Spanish Sardines Pasta (Quick Recipe)

There is this misconception that pasta and sardines don’t go really well, but thankfully the praised Spanish sardines pasta recipe always comes to prove the opposite.

This sardines recipe is living proof that seafood and pasta can go well together and be a power duo. With this dish, you’ll get some incredible flavors that will transport you to the coasts of Andalusia on the first bite. 

If you are looking for ways to eat sardines, then you should try this recipe because it is one of the best sardines recipes. It is easy to make, it only calls for a few ingredients, and in a matter of minutes, you’ll have a delicious Spanish sardines pasta ready.

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Background of the Dish

Sardine recipes weren’t very popular until a couple of years ago. This is mostly because sardines weren’t even considered for human consumption, since they are really small and have a low amount of meat.

But during economic crisis times in the XX century, sardines became a praised ingredient in household kitchens.

Not only they were cheap, but once people learned how to cook sardines, they noticed that they would save a big amount of time.

Thanks to this “rebirth” of the sardines, new dishes were developed in the coastal areas of the mediterranean sea, especially in Andalusia, and one of the recipes created was the now-famous Spanish sardines pasta recipes.

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Things You’ll Need for Spanish Sardines Pasta

To make this Spanish sardines pasta you’ll only need a couple of ingredients and little to no equipment.

The best part is that there are dozens of substitutions that you can make to the ingredients, but I’ll tell you about them later.

If you liked this recipe, or if you want to try other Spanish recipes, then you should try other seafood-related, like Deep Fried Octopus, Fried anchovies, Cazon en Adobo, and Spanish Garlic Shrimp.

Ingredients

• 2 cans of sardines
• 1 pound capellini pasta
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley (chopped)
• 2 tablespoons basil (chopped)
• 2 cups chopped cherry tomato
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)

How to Make Spanish Sardines Pasta – Step by Step Guide

1. To start making this pasta with sardines recipe, you have to cut the sardines into pieces. They can be any size you want, and you can even leave the filet in one large piece and use one per serving (I don’t recommend it). Then set them aside.

2. After that, cook the pasta with plenty of water (enough to cover all the noodles) and salt. I recommend using capellini because it gets done faster, but you can use any type of pasta of your choice. Cook until the pasta is al dente and then drain the excess water. 

3. Up next heat a large pan, add olive oil, and once it begins to sizzle add parsley, basil, cherry tomatoes, and garlic. Cook for 5 minutes until the ingredients are golden, this way their flavors will come together.

4. For the final step, in the same pan put the pasta and the sardine pieces. Mix gently and incorporate everything together. Serve warm.

Substitution of Ingredients

Out of all the recipes with sardines, this is my favorite one, because the neutral taste of the pasta goes well with the strong flavor of the sardines.

You can turn this recipe into pasta with sardines healthy if you use whole wheat pasta, or some type of pasta where the dough is made with vegetables (such as spinach, carrots, beets, etc.). 

Despite that, this is a fairly healthy recipe, and if it weren’t, then a treat from time to time doesn’t hurt anybody.

Since this recipe is with canned sardines, there is no need of cooking sardines, but if you use fresh sardines, you should cook them in a saucepan for about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Now when it comes to the sardine pasta sauce, this usually doesn’t call for an actual sauce (like bolognese, for example), because the flavor of the sardines mixed with the juice of the tomatoes already does the trick.

But if you like, you can make some fileto sauce if you like a strong tomato flavor or white sauce that is made with cream if you want softer tastes.

Try other recipes with pasta from Spain such as Spanish chorizo pasta and Paella with pasta.

Tips on Serving Spanish Sardines Pasta

As well as other sardines dishes, this Spanish sardine pasta can be eaten at any time of the day. Since this is a pretty heavy pasta dish, it can be served as the main dish.

You can serve this Spanish pasta topped with some grated parmesan cheese on top, or any type of cheese since it goes well with pasta and with the flavor of the sardines.

If you like sardines, make sure you try our Estepos, the Spanish grilled sardines.

How to Store Spanish Sardines Pasta

The best part about making Spanish sardines pasta is that you can easily store them and eat them on a different day.

You can keep this Spanish sardine dish in your fridge for up to 4 days. But make sure to store it in a covered container, or a bowl covered with a clean plastic bag, because otherwise, the smell will get to all of the items in your fridge.

Of course, you can also freeze the pasta and let it unfreeze the night before consuming it. If you choose to do this, you shouldn’t add the sardines until the last minute, because they don’t freeze well.

Recipe Card:  Spanish Sardines Pasta

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