Sardine Pasta With Lemon & Garlic Crumbs
This easy, 30-minute recipe for pasta with sardines is a tasty dish made with spaghetti, tinned sardines, lemon zest, parsley, capers, and toasted garlic breadcrumbs.
Servings: 2 servings
Ingredients
- 6 ounces spaghetti or linguine
- 1 tin sardines packed in extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs or panko
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chopped sweet onion
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2 tablespoons capers drained (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Put a pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
- Drain the olive oil from the sardines into a frying pan and set the fish aside. Heat the pan over medium heat, add the garlic, and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add the breadcrumbs, season lightly with salt and pepper and continue cooking, stirring often, until the crumbs are lightly toasted and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer them to a plate and set aside.
- Return the pan to the stove and add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the chopped onion, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté until soft and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the sardines, break them apart gently, and cook just long enough to heat them through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest, parsley, capers, and crushed red pepper. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid. Drain the pasta and add it to the sardine mixture.
- Toss all the ingredients together, adding the pasta water, one or two tablespoons at a time, as needed to help coat the pasta and distribute the sardines and sautéed onion.
- Add the toasted breadcrumbs, toss again, and plate individual servings. Garnish with lemon wedges and a sprinkling of black pepper if desired.
Nutrition
Calories: 685 | Total Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 86mg | Sodium: 1169mg | Carbohydrates: 87g | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Protein: 30g