Salt-Cured Sardines
Fresh sardines are coated in coarse salt, which draws out moisture and firms the flesh, then finished with lemon and dill for a bright, simple appetizer or light meal.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 220
- Protein
- 20g
Ingredients
5 items — tap to check off
Missing one? Custrd suggests a swap that works.
Open the appInstructions
Step 1
Rinse the 8 sardines and pat dry. If not already cleaned, remove heads, guts, and backbone, leaving fillets attached at the tail.
Step 2
Spread half of the 0.5 cup coarse salt on a plate. Lay the sardines on top, then cover with the remaining salt, pressing gently to coat all sides.
Step 3
Let the sardines sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. The salt will draw out moisture and firm the flesh.
Step 4
Rinse the sardines quickly under cold water to remove excess salt, then pat dry with paper towels.
Step 5
Arrange the sardines on a serving plate. Drizzle with the 2 tbsp olive oil, squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over, and scatter the 0.25 cup fresh dill on top. Serve immediately.
Tools you’ll need
- plate
- paper towels
- knife
Cook smarter
Get matched recipes for what’s in your fridge
Custrd is an iPhone and Android app that finds real recipes from the ingredients you already have. No more grocery-list aspirations. Try it free for 7 days.
