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Sardines are having a moment.
I like to stay ahead of the trends, and when I saw where sardines were heading, I knew they were going to be big. These tiny fish are packed with protein, B12, calcium, and omega-3s. They are essentially a superfood, and I just so happen to love them! However, that wasn’t always the case. As with many things, the palate sometimes needs a little time to get on board when you introduce something new; but once I started eating them more and more, my taste buds decided they understood the assignment. This may be the very same case for you.
Recently, I was in Portugal with my sister-in-law, and we were only there for a week, but my goodness, it was perfect, and guess what? Sardines were everywhere. They have the cutest little stores in Lisbon dedicated entirely to the itty-bitty canned fishy. I wanted to bring a million cans home with me, but then I stopped myself because I live in Toronto, where we have a massive Portuguese population, so finding good-quality sardines isn’t actually that difficult.
So here we are, making sardines with pasta, which might be one of the easiest ways to fall in love with sardines if you are not already fully obsessed.
This sardine pasta also gets a little help from zucchini. Stanley Tucci has made cooking zucchini very popular, and he is a personal favourite of mine. His story of beating cancer was incredibly inspiring, especially given that he could not eat food for months. You’ve probably seen him make his signature zucchini pasta on Instagram (Allrecipes did a banger of a rendition), and the whole concept is just beautiful: simple ingredients, cooked properly, turned into something silky and delicious.
I wanted to take that inspiration and level up the nutrition. Pasta is great, obviously, but I always want to make sure a recipe checks a few more boxes. So I added cannellini beans for fibre, sardines for protein, and good-quality extra virgin olive oil for healthy fat. The result is a zucchini pasta dish that feels comforting, salty, lemony, savoury, and satisfying without being heavy. It feeds two hungry people and makes the kind of dinner that feels like you put in more effort than you actually did. My favourite kind!
Let’s talk about sardines, because they deserve their moment.
Sardines are small oily fish that are naturally rich in protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, calcium, vitamin D, and minerals. Because they are often eaten whole, including the tiny soft bones, canned sardines can be a great source of calcium.
They are also convenient, affordable, and shelf-stable. That is one reason I love canned sardines with pasta. You can keep a few cans in the pantry, and suddenly you have a protein-rich meal ready to go without needing to defrost anything, marinate anything, or make your life more complicated.
I’m not going to pretend sardines taste like chicken. They taste like sardines. But when you cook them with garlic, chili flakes, olive oil, lemon, parsley, pasta water, and Parmigiano Reggiano, they melt into the sauce in the most delicious way.
If you are new to sardines, canned sardine pasta is a great place to start because the pasta, zucchini, beans, lemon, and cheese help balance everything. The sardines add savoury depth and protein without taking over the whole dish. A little fishy? Yes. In a good way? Also yes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghettini or spaghetti until al dente. Before draining, reserve at least 1 cup of pasta water. Please do not forget the pasta water. It is the difference between dry pasta and glossy, restaurant-feeling pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, add the olive oil to a large, deep-sided pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, carefully add the thinly sliced zucchini. Fry until slightly golden brown. You want colour, softness, and a little caramelization. Transfer the zucchini to a paper towel-lined plate and season with sea salt while hot.
If there’s too much oil, remove a few tablespoons with a large spoon. Add the chili flakes and diced onion to the pan. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Do not let the garlic burn.
Add the sardines, including the oil from the can. Use tongs or a spatula to gently break them up into the onion-and-garlic mixture. This is where the sardines start to melt into the sauce. It might look rustic, but trust the process. Add the rinsed cannellini beans, chopped parsley, and fried zucchini to the pan. Toss everything together gently. Now you have sardines in pasta sauce, beans for fibre, zucchini for texture, and herbs for freshness.
Add the lemon juice and a few ladles of reserved pasta water. Stir or toss to help the sauce emulsify. The mixture should start to look glossy and a little creamy. If it looks dry, add more pasta water.
Add the cooked pasta to the pan and toss everything together. Add as much Parmigiano Reggiano as you wish. If the pasta tightens up, add another splash of pasta water. Keep tossing until the sauce clings to the noodles. Check for seasoning. Add more salt, pepper, lemon, chili flakes, or cheese if needed. Serve immediately, ideally with extra Parmigiano on top because we are not monsters.
This zucchini pasta is satisfying on its own, but you can also serve it with something simple on the side, like a mixed greens salad, crusty bread, or more parm! This is a lovely lunch or dinner and works especially well when you want something comforting that still checks the protein, fibre, and healthy fat boxes.
There is so much to love here. Beyond being super nutritious and uber easy to make, it’s also a great introduction to sardines if you’re new to them! It has crispy-golden zucchini, garlicky olive oil, a little heat from chilli flakes, fibre from the cannellini beans, protein from the sardines and a whole lot of flavour. It’s the kind of pasta recipe that makes sense for real life, and it can feed two hungry humans in less than 30 minutes! It uses pantry ingredients, comes together quickly, and still feels elevated enough to serve when sharing a meal with someone!
What do sardines taste like in pasta? Sardines taste savoury, briny, and rich. When cooked into pasta sauce, they soften and break down, adding depth without feeling too intense.
Can I make this without sardines? Yes, but it will no longer be sardine pasta. You could use tuna, anchovies, shrimp, chicken, or keep it vegetarian with extra beans and cheese.
Can I use green zucchini instead of yellow zucchini? Absolutely. Green zucchini works perfectly. I used yellow zucchini, but either works.
Can I make this gluten free? Of course, just use your favourite gluten-free pasta. Make sure to reserve pasta water, as gluten-free pasta water can still help bring the sauce together.
I would love to hear your experience in the comments below! Don’t forget to leave a rating and try one of these pastas next:
Food Photographer and Recipe Developer based in Toronto, Canada.
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*Macros are provided as an estimate for convenience. Your final numbers will vary depending on ingredient brands, substitutions, and how you portion the recipe.
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