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

Can I eat sardines every day? ›

While canned sardines are a low-mercury fish choice, Manaker notes, "eating them frequently—as in more than four times a week—may be a concern, since you could potentially be exposed to too much [mercury]." While this shouldn't scare you (especially if you're consuming less than 8 ounces per week), it's important to ...

Why avoid sardines in oil or sauce? ›

Unfortunately, fresh sardines and canned sardines are not equal in nutritional value. Canned sardines are often packed in oil, water, mustard, tomato, or other sauces that can increase sodium levels.

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 and heart health

Sardines provide significant amounts of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA). These fatty acids protect both your heart and your brain from disease. They do this by reducing blood pressure.

Which canned fish is healthiest? ›

Sardines. Sardines are a favorite among dietitians for many reasons: They are high in protein, nutrient-dense and low in mercury. In fact, sardines came in as the healthiest fish, according to registered dietitian and TODAY.com contributor Samantha Cassetty.

What is the downside of sardines? ›

Canned sardines contain a lot of sodium. One can has about 282 milligrams of sodium, which is roughly 12% of the daily recommended value. If you have high blood pressure, you should restrict sodium because it attracts water and adds to the volume of blood in the body.

Should you drain canned sardines? ›

There is different advice for different groups – but this applies to everyone. 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.

Should you rinse canned sardines? ›

Canned sardines provide an affordable, sustainable source of protein, healthy fats, and other nutrients. Rinse sardines before use to remove excess salt or oil. Try them mashed in pasta sauces, on salads, or blended into dips and spreads.

What is the 3 day sardine diet? ›

The 3-day sardine challenge for weight loss is exactly what you think: Eat only sardines in oil for 72 hours. The clock starts when you eat your first bite of sardines. “Eat as many as you like, whenever you like. There are no limits and no hunger,” Dr. Box says.

What is the healthiest way to eat sardines? ›

Make sardine fishcakes: Similar to salmon and tuna, sardines also make delicious fishcakes. In avocados: If you're not an avocado-on-toast person but still enjoy avocados, consider stuffing sardine salad in avocado halves. Stuff them in peppers: Sardines can also be stuffed in peppers, making a tasty and healthy lunch.

Do you eat the bones in sardines? ›

Sardine bones contain calcium, and they're a good source of vitamin D, both of which contribute to bone health. Even without the bones however, sardines are still high in beneficial vitamins and minerals like potassium, magnesium, and iron, so removing them won't take away all the nutritional value.

Are sardines 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 fish can I eat every day? ›

Text Versions of the Best Choices, Good Choices, and Choices to Avoid Lists of Fish
FishBest Choice, Good Choice, or Choice to Avoid?
TilapiaBest Choice
Trout, freshwaterBest Choice
Tuna, canned light (includes skipjack)Best Choice
WhitefishBest Choice
58 more rows
Mar 5, 2024

How healthy are sardines in olive oil? ›

Sardines in olive oil are packed full of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. At Season, our wild-caught sardines in olive oil are sustainably sourced, non-GMO and gluten-free. You can trust us for delicious and nutritious tinned fish.

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