Marinated Sardines

Transform your seafood game with these zesty and flavor-packed Marinated Sardines! This Mediterranean-inspired recipe takes fresh sardines and infuses them with the vibrant essence of citrus—featuring lemon and orange zest and juice—garlic, fresh parsley, and a touch of red chili heat. Marinated in a blend of olive oil and white wine vinegar, these sardines are tender, juicy, and full of bold, refreshing flavors. With just 20 minutes of prep time and a quick sear on the skillet, they’re perfect as a healthy appetizer or light main course. Serve these golden beauties with crusty bread or roasted vegetables for a dish that’s both wholesome and stunning. Perfectly balanced and incredibly simple, this marinated sardine recipe is a must-try for lovers of fresh, vibrant seafood dishes.

Nutriscore Rating: 64/100

Prep Time:20 mins

Cook Time:10 mins

Total Time:30 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 500 grams fresh sardines
• 1 whole lemon
• 1 whole orange
• 3 whole garlic cloves
• 20 grams fresh parsley
• 60 ml olive oil
• 30 ml white wine vinegar
• 0.5 teaspoons red chili flakes
• 1 teaspoons sea salt
• 0.5 teaspoons black pepper

Directions

Step 1

Rinse the sardines under cold water and pat them dry with paper towels. If not already cleaned, remove the heads, guts, and backbone, leaving the fillets intact.

Step 2

Zest the lemon and orange into a small bowl. Then cut the lemon and orange into halves and juice them, setting the juice aside separately.

Step 3

Finely chop the garlic cloves and parsley, and set them aside.

Step 4

In a large non-reactive dish, combine the olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, orange juice, citrus zest, garlic, parsley, chili flakes, sea salt, and black pepper. Mix everything together to form the marinade.

Step 5

Lay the sardine fillets in a single layer in the dish, ensuring they are fully submerged in the marinade. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 4 hours for a stronger flavor.

Step 6

After marinating, carefully remove the sardines from the marinade. Heat a non-stick skillet or grill pan over medium heat.

Step 7

Cook the sardines for 1-2 minutes per side, until they are just cooked through and lightly golden. Avoid overcooking to maintain a tender texture.

Step 8

Transfer the cooked sardines to a serving platter. Optionally, drizzle a bit of the leftover marinade over the top for added flavor, but only if the marinade was not in contact with raw fish for more than 1 hour.

Step 9

Serve the marinated sardines warm or at room temperature with crusty bread, a simple salad, or alongside roasted vegetables.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(811.4g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1664.9

Total Fat 114.7g	0%
Saturated Fat 16.5g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 5.5g
Cholesterol 710mg	0%
Sodium 4417.4mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 26.1g	0%
Dietary Fiber 5.9g	0%
Total Sugars 13.4g
Protein 126.3g	0%

Vitamin D 2400IU	0%
Calcium 2031.3mg	0%
Iron 17.1mg	0%
Potassium 2537.8mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 62.9%

Protein: 30.8%

Carbs: 6.4%