Sardine Toasts With Tomato and Sweet Onion
- Total Time
- 10 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:2 servings
- 4thick slices crusty sourdough bread
- 1garlic clove, halved
- Softened butter, as needed
- 1large ripe tomato, thinly sliced
- 1can sardines (6 to 7 ounces), deboned if you like
- ¼small sweet or red onion, thinly sliced
- Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
- Fresh lemon juice, to taste
- Flaky sea salt
- Coarsely ground black pepper
- Fresh basil leaves, torn (optional)
Preparation
- Step 1
Toast the bread under a broiler (on both sides) or in the toaster.
- Step 2
While the toast is still warm, immediately rub it (aggressively!) with the cut side of the garlic clove, then spread toast generously with butter. Top butter with tomato slices and lightly salt them.
- Step 3
Top tomatoes with sardines and then onion slices. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, then season with more salt and pepper. Garnish with basil if you like and serve immediately.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
Elizabeth the Sardine Queen
Sardine enthusiasts: take the time to seek out REALLY good sardines and your mind will truly be blown. I've spent the last year sampling different cans (a wonderful obsession!) and there's a huge difference in quality between your supermarket King Oscar and a great can of Portuguese Nuri spicy. Amazon has a decent selection, as does Portugalia Market, and once you find a favorite you'll be able to hunt down good pricing. Because you'll want to buy in bulk. Trust me. It will happen.
JW
We followed this recipe precisely and it was insanely delicious. We were groaning with happiness. Do not skip one thing.
Marjorie
Sardines on crisply toasted fresh rye or some crusty bread is a favorite of mine. I can remember getting it at any diner in New York City, or of course I could make it any time I wanted. My mom always had sardines around, and I still do. I'm happy to see this colorful more sophisticated rendition. It's layered with texture and flavors that go oh so well together. Thanks, Melissa!
Stu
I ate 3 of these in one afternoon and will make more for breakfast. This will be my last meal request before I die. Don't change a thing. Insanely delicious.
Sooz
Do NOT debone the sardines -- that's half the nutritional value, and they're soft from the preparation. And they add to the texture!
Steve
So delicious and hardy! I buttered the toast with some anchovy butter I had on hand for some extra fishy goodness.....
Susan d
Our family favorite sardine sandwich. Take two slices of bread and spread some mustard (we like spicy) on both sides. Open can of sardines, remove bones, and place sardines on one piece of bread. Add some lemon juice & zest if you want. Add thin slices of red or sweet onion. Add some salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add some more lemon juice if you want. Place the remaining slice of bread on top of the other and cut in half. Place on plate, open your favorite drink and enjoy.
Marilyn
The recipe calls for canned, not fresh sardines. As I posted in a comment just above yours, I use Bristling sardines. They are packed in olive oil. Make sure whatever you select is olive oil packed, whether you like the large size sardines on the tiny Bristling ones I prefer. Superior product.
Neelu
This has been my go to quarantine meal, made it with all kinds of canned fish (herring, mackerel, etc) and it’s fantastic. If there is one thing I am leaving this quarantine with is that sardines are wonderful and I need to incorporate more canned fish in my life.
Ingrid
My husband and I love this dish! I usually lightly smash the sardines. Delicious !!!!
Sara
Spread mine with minced garlic and butter at light toast then popped back in toaster oven briefly. And didn't have tomatoes or lemon so I topped mine with a few capers, a squeeze of lime, s&p, good evo oil and arugula. Perfect lunch. Thank you.
Clem
I've loved sardines ever since 5th grade (1950s) when an Italian classmate shared her sardine sandwich with me--best sardine sandwich ever! My father also loved sardines straight out of the can. So, needless to say, I still love sardines and new and different ways to enjoy them. Thank you!
mosaic
Perfection as written. One of my favorite summer meals. I change it up just a little in the winter when I can’t get my hands on great tomatoes. To get a little extra flavor out of winter tomatoes I drizzle them with olive oil,salt, pepper and roast them. I’ve found that I prefer to also roast the onion if I roast the tomato. And, add a little chopped preserved onion to brighten.
Carole
Just made this for a late lunch. I used mayonnaise instead of butter and skipped the onions because of digestive issues. Delicious!
Mike
I'm definitely going to try this, but it also gave me an idea: using my favorite bottled ajvar as the spread on the toast - then top the sardines, onion, etc. I think it's going to be aces! Thanks for the recipe and the inspiration, Ms. Clark.
Sofia
Used 2 tsps greek olive oil instead of butter, drenched the onion in white wine and distilled vinegar for a few minutes to add tanginess instead of the lemon and take away the lingering effect raw onion leaves in my mouth, also added capers and parsley. It was heaven! Following the recipe exactly would be just as fine but these were changes and additions to suit my taste and greek upbringing :)
Jenna P.
This is such a bright and refreshing recipe. I didn’t have basil so I used dill and loved it! Paired with jammy, soft boiled eggs, it’s a perfect breakfast.
Jane
Toasted sourdough then rubbed with raw garlic and olive oil. Mashed sardines on the toast then sliced tomatoes, English cucumber, radish, pickled onion and salt. Excellent.
Christine
Wow. I don't love sardines, but wanted to try this recipe because of all of the rave reviews. It's a truly fantastic combination of pantry staples and the best of a summer/early fall garden (tomatoes and basil). I can't wait to make this again!
janisani
I love this! I used pickled red onion, which looked nice. I peeled the tomato. This is quite luscious, if you like tinned fish.
Olga
Instead of of rubbing the toasted bread (I use rye bread or pumpernickel) with raw garlic, I smear garlic confit and some of the olive oil from the garlic and the sardines, I also add slices of radish, lemon juice and zest. So yummy! Slices of cucumber would be nice also. Whatever I have on hand. Family favorite!
PH
This might be my favorite of Melissa Clark's large contribution to my table. I think about it, crave it, long for it, all winter. It is made with reverence with the first really good, juicy tomato of the summer and then ridiculously often until the last of the really good juicy tomatoes of the year. In my house it is known as "a Melissa," as in "Would you like a Melissa for dinner?" Yes!
JoanieZoo
OH so good! I just picked some pink brandywine tomatoes from the garden so had to cut thick slices to put on the bread. Glorious!
Sidrah
Excellent, excellent! I was very worried because we had run out of butter and I didn't want to leave the house in this outrageous humid heat swoll. We used olive oil and kept everything else the same. I loved them and husband said he wanted an extra spice punch (pickled peppers? Chili oil?). Outstanding even sans butter, will make again, kid awesome loved them but had pickled onions instead of red raw and no black pepper.
sara
Variations of sardine toast (or herring) have been a staple my entire life, so this isn’t new territory. That being said — this was a delicious combo, and I added elements to my rotation. I’m not a raw onions girl, and yet this is exactly what did the trick — going to try a quick pickled onion version next. Also added a small sprinkle of feta. Perfect.
Geo
Forever changed the way i’ll look at a can of sardines!
MP
amazing and easy process. i used the EVOO the sardines came in and used the remaining oil in another recipe. Saved as one of my top go to entrèes. highly recommend.
mj
Improvised this, as per usual— delicious! We used plain white bread, mixed minced garlic with the butter, and sardines canned in water rather than oil. It was still great! The flavors all work perfectly, and I’ll definitely be purchasing some higher quality fish and bread for next time I make this.
meinmunich
Delicious. Sliced radishes make them even better.
Mia
Truly delicious lunch. I used a rustic sourdough for the toast and opened a jar of Ortiz sardines from 2018. They really do improve in flavor over time!
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