{Whole30} Baked Sardines in Olive Oil
Fresh sardines baked in olive oil with aromatics like oregano and thyme – super easy to make, yet very healthy. This can be served with salad or if you are not on a Whole30 program, bread or white rice would be perfect!
There are things that I prefer doing all by myself.
Like…
All food related stuff – grocery, cooking, food storing and preparation… all things food, I say.
Cleaning the house? Help, please!
Dishwashing? Hmm, let me think about it.
Cleaning fish? That one, my friends, I prefer doing all by myself. Oh, that smile I see from the fishmongers when I say “no need to clean”. I was once asked why I do not let them clean the fish and my answer is always “because I don’t like the dish looks like after it is being cleaned by them”. I am not saying the case is always the same, but there are things that you are really comfortable doing than letting others do it for you. You know what I mean? But this time, I could say that I wished I let them clean the sardines for me. It was late night and it was my first time to get fresh sardines (You say whaaat? Ssshhh!) and decided to clean them. It was a nasty, painful experience (think about the fish bone and me not wearing gloves – don’t ask, I hate wearing gloves).
Thankfully, I won the fight. (Note to self: next time, it’s either you wear gloves or let them clean the fish. I think I’ll go with the second one.)
I hated that fish bone coming out from the sardines when it’s cooked. Anyway, the dish came out really nice that I wanted set aside the Whole30 rules and get a cup or two of rice with me. Gladly, survived without the rice.
This dish is very healthy. Although the dish has few ingredients only, it came out very tasty and oh so good! Okay, enough… why don’t you come to Fiesta Friday #164 so you could taste this amazing dish? 😛
It’s crazy that my topic today is about doing things all by myself and then Angie told me that I am co-hosting alone just after I finished the draft of my post. We are psychic! Ha! Anyway, time to join us now at Fiesta Friday #164 so go ahead – link up, chat and have fun! See you! 😉
Baked Sardines in Olive Oil
- Difficulty: easy
Ingredients:
- 500g fresh sardines, cleaned and scaled
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare a baking dish that could accommodate the sardines in a single layer.
- Make sure that the sardines are cleaned and scaled very well. Place them on a baking dish in a single layer. Season all sides with salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, dried thyme, dried oregano, red pepper flakes and lemon juice. Mix and pour over the sardines and let sit while waiting for the oven to reach the required temperature.
- Bake the sardines for 20 minutes.
- Serve with salad or bread (can be paired with white rice, too). Drizzle with more lemon juice, if desired.
Source Recipe: Baked Sardines by Kali Orexi
Enjoy your weekend, people! Happy Fiesta Friday!💃🏻
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35 Comments
Corina
What a lovely simple dish! I hate cleaning fish though. I always end up thinking I need sharper knives and worrying that I’ve squirted nasty fish bits around my kitchen! Thank you so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice!
Jhuls
I always complain about my knife when I clean fish, too, or cut beef. 😀 I am glad this turned out really delicious! Thanks, Corina. Have a fab week!
hijackedbytwins
I love sardines and know that the hubby would also love this! Thank you for sharing with #CookBlogShare x
Jhuls
Glad to know you liked the dish, Kirsty. Thanks for stopping by.
Gillian's Kitchen
Love Sardines. Remind me of my childhood in Portugal. I’d be cooking them with head on mind you! 🙂
Jhuls
I love them with the head on when they’re fried. 😉 Thansk for stopping by.
Sandhya
Jhuls,
I am crazy about fish and a tasty fish like sardines being baked with that aromatic oil has me drooling here.
I can relate to the getting the grocery, cooking etc… all by myself. I am happy my husband does not like to cook but is happy to clean up after the meal 🙂
I do the same thing with the fish mongers! I clean the fish myself. If it is a fish with too many scales, I just get the scales removed from them and clean and cut it as I want…..i have to go look for fresh sardines now….
Jhuls
I want to be crazy about fish like you, but I don’t have much recipes for fish… or maybe because I always love crispy fried fish, so I always fry them. I am glad to try this, though – it was really good. Thanks, Sandhya.
Smiling Notes
Now that looks like a delicious meal! What time is dinner? hehe 😀
Jhuls
Glad you liked this one and thanks a bunch for stopping by. x
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome
I have never eaten sardines. I know they are full of calcium because you eat the bones. I may give this a try! Thanks for sharing on the What’s for Dinner link up~
Jhuls
I think you can only eat the bones if they are small ones. But this one, I had to undergo the trouble of removing the bones. It was worth the effort because it was delicious. Thanks, Helen. x
Angie | Fiesta Friday
Thanks for cohosting and bringing this healthy dish to the Fiesta, Jhuls! I need to eat more fish! 😄
Jhuls
It’s always fun to mingle with all of you, so the pleasure is mine. 😉 I always eat chicken, I might grow a feather. 😀
KR
Mmm .. baked sardines. It remind me Spain and Portugal . Nice holidays and summer 🙂
Thank you for sharing recipe !
Jhuls
I always get the tinned ones in tomato sauce – oh, they are so good. I am glad I tried this one, too, and turned out really lovely. Thanks for stopping by.
nancyc
I bet the olive oil gives this a good, rich flavor!
Jhuls
You are right, Nancy. This dish is fantastic! Thanks for being here.
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Laura @ Feast Wisely
Great recipe Jhuls and sardines are so good for you – I buy the tiny tinned ones for convenience and love them on some good old sourdough – but I’ll try adding some of the flavourings you suggest next time!
Jhuls
I used to get the tiny tinned ones, too. But this time, I wanted to try something new. At first, I regretted why I decided to make this, but when I started smelling the lovely stuff while this was in the oven, I was happy I did. Hmm, next time? I don’t think I’d clean fresh sardines again.🤣 I’d go back to the tinned ones, I guess. Thanks for stopping by, Laura.
Laura @ Feast Wisely
Hi Jhuls – with the tinned ones I’ve found the tiny King Oscar ones in olive oil or spring water to be the best – not too fishy, really delicate and good value too 😄
Sarah 'n Spice
Wow, what a labor of love. Looks wonderful 🙂
Jhuls
It was indeed a labor of love, Sarah. I am glad this turned out really good! Thanks for stopping by. 😘
skd
The dish looks and sounds delicious Jhuls. Baking sardines is a very good idea 👍
Jhuls
Baking your own sardines is cheaper than buying the tinned ones. I am happy I did this one – so delicious and so many flavors going on in one dish. Thanks for stopping by.
apuginthekitchen
Wonderful recipe Jhuls and you are brave, I have never cleaned fish and never will. I bet it was a chore with sardines. It looks wonderful and healthful.
Jhuls
I am really into punishing myself, sometimes.😂 I am not sure if I’d clean sardines next time, but surely make this dish again. Thanks a lot, Suzanne.
Elaine @ foodbod
So much goodness in one dish 🙂 perfect for boosting your health! X
Jhuls
You got that right, Elaine. I never thought I’d trouble myself with cleaning sardines, but I am happy with the results and that’s most important. The dish was lovely, too – my tastebuds loved it. Thanks for stopping by and have a lovely weekend!
Elaine @ foodbod
Thank you xx enjoy FF xx
Monika
What a good idea, simple (all great ideas are simple) and no doubt delicious! I love sardines but tend to eat them from a can, but I think I might try to bake them now, the oil must be so tasty infused with all those lovely flavours:)
Jhuls
The olive oil infused with the tasty herbs is really delicious! I didn’t know very few herbs could make dish so good! Thanks for being here, Monika.
Eartha
This is an awesome dish. I love sardines. I must commend you – cannot believe you like to clean the fish yourself! I pay the extra to get it done otherwise there might be some injuries. 🙂
Jhuls
I think I am just used to doing things all by myself and I also have specifics when it comes to how the fish looks like after cleaning. I always pity them after the fishmonger’s clean them for me. Crazy, right? 😂 Thanks for being here!