Crispy little Sardine Cakes are the best way to add sardines to your diet! Enjoy them as a snack, put them on a salad, in a wrap, or serve with a favorite side dish for dinner.
More easy seafood recipes: Cod Oreganata
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More easy sardine recipes: Sardine Pate Spread
Favorite sardine recipe
Sardine cakes made from canned sardines are the most family-friendly and kid-friendly way to cook sardines. They're crisp on the outside, soft and savory on the inside. Kind of like poor-man's crab cakes or a fish burger. (By the way I have a great recipe for crab cakes, if you're interested in that!).
Everyone should probably have more sardines in their diet. Sardines are high in protein, omega-3s, calcium, and other nutrients, all while being low in mercury (source). But sardines are often overlooked for other canned fish like tuna - probably because many people don't know what to cook with sardines and because sardines don't taste that great right from the tin (or look that great, to be honest). Sardine cakes do taste fish though, I'm not gonna lie. But my super picky kid LOVES them, so if your family eats fish, there's a good chance they might like these!
So give these little sardine patties a try!
More seafood cakes: Salmon Potato Cakes and Shrimp Fritters
Ingredients
- 1 pound drained canned sardines, rinsed (that's six 4-ounce tins or three 8-ounce tins. You can buy sardines packed in oil or in sauce, you'll drain them before using. Any leftover sauce will add flavor to your patties.)
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons mayo
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice (consider skipping this if your sardines are packed in lemon sauce)
- salt, to taste (I used about ¼ teaspoon because the Parmesan, mayo, and sardines had enough salt)
- ground black pepper, to taste (I use ½ teaspoon)
- 2-3 teaspoons oil, for cooking
- for serving: sour cream, lemon wedges, smoked paprika, fresh diced herbs
More unique seafood recipes: Fried Anchovies
Equipment
- Fine mesh strainer
- Medium-large bowl
- Citrus juicer
- Nonstick pan
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Herb scissors
More unique seafood recipes: Fish Loaf
Instructions
Drain your sardines through a colander. If there is congealed sauce around the sardines, rinse it off. Yes, this part is a little yucky to deal with, but just power through it!
Transfer the sardines to a large bowl. Use a fork to mash them up and break them up. Add the rest of the ingredients (breadcrumbs through black pepper) and mix well. Tip: you can taste-test the sardine mixture before adding the egg to see if you want to add more salt, herbs, lemon juice, etc., and then stir in the egg.
Preheat a skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1-1.5 teaspoons olive oil. Scoop up about 3-4 tablespoons or sardine mixture and small patties with your hands. (Tip: wet your hands in cold water in between every patty, it will help with the sardine mixture not sticking to your hands).
Gently place in the hot oil and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until browned on the outside and cooked through on the inside.
To serve, drizzle with lemon juice, add a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of smoked paprika, and fresh herbs on top.
More seafood dinner recipes to try: Crispy Baked Perch
What to serve with sardine cakes
Sardine cakes are pretty versatile! I do think that a little creaminess from sour cream, tartar sauce, or mayo really goes well with crisp fish cakes. That's why most of my suggestions below have that, but feel free to use your own toppings, dips, or seasonings.
- Serve them in lettuce leaves or on top of a salad for your protein.
- Make a wrap with lettuce, julienned cucumber, tartar sauce, and sardine cakes
- Make tiny sliders (make your sardine patties the size of your slider buns, add some mayo or tartar sauce and a slice of a small tomato.
- As a snack or appetizer, dipped into horseradish sauce (add a bit of grated horseradish to a 50/50 mixture of mayo/plain Greek yogurt).
- For dinner, alongside mashed potatoes or roasted baby potatoes or harissa potatoes and a salad.
More seafood dinner ideas: Mayo Baked Salmon
Recipe tips
→ You might need to add a tiny bit more breadcrumbs if your sardine mixture seems wet - the amount will depend on how well your sardines are drained.
→ When shaping the patties, wet your hands under cold running water in between the patties to prevent the sardine mixture from sticking to your hands.
→ Keep the patties small. Larger patties will fall apart while cooking.
→ Cook the sardines over medium-low temperature, low enough for the sardines to cook through without burning.
→ Try to avoid flipping the patties too many times, as they can start to crumble or fall apart.
Related recipe: Buffalo Tuna Salad
If you enjoyed this recipe, let me know with a comment and a star rating below. And don't forget to share it on Facebook and save it on Pinterest for later!
Sardine Cakes
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked canned sardines - drained and rinsed (1 pound after draining is six 4-ounce tins or three 8-ounce tins. You can buy sardines in oil/water or in sauce. The liquid will be drained off.)
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves - finely diced
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice - (consider skipping if your sardines are packed in lemon sauce)
- ¼ teaspoon salt - or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper - or to taste
- 2-3 teaspoons oil - for cooking
- for serving: sour cream, lemon wedges, smoked paprika, fresh diced herbs
Special equipment
Instructions
- Drain your sardines through a colander. If there is congealed sauce around the sardines, rinse it off. Yes, this part is a little yucky.
- Transfer the sardines to a large bowl. Use a fork to mash them up and break them up. Add the rest of the ingredients (breadcrumbs through black pepper) and mix well. Tip: you can taste-test the sardine mixture before adding the egg to see if you want to add more seasonings and then stir in the egg.
- Preheat a skillet over medium-low heat. Add 1-1.5 teaspoons olive oil. Make small patties with your hands (about 3-4 tablespoons of the sardine mixture. Tip: wet your hands in cold water in between every patty, it will help with the sardine mixture not sticking to your hands)
- Gently place in the hot oil and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, or until browned on the outside and cooked through on the inside.
- To serve, drizzle with lemon juice, add a dollop of sour cream, a sprinkle of smoked paprika, and fresh herbs on top.
Notes
- You might need to add 1-2 tablespoons more breadcrumbs if your sardine mixture seems too wet.
- Keep the patties small and avoid flipping too many times while cooking to prevent the patties from falling apart.
- Cook the sardines over medium-low temperature, low enough for the sardines to cook through without burning.
- In lettuce leaves or on top of a salad for your protein.
- In a wrap with lettuce, julienned cucumber, tartar sauce, and sardine cakes.
- Tiny sliders (make your sardine patties the size of your slider buns, add some mayo or tartar sauce and a slice of a small tomato.
- As a snack or appetizer, dipped into horseradish sauce (add a bit of grated horseradish to a 50/50 mixture of mayo/plain Greek yogurt).
- For dinner, alongside roasted baby potatoes and a salad.
Nutrition
The nutritional information displayed is an estimate and not to be used as dietary or nutritional advice. Consult a nutritionist or dietician for nutritional info based on the exact ingredients you use.
Paula Copeland
Tuesday 30th of September 2025
Hi Kate! My precious mom used to make these - she was a depression baby and they knew how to made meals out of anything, especially using canned foods. As I continue to grieve her loss I thought this would be a nice way to honor her! I have made salmon patties, but never sardine patties so I searched on Pinterest for a recipe! I found a few but your’s sounded best to me. I really enjoyed them and appreciate seeing your generation interested in old fashioned recipes! I added fresh minced garlic and onion instead of powdered, a sprinkle of Tony Chachere’s and topped with homemade tartar sauce to the top. Delicious! Thank you! 💖
Kate
Wednesday 1st of October 2025
Thanks for sharing your story! Glad this recipe brought back some memories.
Kate
Thursday 2nd of January 2025
My picky son requested these sardine patties again and again so I knew I had to share this recipe. Enjoy!