Sardines in Tomato Sauce
This sardines and rice bowl with an egg on top features canned sardines in tomato sauce. It's quick, nutritious and budget-friendly!
Canned Sardines In Tomato Sauce
This is what I call my poor man dinner. A "what can I make with what I have?" recipe.
This dish can be thrown together quickly and requires very little cooking.
But budget food doesn't have to be bland!
Some of my other staple "whip it up quick" dinners include Garlic Fried Rice and Meatballs with Gravy.
These are recipes which rely on staple ingredients in the freezer or pantry.
Canned sardines are something I always have for a last minute meal and great for stocking in case of emergencies.
They're actually really tasty and so healthy in Vitamins B and Omega-3's.
Sardines taste like a more intense version of canned salmon.
They're saltier and have a slightly smoky flavor.
They are not as strong as anchovies.
This recipe is a step up from the classic sardines and crackers with hot sauce.
If you like canned sardines but often wonder how to eat sardines, this recipe is for you!
Sardine Recipe
All you need is a few ingredients and there are easy substitutes if you don't have these things:
- Canned sardines in tomato sauce - if you don't have sardines in tomato sauce, you can substitute another flavor of canned sardines plus an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce.
- Cooked rice - other options include quinoa, couscous, mashed potatoes, cauliflower rice, roasted vegetables or salad greens.
- Eggs - cook the eggs any way you like, but I prefer over easy with a nice runny yolk.
- Onion - this is optional, but it adds a lot of flavor with little effort and you probably already have it on hand.
- Vegetables - this is also optional, but you'll have a healthy complete meal if you add some veggies to your bowl such as broccoli or green beans. You can use fresh, frozen or canned.
- Red pepper flakes - this is for spice and flavor. Use as little or as much as you can handle.
You can use any type of chili you like. Some of my favorites are aleppo chile or gochugaru (Korean hot pepper), but cayenne pepper gets the job done just fine.
Hot sauce works too! Sardines and spicy go together so I recommend adding at least a pinch.
I highly recommend reading the comments for all the amazing tips, tricks and ways others have enjoyed this recipe.
I'd also love if you share your favorite canned sardine recipes in the comments below!
Pin this to your dinner board!
Sardines in Tomato Sauce
This quick and easy rice bowl topped with tomato marinated sardines and an egg makes a tasty protein packed meal.
Ingredients
- ½ small onion, sliced
- 1 teaspoon of oil
- 1 can of sardines in tomato sauce
- 2 cups of cooked rice
- 2 large eggs, fried or poached
- Red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Add oil to a small frying pan and warm over medium heat.
- Add onion and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- While the onions are cooking, fry or poach your egg in a separate pan.
- Add sardines with tomato sauce to the pan with onions and heat until bubbly.
- Divide the rice between two bowls and spoon the sardines over top along with the cooked eggs.
- Sprinkle with red pepper flakes and enjoy.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 2 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 335Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 195mgSodium: 530mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 13g
Nutritional information provided is an estimate only. Please consult the labels of ingredients you use for more accurate results.
If you like fish and dinners with less than 5 ingredients, give this Buffalo Salmon a try!
I just had this for lunch with brown rice, without the egg. Added a little Tony Cachere's Creole Seasoning and parsley flakes. So good! And quick!
Good idea with the Tony's seasoning!!
where was this when i was architecture school??? this would have been so goot at 2am haha
great budget recipe!
Cool job! I still love this for late night munchies and lazy dinners!
Made it today for me and my two high schoolers for lunch as we are all in virtual school/ work mode. Sautéed the onion and used a tomato basil sauce and kicked it up with a good amount of crushed red pepper. My daughter had with egg, my son and I without as we had an egg for breakfast. Wow - was this ever good!!!
Thanks! Glad to hear they like sardines too!
So delicious scooped up with dried seaweed!
Genius!
My go to is a ramen noodle bowl, I add some olive oil and garlic powder to the cooked noodles, top with sardines in olive oil and chilies, add some more garlic powder, micro wave the bowl, add some grated parmesan and romano cheese to the heated mixture. YUM! I think I am making tonight and will try adding the egg!
Wow that sounds amazing! Do you use the ramen seasoning packet too?
I tweaked it a little for what I had on hand. Sardines in hot sauce, caldo de Tomate and instant grits. Delicious! Thanks for inspiration!
I saw this at 10:30pm and ran into my kitchen, this recipe set my imagination alight, these were some of the changes I made.
Add hoisin, it takes this dish to another level.
I didn't have the tomato sardines but I did have the olive oil sardines, I ended up using some tomato paste which worked fine as a replacement.
The tomato part really brings the dish together.
But I think a can of tomatoes is excessive, liquid wise.
I also like slicing the onion length ways into thin strands and frying, for more texture.
For the egg component I like to make Tamagoyaki; aswel as the slow-fried sunny side up egg.
Immature green pumpkin goes well with this dish, if you have it laying around, zucchini would work nicely too.
Fresh chillies!.
I love what you've done with the dish!
It's a lovely recipe, thanks for the inspiration 🙂
Looks Delish!! Got a couple cans in my cupboard and been wondering what the heck to do with them. All the nutritionists rave about how good these are for you too - YUM! Thank You!!!
Never had with an egg... I have had with rice an it is nice
I'll add an egg tomorrow. (This is the plan for supper. I just jumped online got more ideas.
You asked for recipe ideas, so:
I soften cream cheese, add a little minced onion and whatever else sounds good. Horseradish, mustard, garlic, black pepper, minced anchovies (not all of those). Then stir in a can or two of plain or oil sardines. (Or canned mackerel). I usually like to add some cream to soften th he mixture a little.
I spread it on wasa crisps, add a bit of sweet onion and drizzle with sriracha (Ifor this, I prefer it to Frank's or Tobasco)
this is an awesome "go to" dish, especially for when you're on a budget. I have to say you totally elevated the game by adding an egg...I am so excited to go home and try it with an egg...I freaking LOVE sardines!!
Thank You! ☺
Thanks so much! There aren't enough sardine lovers out there! 🙂
I'm sold! Looks like a great recipe for a girl without a kitchen!
Interesting recipe, can the sardines go right in the microwave with the rice? I thought you had to cook them more first
They sure can! (I had fresh rice so it was already warm.) Canned sardines are already cooked so you only need to warm them for this recipe. Sometimes I cook them up in a pan with garlic and onions for extra pizzazz!
I love sardines. I am making this for dinner... yummy! I only have sardines in olive oil. So I will heat them in some tomato salsa.
Thank you for this great idea.
Thank you, Esther! Great idea using salsa, bet it will give it a nice kick!
I'm not usually a fan of sardines but this looks delicious! I shall have to add it to my list of recipes to try!
Thanks! I know sardines aren't one of those foods everyone loves, but I think this makes them a little better 🙂
This is what I eat when I'm on budget!
Just found out about your blog and you've got some nice recipe, can't wait for your next post! 🙂
Thank you! It's hard to keep up with a blog on a regular basis, but I enjoy it when I do!