This recipe was born out of a work group chat when a colleague asked for easy work-from-home lunch ideas, says registered Nutrition Sophie Gastman (@sophiethenutritionist). “Someone threw in ‘spicy sardines on toast’ and I’ve been making my own version ever since,” she says.
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“If you’re not convinced by the idea of tinned sardines, you should be. They’re cheap, last forever in the cupboard and come packed with omega-3s (plus calcium and vitamin D if you eat the little bones, which you should!).” You’ll find this high-protein recipe and loads more in her debut cookbook, Find Your Healthy – a practical guide with plenty of myth-busting. Sophie cuts through the food noise, offering evidence-based healthy eating advice alongside delicious recipes.
Healthy Tinned Sardine Recipe: Spicy Harissa Sardines and Pea-Avo Smash
This no-cook lunch is healthy, tasty and easy to throw together. Just mash tinned sardines with harissa paste and load onto sourdough along with a pea and avocado smash.
Want to… MAKE IT VEGAN? Swap the sardines for a 215g tin of (drained and rinsed) white beans or chickpeas, lightly mashed with the same garlic, harissa, lemon, coriander and pepper combo. Add a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to make it less dry.
STORE THE LEFTOVERS? Store the leftover pea-avo smash in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. It may slightly discolour, but it will still taste fine. The sardine mix is best eaten fresh but will also keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days.
SWAP THE TAHINI? Greek yoghurt works well, or olive oil if you want to keep it dairy-free.
SWAP THE ZA’ATAR? Dukkah, sumac or a pinch of dried oregano with sesame seeds gives a similar vibe. Or just skip it entirely.
SWAP THE SARDINES? Any tinned oily fish will work – try mackerel, salmon or even tuna.
SPEED THINGS UP? Skip the blender and just mash the peas and avocado with a fork. It’ll be a bit chunkier, but still delicious (and one less thing to clean).
READ MORE: Try This Prawn And Sweet Corn “Grits” Recipe For An Epically Simple Dinner
Spicy Harissa Sardines and Pea-Avo Smash
Equipment
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1 Food processor
Ingredients
For the pea-avo smash
- 80 g frozen peas, defrosted
- ¼ ripe avocado, peeled and stoned
- 1 Tbsp tahini
- Juice of ½ lemon
- 1 small garlic clove, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp za’atar
- A pinch of pul biber or chilli flakes (optional)
- 1 tsp roughly chopped fresh coriander
- 1 tsp roughly chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper, to taste
For the harissa sardines
- 120 g tin sardines in water, brine or oil, drained
- 1 small garlic clove, grated
- 2 Tbsp rose harissa paste
- Juice of ½ lemon
- A small handful of fresh coriander, chopped
- A pinch of pepper
To assemble
- A thick slice of sourdough, toasted (use gluten-free, if needed)
- Radishes, thinly sliced
- Balsamic glaze or pomegranate molasses (if you have it)
Instructions
Make the pea-avo smash
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In a small food processor or blender, blend the peas, avocado, tahini, lemon juice, garlic, za’atar and pul biber or chilli flakes (if using).
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Add the fresh herbs and pulse to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Season the sardines
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In a bowl, lightly mash the drained sardines with a fork, then mix in the garlic, harissa paste, lemon juice, coriander and a pinch of pepper.
Assemble
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Spread a generous layer of the pea-avo smash on the toasted sourdough.
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Top with thinly sliced radishes for crunch, then the harissa-sardine mix and finish with a drizzle of balsamic glaze or pomegranate molasses. Cut in half and tuck in!
Recipes extracted from Find Your Healthy by Sophie Gastman (Ebury Press, ~R575)
This recipe was originally published on Women’s Health UK
