Sardine Cakes
The other day I was getting ready to make myself some dinner. I knew I wanted fish because I try to eat at least two servings a week for the healthy omega-3 fatty acids, but the only fish we had in the cupboard were tinned sardines. Historically, these are not my favorite. But an idea popped in my head:
Sardine Cakes!
I’m probably like many other people that get a little weirded out by sardines. Like, you' can see the spine when you pull one out of the tin… we Americans are pretty removed from our food supply. This recipe gently mashed the sardines with other tasty ingredients to the point where you absolutely cannot detect any bone texture. You simply get a delicious, protein-rich fish patty that is great on salads, sandwiches, and more.
These sardine cakes pack about 11 grams of protein per patty. And, you can easily scale up the ingredients to make a big batch and freeze leftovers for easy meals later. We get our sardines in a multipack from Costco to save money, and have a convenient, healthy protein option on hand at all times. Enjoy!
Sardine Cakes Makes 5 cakes Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tins of sardines
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup greek yogurt
1 egg
3/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp cayenne powder
1/8 tsp nutmeg
Salt to taste, but look first at how much sodium is in your sardines. Ours had ~250mg per tin, and the patties tasted salty enough without adding extra.
Directions:
1) In a medium bowl, gently mix together all ingredients together with a fork. This should for a sticky, firm mixture. If it’s not sticking together enough, add more oats 2 Tbsp at a time.
2) Line a baking sheet with foil or use a cast iron pan. Scoop out 1/4 cup balls of the sardine mixture with a measuring cup. Form into patties with your hands and spread out evenly on your baking sheet or cast iron pan.
3) Turn on your full broiler. When it’s ready, broil the patties for 5 minutes on each side, keeping a close eye on them so they don’t burn. Since tinned sardines are precooked, you don’t have to worry about cooking to a certain internal temp. You are broiling to get a crispy, brown exterior.
Tips:
-Double the ingredients to batch prep. These freeze well and can be reheated in a pan or oven.
-Need to make ahead before cooking? Make up to one day ahead by wrapping your bowl and refrigerating until you’re ready to broil.
-Change up the flavors with your favorite spice combos.
