Weeknight Dinners
Umami Tinned Sardine Pasta
A fast pantry pasta that tastes brighter and cleverer than the effort suggests. Salty sardines, lemon, capers and herbs do the heavy lifting.
Serves
4
Prep
10 mins
Cook
15 mins
Ingredients
Main ingredients
• 2 shallots, finely sliced
• 1 fresh chilli, finely chopped, or a pinch of cayenne
• 2 x 120 g tins sardines
• 1/2 lemon, zested and juiced
• 2 tbsp capers, roughly chopped
• 320 g pasta of your choice
• A small handful of flat-leaf parsley or dill, chopped
• 1 tbsp coconut oil To finish, optional
• Furikake
• Extra virgin olive oil
Method
1. Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente, reserving a splash of the cooking water before draining.
2. Meanwhile, saute the shallots and chilli in the coconut oil over a medium heat until golden and softened.
3. Drain most of the oil from the sardines, then add them to the pan and break them up gently with a spoon.
4. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and capers and cook for a minute so everything turns fragrant.
5. Toss through the pasta with the herbs, adding a little pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce. Finish with furikake and a drizzle of olive oil if you like.
Good For You Note
Sardines are one of the easiest ways to get DHA and EPA omega-3 fats, which support brain and eye health. Lemon, herbs and capers bring antioxidants and vitamin C, so the whole bowl feels bright, salty and more nutrient-dense than most emergency pantry dinners.