Sardine Salad – The Almond Eater

When you see canned sardines at the grocery store, do you pick up a tin or just stroll right on by? I know they may seem like a sad substitute for tuna, but trust me—sardines are seriously underrated.

When you mash naturally buttery sardines with mayo, veggies, and a splash of lemon juice, you get this umami-packed Sardine Salad Recipe. It’s rich, savory, and one of my favorite quick lunches to pile onto toasted sourdough, share with a friend, or scoop up with crackers.

Maybe eating canned sardines straight out of the tin sounds intimidating, so let this creamy salad be your introduction. If you like my avocado tuna salad or this tuna pasta salad, you’re definitely going to love this alternative, too.

Canned Sardine Salad Ingredients 

Canned sardines – For the best results, use wild-caught sardines packed in olive oil or olive oil with lemon. Avoid water-packed tins if you can, as they’re typically drier and fishier-tasting. As for the style, boneless, skinless sardines feel most like canned tuna, but boneless, skin-on sardines are also a great option. The tiny bones are very soft and mash easily, so you won’t even notice them. 

Mayo – I use my homemade avocado oil mayonnaise as the creamy base. Or, you can swap the mayo for Greek yogurt to lighten it up a bit. 

This list is to provide further clarification on a few of the ingredients. See the recipe card below for the full ingredient list. 

Variations

• For a burst of briny flavor, you can add capers, finely diced pickles, chopped artichoke hearts, or pitted black or green olives.
• Add fresh herbs – Dill, flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, chives, or even a little mint will brighten the entire dish. 
• Add more veggies – Combine the red onion with celery, carrots, red bell peppers, or radishes. Just make sure everything is finely minced so you get the perfect amount of crunch in every bite.
• For a protein boost, make a batch of these Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs, chop them up, and fold them into the salad. I know it may sound weird, but trust me—hard-boiled eggs are just as delicious in a sardine salad as they are in classic tuna salad.
• Add a tangy or spicy kick – To build on that depth of flavor, I’ll sometimes add a pinch of smoked paprika, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, or a teaspoon of tangy Dijon mustard.

How to Make Sardine Salad

Step 1: Mash the sardines. Use a fork to lightly mash the sardines in a bowl.

Step 2: Add the rest. To the same bowl, add the mayo, lemon juice, red onion, salt, and pepper. Lightly mash to combine.

Step 3: Serve. Serve the sardine salad right away over a bed of mixed greens or scoop it up with crackers. Enjoy!

Erin’s Tips and Tricks

• Before you do anything, drain the excess oil from the sardine tin. Your salad will be really greasy if you skip this part.
• But don’t throw the drained oil away! You can use it in homemade vinaigrettes, to sauté veggies, or to drizzle over toasted bread. Just keep it in a clean, airtight glass jar in the fridge and use it within 2 to 3 days.
• For the best texture, use a fork to lightly flake the sardines into chunky bites. If you overdo it, you’ll break them down too much and end up with a mushy salad. 

Serving Suggestions

I make sardine salad all the time for quick lunches. I just scoop it up with crackers, raw veggies, or pita chips and save the leftovers for the next day (assuming my husband hasn’t already helped himself 😂).

On hungrier days, I’ll pile the creamy salad on top of a bed of leafy greens or a Mediterranean-inspired grain bowl, like my Mediterranean hummus bowl or this Mediterranean quinoa bowl.

Craving a sandwich? Spread a thick layer on toasted crusty bread with lettuce and tomato. You can even toss it with cooled pasta, extra herbs, and a splash of that reserved tin oil for a quick cold pasta salad.

Sardine Salad FAQs