I make Feta & Olive Sardine Toasts as one of my favorite Canned Sardine Recipes for a quick, nutrient-packed lunch or snack that will make you curious to read on.
I still get surprised by how bold a little tin can be. My Feta & Olive Sardine Toasts started as a curiosity when I grabbed a tin of Trader Joes Sardines and some crumbled feta, thinking it might be okay.
It wasn’t just okay, it woke up my mouth. The contrast between briny fish and tangy feta makes you do a double take, the kind of thing that turns casual snacking into a small, loud revelation.
I kept thinking about Tinned Sardines Recipes after that, how underrated they are. Messy, honest, and weirdly luxurious, these toasts make you pay attention.
Ingredients
- Sardines are protein packed, full of omega 3s, salty and very satisfying
- Feta is tangy and creamy gives calcium a little salty and crumbly
- Kalamata olives give healthy fats and vitamin E they add briny punch
- Crusty bread brings carbs and some fiber if whole grain soaks up oil
- Lemon juice adds bright sour zip a touch of vitamin C
- Garlic gives punchy aroma tiny antioxidants and makes it feel homemade
- Parsley adds fresh green notes small vitamin boost and color
- Olive oil adds smooth fat and mouthfeel heart friendly and rich
- Red pepper flakes bring heat and kick little goes a long way
Ingredient Quantities
- 4 slices crusty bread like sourdough or baguette, about 1/2 inch thick
- 1 can sardines in olive oil, about 3.75 oz (106 g), drained
- 4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or dill)
- 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- flaky sea salt, to taste (optional)
How to Make this
1. Cut the garlic clove in half; set one half aside for rubbing the toast and finely mince the other half.
2. Drain the sardines, reserving a teaspoon of the oil if you want extra flavor later, then flake the fish with a fork into bite sized bits.
3. Heat a skillet over medium. Brush both sides of the bread slices with about three quarters of the olive oil and toast until golden and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
4. Right after toasting rub each hot slice with the cut garlic half to add a quick garlicky note, then discard that half.
5. In a bowl combine the flaked sardines, crumbled feta, chopped Kalamata olives, the minced garlic, lemon juice, chopped parsley, red pepper flakes and the remaining olive oil. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper and mix gently so it stays chunky.
6. Taste the mixture and adjust lemon, pepper or red pepper flakes. Go easy with flaky sea salt because the feta and olives are already salty.
7. Spoon or pile the sardine-feta mixture evenly onto the garlic toasts, pressing a little so it holds.
8. Finish each toast with a little extra parsley, a drizzle of the reserved sardine oil or olive oil if you kept some, and another pinch of red pepper flakes or flaky salt if you want. Serve right away.
Equipment Needed
1. 10 to 12 inch skillet (cast iron or nonstick) — for toasting the bread and warming the sardines
2. Chefs knife for mincing garlic and chopping olives
3. Cutting board
4. Can opener for the sardines
5. Pastry brush or small spoon to oil the bread
6. Fork for flaking the sardines and for mixing
7. Small mixing bowl to combine sardines, feta and seasonings
8. Spatula or tongs to flip and transfer the toast
9. Measuring spoons (tablespoon and 1/4 teaspoon) for lemon, oil and red pepper flakes
(Note: dont forget a plate or platter to serve)
FAQ
Feta + Olive Sardine Toasts Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Sardines: swap for canned tuna in oil if you want a milder, less fishy bite, or use smoked mackerel for a smoky boost, or anchovy fillets for an intense salty punch – cut back on added salt if you pick anchovies.
- Feta: substitute with goat cheese for similar tang but creamier texture, ricotta salata or cotija for a crumbly, salty alternative, or shaved Parmesan for more umami and less tang.
- Kalamata olives: try Castelvetrano olives for a buttery, milder flavor, or plain green olives, or capers if you want little briny bursts; chop capers finer so they spread evenly.
- Bread: use toasted pita, crackers, crostini, or dense rye slices; for GF options grab a sturdy gluten free loaf or thick rice cakes and toast well so they don’t go soggy.
Pro Tips
1. Crisp the bread ahead of time and keep it that way: toast the slices until very dry and let them cool on a wire rack, you can reheat for a minute in a hot oven before serving so they stay super crunchy under the moist topping.
2. If the sardine flavor seems strong, soak the fillets in a little milk for 10 minutes then pat dry, or fold in a tablespoon of ricotta or plain yogurt to mellow them without hiding the taste.
3. Go easy with salt since the feta and olives pack a lot, taste first and add tiny amounts, or swap half the olives for chopped fresh tomato or cucumber to lower the salt and add brightness.
4. Finish like a pro: squeeze a grilled lemon wedge over each toast, sprinkle extra parsley and a tiny drizzle of the reserved sardine oil or good olive oil, it makes the flavors pop and it just looks better on the plate.
Feta + Olive Sardine Toasts Recipe
I make Feta & Olive Sardine Toasts as one of my favorite Canned Sardine Recipes for a quick, nutrient-packed lunch or snack that will make you curious to read on.
4
servings
260
kcal
Equipment: 1. 10 to 12 inch skillet (cast iron or nonstick) — for toasting the bread and warming the sardines
2. Chefs knife for mincing garlic and chopping olives
3. Cutting board
4. Can opener for the sardines
5. Pastry brush or small spoon to oil the bread
6. Fork for flaking the sardines and for mixing
7. Small mixing bowl to combine sardines, feta and seasonings
8. Spatula or tongs to flip and transfer the toast
9. Measuring spoons (tablespoon and 1/4 teaspoon) for lemon, oil and red pepper flakes
(Note: dont forget a plate or platter to serve)
Ingredients
-
4 slices crusty bread like sourdough or baguette, about 1/2 inch thick
-
1 can sardines in olive oil, about 3.75 oz (106 g), drained
-
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
-
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
-
1 small garlic clove, minced
-
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
-
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (or dill)
-
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
-
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
-
flaky sea salt, to taste (optional)
Directions
- Cut the garlic clove in half; set one half aside for rubbing the toast and finely mince the other half.
- Drain the sardines, reserving a teaspoon of the oil if you want extra flavor later, then flake the fish with a fork into bite sized bits.
- Heat a skillet over medium. Brush both sides of the bread slices with about three quarters of the olive oil and toast until golden and crisp, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
- Right after toasting rub each hot slice with the cut garlic half to add a quick garlicky note, then discard that half.
- In a bowl combine the flaked sardines, crumbled feta, chopped Kalamata olives, the minced garlic, lemon juice, chopped parsley, red pepper flakes and the remaining olive oil. Add plenty of freshly ground black pepper and mix gently so it stays chunky.
- Taste the mixture and adjust lemon, pepper or red pepper flakes. Go easy with flaky sea salt because the feta and olives are already salty.
- Spoon or pile the sardine-feta mixture evenly onto the garlic toasts, pressing a little so it holds.
- Finish each toast with a little extra parsley, a drizzle of the reserved sardine oil or olive oil if you kept some, and another pinch of red pepper flakes or flaky salt if you want. Serve right away.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 107g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 260kcal
- Fat: 14.7g
- Saturated Fat: 5.4g
- Trans Fat: 0.03g
- Polyunsaturated: 1.4g
- Monounsaturated: 6g
- Cholesterol: 60mg
- Sodium: 609mg
- Potassium: 186mg
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Fiber: 1.3g
- Sugar: 1g
- Protein: 13.4g
- Vitamin A: 88IU
- Vitamin C: 2mg
- Calcium: 260mg
- Iron: 1.3mg
