Roasted Sardines with Kale
Prep
15 mins
Cook
25 mins
Servings
4
Difficulty
Easy
Here's a dish I've fallen in love with lately. Fresh sardines are packed with omega 3 fatty acids that are wonderful for your heart, and when you roast them alongside garlicky kale, you get a meal that's both nutritious and incredibly simple to pull together. The whole thing comes together in just 40 minutes, making it perfect for a weeknight dinner. There's something so satisfying about the crispy sardines and tender greens coming straight from the oven, all brightened up with fresh lemon and herbs. It's become one of my go to recipes because it's inexpensive, minimal cleanup, and tastes like you spent way more effort than you actually did.
Ella x
Ingredients
- 8fresh sardines(cleaned and gutted)
- 1420 mlfresh kale(roughly chopped)
- 4garlic cloves(minced)
- 5 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
- 1fresh lemon(zest and juice)
- 1 teaspoonsea salt
- ½ teaspoonblack pepper
- ¼ teaspoonred pepper flakes
- 3 tablespoonsfresh parsley(chopped)
- 1 tablespoonfresh thyme(leaves only)
Detail level
Instructions
- 1
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat the sardines dry with paper towels and arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Tip: Drying the sardines ensures crispy skin when roasted.
- 2
In a small bowl, mix together 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 minced garlic cloves, lemon zest, half the parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Brush this mixture generously over both sides of each sardine.
Tip: Reserve some herb oil for the kale if desired.
- 3
Roast the sardines for 12-15 minutes until the skin is crispy and flesh flakes easily with a fork. Remove from the oven and set aside on a serving platter.
Tip: Don't overcook sardines as they dry out quickly.
- 4
While sardines roast, place chopped kale in a large bowl. Drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle with remaining 2 minced garlic cloves and a pinch of salt.
- 5
Massage the kale vigorously with your hands for 2-3 minutes until it becomes tender and darkens slightly. This breaks down the fibrous texture.
Tip: Massaging kale makes it much more palatable and easier to digest.
- 6
Transfer the massaged kale to a serving platter as a base. Arrange the roasted sardines on top of the kale.
- 7
Drizzle everything with fresh lemon juice and sprinkle remaining fresh parsley over the top. Add an extra grinding of black pepper if desired.
Tip: Fresh lemon juice brightens the entire dish and complements the sardines beautifully.
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