Sardines are packed with nutrition like omega-3s, protein, vitamin B12, selenium and calcium. Their rich flavor goes well with bold seasonings and cooking methods that keep them moist. In this article, I will instruct you how to cook sardines in 2 different ways.
1. How To Cook Sardines in Oven
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh sardines, cleaned and gutted
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon wedges
Instructions
Preheat oven broiler on high heat and line a baking sheet with foil. Rinse sardines under cold water and pat dry completely with paper towels.
Arrange sardines evenly in one layer on prepared baking sheet. Brush all over with olive oil or melted butter.
In a small bowl, mix garlic, oregano, paprika, cayenne and black pepper. Sprinkle seasoning mixture evenly over oiled fish.
Broil for 5 minutes until fish flakes easily and surface is crispy. Serve with lemon wedges, hot sauce, or aioli.
2. How To Cook Sardines on Grill
Ingredients
- 11⁄2 lbs fresh sardines, gutted and scaled
- 21⁄2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- Zest of 1 lemon plus wedges for serving
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper
- Chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
Heat grill to medium-high, about 400°F. In a baking dish, toss all ingredients except parsley and lemon wedges to evenly coat fish. Let marinate 10 minutes while grill heats.
When grill is very hot, scrape the grill rack clean. Use a fish grilling basket or double sheets of foil with edges crimped to seal. Mist the interior with cooking spray.
Carefully transfer marinated sardines into the basket/foil and grill 4 minutes. Rotating 90 degrees for crisscross marks, grill another 2-4 minutes until opaque and lightly charred.
Transfer grilled sardines to a platter, sprinkling with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges, dipping sauces, homemade tartar sauce or aioli.
Now, you know how to cook sardines properlt at home. I hope that after reading this article, you can enjoy delicious oven-broiled, pan fried or grilled sardines packed with flavor. Good luck.
