Sardine Butter Recipe on Food52 (2024)

5 Ingredients or Fewer

by: Cristina Sciarra

February28,2012

4.4

5 Ratings

  • Serves about 6 people

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

When I asked my boyfriend, an avid lover of seafood of all kinds, what I should make for this contest, he quickly and enthusiastically answered, “sardine butter!” Eaten on toast as an hors d’oeuvre or starter, it is the love child of two ingredients beloved by people from his region of France: sea salt-laced butter, and sardines. As a bonus, it is really easy to make and store. —Cristina Sciarra

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: cristinasciarra lives in Brooklyn, is getting her MFA in writing, and loves to travel.
WHAT: A simple French-inspired butter of sardines with a kiss of lemon and chives for depth.
HOW: Mashing the butter and sardines takes nothing but a fork -- no special equipment required!
WHY WE LOVE IT: This is butter with some body, able to stand up to the crustiest bread and sturdiest cracker. It keeps well, too! —The Editors

  • Test Kitchen-Approved
  • Your Best Canned Fish Recipe Contest Winner

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 1.25 sticks/10 tablespoons salted butter, slightly softened (If you can find butter with actual crystals of salt, even better)
  • 1 can good quality sardines, packed in oil (either use boneless or debone yourself!)
  • juice of ½ a lemon
  • about a tablespoon of minced chives
  • freshly ground black pepper
Directions
  1. Place the softened butter in a medium bowl. Drain the sardines, and add them to the bowl. Use a fork to mash the butter and the sardines together. Have fun!
  2. After a minute, add the lemon juice. Keep mashing until incorporated. At the last minute, add the chives, and some black pepper.
  3. Move the butter to a ramekin, or roll it in plastic to form a log. Refrigerate it for at least an hour or so.
  4. Serve the sardine butter with toast.

Tags:

  • Condiment/Spread
  • Seafood
  • Butter
  • Chive
  • Sardine
  • 5 Ingredients or Fewer
  • Make Ahead
  • One-Pot Wonders
  • Serves a Crowd
  • Spring
  • Summer
  • Fall
Contest Entries
  • Your Best Canned Fish Recipe

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Kevin Stradinger

  • Jen Williams

  • The Pontificator

  • Kevin French

  • Aliwaks

Recipe by: Cristina Sciarra

Cristina is a writer, cook, and day job real estate developer. She studied literature, holds an MFA in Fiction Writing, and completed the Basic Cuisine course at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She lives in Jersey City with her husband--a Frenchman she met in Spain--and their sweet black cat, Minou. Follow her writings, recipes, publications and photography at theroamingkitchen.com.

63 Reviews

57belfairmomma February 5, 2021

I served this on crispy crackers and it was so good. My five year old even loved it! So easy but good quality sardines packed in olive oil is a must.

Kevin S. January 17, 2020

So so good and so so inexpensive. Added a couple cloves of garlic for obvious reasons and going to add anchovies next go 'round

caarin June 4, 2017

Very nice! I used 4 oz of butter and the oil from the sardine tin. I prefer it to be more lemony so zested an entire lemon and used all of its juice. Served on rye toast and alternated with another toast shmeared in minty pea spread for appetizer. Delish!"

Jen W. August 4, 2015

Whoa boy, is that good. I like it a little more sardine-y, so I used only 4 oz butter and also drizzled in some of the olive oil from the can. Used lime juice instead of lemon, since I had half a lime hanging around. Love it on rye Melba toast, which I made from a loaf of thin rye that needed to get used up.

btglenn July 22, 2015

Instead of butter, try a little cream cheese. Adding some chopped scallion or onion will perk it up whether its made with butter or other addition.

The P. July 22, 2015

The recipe doesn't call for saving the oil from the can.

I'd add an anchovy fillet or two...and some lemon zest. Go big or go home!

neighome April 18, 2015

Should the oil from the tin be added or discarded?

Jenny December 14, 2014

Scrumptious, especially after a day in the frig. I used smoked sardines. My dinner guests could not stop talking about it (or eating it). Thanks for an elegant and easy recipe!

Kevin F. March 2, 2014

Just made this (sure it will get even better as it sits and melds) but this is a major win. Hard not to spread it like fish dip, as it is so good! Used the fancy butter and followed the recipe as described. Will surely make this again.

melie February 27, 2014

This will be perfect on Matzot during passover ( or year round ) !

Aliwaks February 7, 2013

Made this the other night with some peppered smoked mackerel that I discovered in the freezer... it was perfect.

janet.antene February 6, 2013

My brother and nephew will LOVE this... Thank you!

Cristina S. February 6, 2013

I hope they do!

Mel L. January 5, 2013

Looking for something special and just found it. How can you go wrong for in home tailgate party.

LetaBee January 3, 2013

Yum.. a little of the lemon zest might be nice.

karmaya December 20, 2012

my husband, a Brit who loves sardines on toast, will be blown away by this terrific version. it's today's lunch! thanks!

lfree December 11, 2012

This was amazing. Even the devout sardine haters in my family devoured it.

Cristina S. December 12, 2012

I'm so glad!

Christine H. July 25, 2012

Loved this, elegantly served in the glass egg coddler I purchased through you on line. So civilized.

btglenn May 13, 2012

I make this recipe with whipped cream cheese instead of butter, and add the can's olive oil to the mix. While this isn't exactly a sardine "butter", it is a rich and tasty spread on toast or rye bread, and, for those concerned about health and cholesterol, much lower on the animal fats that delicious high fat butter has to offer. Mix in minced scallions or chives for added flavor.

adashofbitters May 11, 2012

My god, I want to pan-sear a flatiron steak and slather this all over it while it's steaming hot.

tamater S. February 7, 2014

Oh, that made me laugh.
And I know, I know, that comment was 3 years ago, but I can't help wondering - did ya do it?

sarah K. May 10, 2012

This is a winner! My kids love radishes with butter, and they love sardines, so I made your sardine butter for the radishes today and it's marvelous. My 5 year old was practically jumping up and down with excitement.

tamater S. February 7, 2014

Oh, that made me laugh. And I know, I know, that comment was 3 years ago, but I can't help wondering - did ya do it?

tamater S. February 7, 2014

Sorry if I confused you. The comment above was meant for adashofbitters, above.

Sardine Butter Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

What to put on sardines to make them taste better? ›

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.

Can I eat sardines every day? ›

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. “It's smart to vary your seafood sources instead of eating the same type each week,” says Largeman-Roth.

What sauce goes best with sardines? ›

Sardines With Tomato Sauce Are a Match Made in Heaven - La Cucina Italiana.

Which is better sardines in oil or tomato sauce? ›

Sardines canned in oil have similar amounts of omega-3 to canned sardines in tomato sauce. Choosing a product with tomato sauce provides the additional heart health benefits of lycopene , a carotenoid present in tomatoes.

Why do I feel so good after eating sardines? ›

Sardines' fatty acids are best known for boosting heart health, but they could also be considered “brain food.” Some research suggests that people who consume more omega-3s may have a lower risk of developing dementia or Alzheimer's disease.

How do you doctor up sardines? ›

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.

When should you not eat sardines? ›

Because sardines contain purines, which break down into uric acid, they aren't a good choice for those at risk of kidney stone formation. The high sodium in sardines can also increase calcium in your urine, which is another risk factor for kidney stones.

Who eats 5 cans of sardines a day? ›

Entrepreneur and VC Craig Cooper swears by eating 5 cans of sardines a day. (And loves a 22-minute power nap.) Being an entrepreneur means doing things differently: Creating new products and services. Finding new ways to solve old problems.

Are sardines healthier than tuna? ›

Sardines offer more vitamin E per serving than tuna, and they also contain more calcium. Vitamin E plays a role in healthy blood circulation by promoting new red blood cell development, and its antioxidant function combats tissue damage.

How do Italians eat canned sardines? ›

Sardines are plentiful on both coasts of Italy, so you'll see frequently on menus all year round, whether it's stuffed and baked, stirred into pasta or simply fried and eaten with bread.

What drink pairs well with sardines? ›

Sardines in Olive Oil

A fresh, aromatic white wine with crisp acidity will balance the oiliness and saltiness of this conserve. Try a wine from the Vinho Verde region. With an Atlantic influence, these wines are acidic and refreshing with citric aromas, sometimes more tropical or sometimes more floral.

What cheese is best with sardines? ›

“I like to serve sardines with potato chips,” Fournier says, “which are [also] salty and crunchy and obscure the crunch of the bones.” Match the pair with a fluffy, creamy cheese such as sheep's milk ricotta—its mild, tangy flavor helps shoulder the salt, heft, and texture.

Should I drain the olive oil from sardines? ›

The oil in a can of tuna, salmon, or sardines will taste like tuna, salmon, or sardines, respectively. Strain the oil from these canned fish into a separate jar for storage in the fridge, or use it right away. Just don't pour it down the drain -– not when you could be making even better food instead.

Should you rinse canned sardines? ›

Canned or packaged sardines can be rinsed under water to remove excess sodium but can be offered with skin and bones still intact, as both are made soft and edible by the canning process.

How many cans of sardines can you eat a week? ›

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines s Americans recommend consuming 8 to 12 ounces of seafood (or about two to three 4-ounce servings) per week to help you reap the health benefits it provides. To meet these recommendations, consumers have a variety of options to choose from, canned sardines included.

How to make canned sardines taste less fishy? ›

Introducing acid breaks down the TMA into water and an acid salt, which then dissolves. You can tailor the acid to your preferences, from a classic squeeze of lemon juice to tartar sauce, vinegar, or tomato juice, all of which can temper the fishy flavor of sardines.

Do sardines taste better in oil or water? ›

Sardines in olive oil taste better - arguably. 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.

What happens when you add salt to sardines? ›

Curing them with a bit of salt overnight softens their strong flavor and makes them perfect for topping salads, putting on toast or bagels and cream cheese, or serving as an easy, elegant appetizer. Cured sardines can be kept, covered with oil, for up to a week.

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