and coastal waters while others, like the Spanish-style sardines used in this recipe, are caught from the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco.
Are sardines healthy?
Sardines are loaded with nutrients, making them an extremely healthy choice. They offer up a hefty dose of Omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, calcium, and protein. They’re also rich in the following minerals:
- iron
- zinc
- niacin
- potassium
- magnesium
- phosphorus
Additionally, they feed on plankton—so they don’t contain a high amount of mercury like albacore tuna.
How to make a Spicy Sardine Salad Sandwich.
Much like the classic tuna salad, this recipe involves mixing all of your ingredients in a single bowl and slathering it over bread. However, the kick of heat that makes this sandwich the crave-worthy lunch it is are King Oscar’s Skinless and Boneless Spanish-Style Sardines. These tender fillets are infused with flavor by being hand-packed in pure olive oil with a whole red chili pepper, a sliced carrot, and a slice of pickle.
This spicy sardine salad mixture certainly isn’t limited to sandwiches, though. Pile it into lettuce cups, throw it on top of mixed greens, or smear it over crackers!
And hey, if spicy isn’t your thing, you can go ahead and use King Oscar’s Skinless and Boneless Sardines in Olive Oil.
Other sardine recipes I love:
- Scallion and Cheddar Egg Muffins
- Seafood Stuffed Peppers
- Cheddar Jalapeno Gourmet Grilled Cheese
- Greek Pita with Sardines
Can’t find King Oscar in your local supermarket? Check out their store on Amazon.
If you make this recipe, let us know! Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram, @killing__thyme!
Spicy Sardine Salad Sandwich
Ingredients
- 2 cans of King Oscar's Spanish Style Skinless and Boneless Sardines, drained, If you don't want the heat, go for King Oscar's Skinless and Boneless Sardines in Olive Oil
- 1 TBSP of mayonnaise , You can add extra if you like it extra creamy
- 1 TBSP stone ground mustard, You can also use Dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
- 1 rib of celery, diced
- 1 TBSP drained capers
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
- 4 slices of whole grain bread, toasted
Optional sandwich add ons.
- Bibb lettuce
- Tomatoes
- Thinly sliced red onions
Instructions
- Place all of the ingredients from the drained sardines to the chopped fresh parsley into a large mixing bowl. (You can include the pepper, carrot, and pickle from the sardine can; simply cut them up beforehand.)
- With a fork, mix all of the ingredients in the bowl until well combined, flaking the sardines as you go.
- Toast your whole grain bread until just golden and crisp.
- Scoop the sardine salad evenly onto a slice of toasted bread, top with your preferred sandwich add ons, and close the sandwich up with another slice of toasted bread. Enjoy!
Wow, I love this dish! And you’re right, using the King Oscar brand is a game changer. I make this dish often. Apparently, these healthy fats are just what I needed. I’m super satisfied and energized after this meal. I prepare as a sandwich with toasted Good Seed bread and sun dried tomato spread, and pair with a side veggie like crudités or broccoli rabe. Would love to know the calories. Thanks!
Very tasty on saltines!!!
I do love sardines.
So glad you enjoyed it! Sardine lovers really do tend to love the simplicity of sards and crackers :)