Pan-Fried Sardines With Salsa Verde

Name: Pan-Fried Sardines With Salsa Verde
Cook time: 8 minutes
Total time: 8 minutes
Yield: Serves 2
Ingredients: 1 large handful fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves; 1 medium handful fresh cilantro leaves; 2 Tbsp. capers; 1 garlic clove; Juice of 1 lemon; ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. olive oil; Kosher salt; 1 (3- to 4-oz.) can of sardines in olive oil (such as Matiz, Fishwife, Bela, or Nuri), undrained

By Anna Hezel

August 2, 2023

Fried sardines in salsa verde on a white plate.

Photo by Chelsie Craig

There are very few meals that wouldn’t benefit from an emerald burst of garlicky salsa verde. Roasted branzino? The egg sandwich that you made while hungover? This acidic, salty green sauce can always step in and save the day if you have a few handfuls of green herbs and a blender. This take—made with parsley, cilantro, capers, and lemon juice—is a particularly cooling complement to oily tinned sardines, especially when they’ve been lightly panfried so they’re warmed through and their skin is slightly crackly.

This recipe was excerpted from 'Tin to Table' by Anna Hezel. Buy the full book on Amazon.

What you’ll need

Capers
$18 At Amazon
Blender
$140 At Amazon
Sardines Packed in Olive Oil
$29 At Amazon
Small Skillet
$51 At Amazon

Recipe notes

See Related Recipes and Cooking Tips

29 Fresh Cilantro Recipes That Prove It’s More Than a Garnish
Cilantro-lime rice, fresh spring rolls, herb-infused margaritas, and more.
13 Sardine Recipes for Party Snacks and Tinned-Fish Feasts
Pop open some tins and make these pastas, salads, and hors d’oeuvres.

Wampanoaug Clam Fritters

The clams’ natural briny sweetness serves as a surprising foil for the tender fritter batter—just be sure to pull off the tough outer coating of the siphon.

Dulce de Leche

Make this versatile caramel at home with our slow-simmered method using milk and sugar—or take one of two sweetened condensed milk shortcuts.

Oven-Fried Shrimp

Kewpie Mayonnaise is the ultimate secret ingredient to creating a perfect oven-baked battered-and-fried crunch without a deep fryer.

Palets Bretons

Palets bretons are oversize cookies that feature butter, and because they’re from Brittany, they’re traditionally made with beurre salé, salted butter.