Switch up your breakfast with these sardine toasts! A creamy garlic mayo spread, tinned sardines, hard-boiled eggs, and microgreens layer up for a protein-packed, nutrient-dense, and flavorful meal or snack.
Looking for more tinned fish recipes?
Check out tuna and potato salad, cod liver salad with eggs, and cod liver pate.
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Recipe Overview
- Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes to prep and 5 minutes to cook
- Cooking Method: Stove-top
- Dietary Info: Ancestral diet, Gluten-free with bread of choice
- Tools Needed: stainless steel skillet
- Skill Level: Easy
What is an ancestral diet? Read my post on what nourishing foods are based on the traditional dietary principles of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Reasons to Love these Sardine Toasts
If you want to love sardines but just don't know how to make them work - this toast is the perfect gateway!
Crispy, buttery bread, creamy, garlicky base, and those nutrient-packed little fish come together in the best way. Topped with fluffy eggs and fresh greens, it's simple, satisfying, and honestly, so good.
Perfect for any time of day - serve it on small toasts as a fancy appetizer (because is there anything more impressive than fish on bread?!), enjoy a big slice for a breakfast that'll make you feel like a champion, or a protein-packed afternoon snack.
Sardine toast - it's like cottage cheese toast, but with way more swagger. You're welcome!
Ingredients for Sardines on Toast
- Bread: Sourdough or your favorite gluten-free bread of choice. Go for a thicker bread with a bit of texture to hold up to the sardine mixture. Einkorn or kamut are also excellent choices. If you opt for rye bread, be aware that its strong flavor might be overpowering, but depending on your taste, it could complement the sardines nicely.
- Butter: Used just to toast the bread to a golden-brown, crispy texture.
- Mayonnaise and garlic: A simple blend of avocado oil mayonnaise and garlic adds moisture and flavor. If fresh garlic is too strong (say for breakfast?), use garlic confit instead.
- Sardines: Canned sardines in oil work best for this recipe, so avoid flavored varieties like lemon or those packed in tomato sauce. Some brands may include bones, which are soft and edible. Leaving them in adds extra nutrients if you don’t mind the texture. If you prefer a smoother texture, you can easily remove the bones—they should come off in one piece.
- Eggs: Shredded hard-boiled eggs add a creamy protein boost.
- Greens: Microgreens or fresh herbs such as chopped dill or even dried parsley substitute.
Substitutions and Variations
- Swap the mayo - I love using mayo as the spread because it adds savory flavor and creaminess. But you can try Greek yogurt or cream cheese instead.
- Scrambled eggs - Skip the hard-boiled eggs and instead scramble them over medium-high heat in lots of butter.
Make it Ancestral
These sardine toasts are my go-to for a simple, nutrient-dense meal with a WAPF focus. Sardines are packed with omega-3s and calcium, making them a great ancestral food. Combined with sourdough bread, grass-fed butter, creamy mayo, and eggs, it’s a whole-foods, healthy fat meal that fits perfectly with my approach to real, nourishing eating.
How to Make Sardine Toast
The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for the best results.
Step 1. Cook
Spread butter on both sides of the bread and toast in a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until golden.
Step 2. Mash
Transfer the sardines to a small bowl and mash them with the back of a fork until mostly smooth, leaving some small chunks for texture. Pour in the oil from the tin to add moisture and create a smoother consistency.
Step 3. Spread
In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and minced garlic together. Spread over the toasted bread.
Step 4. Assemble
Spread the sardine pate evenly over the mayo-coated toast. Finely shred the hard-boiled eggs and sprinkle them over the sardine pate.
Helpful Tips
- Control the heat – Medium-high heat is key to getting the perfect golden toast without burning it. And don't forget to butter the toast.
- Make it chunky – Mash the sardines well but leave some chunks for texture. If you find that it's a little too dry, just add more oil from the can until you reach the desired consistency.
- Finely shred eggs - Use a box grater or a hand-held fine shredder to grate the eggs for a delicate texture—smaller shreds work best. If you don’t have either, just chop the eggs as finely as possible. Shredding chilled eggs helps to maintain the texture so boil them the night before if you have the time.
- Toast the bread well - To prevent sogginess, toast the bread until it's golden brown and crispy (this will create a hardy barrier). You may want to toast it a bit longer if you're using softer bread as is the case with gluten-free bread.
💭Meal Prep Suggestion!
Mash the sardines with oil and refrigerate the pate, along with the mayo-garlic mixture. Cook and refrigerate the hard-boiled eggs. When ready to serve, quickly toast the bread, and assemble the sardine toasts. Keep the lemon juice and sprouts separate until serving to prevent sogginess.
Serving Suggestions
This sardine toast with eggs is perfect for a balanced breakfast, providing protein, healthy fats, and plenty of flavor to start your day.
It also makes a great appetizer or afternoon snack. For an appetizer, I recommend using smaller toasts or cutting them in half at a bias.
If you wanted to serve it as a small meal, I recommend offering a side of salad like chopped Mediterranean salad or buttered cabbage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover sardine toasts in an airtight container for up to 2 days. These glass snap containers are perfect for leftovers. I don't recommend freezing sardine toast. It's best when made fresh.
I recommend canned sardines for their convenience and texture. I haven't tried this with fresh sardines but if you do, you would need to cook them first and keep in mind, the flavor and texture will differ significantly.
You can top the sardine toast with avocado, sumac onions, olives, or crumbled feta or parmesan cheese. For extra flavor, top with cultured vegetables like fermented jalapenos or red cabbage sauerkraut. For an extra crunch and savory flavor, add some bacon crumbles.
Looking for more related recipes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this sardine toast? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Sardine Toast with Eggs
Ingredients
- 2 large slices bread of choice or 4 small slices of bread
- 1 ½ teaspoon butter
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 8 ounces canned sardine in oil two 4.4oz tins
- 2 hard-boiled eggs shredded
- 1 tablespoon greens sprouts or herbs
- 1 teaspoon flaky salt
Instructions
- Spread butter on both sides of the bread and toast in a stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat until golden.
- Transfer the sardines to a small bowl and mash them with the back of a fork until mostly smooth, leaving some small chunks for texture. Pour in the oil from the tin to add moisture and create a smoother consistency.
- In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and minced garlic together. Spread over the toasted bread.
- Spread the sardine pate evenly over the mayo-coated toast. Finely shred the hard-boiled eggs and sprinkle them over the sardine pate.
- Top with sprouts and flaky sea salt and a drizzle of lemon juice.
Notes
- Control the heat – Medium-high heat is key to getting the perfect golden toast without burning it. And don't forget to butter the toast.
- Make it chunky – Mash the sardines well but leave some chunks for texture. If you find that it's a little too dry, just add more oil from the can until you reach the desired consistency.
- Finely shred eggs - Use a box grater or a hand-held fine shredder to grate the eggs for a delicate texture—smaller shreds work best. If you don’t have either, just chop the eggs as finely as possible. Shredding chilled eggs helps to maintain the texture so boil them the night before if you have the time.
- Toast the bread well - To prevent fogginess, toast the bread until it's golden brown and crispy (this will create a hardy barrier). You may want to toast it a bit longer if you're using softer bread.
Lenny T. says
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Lena says
Really enjoyed this toast! The only way I eat sardines now:)
Yelena says
The only way I eat sardines now! Loved this combo of garlicky bread, sardines and eggs so tasty.
Anya says
Yay! So happy to hear that. It's a total sardine upgrade!
Ella says
Sardines! My new love! Thank you for reminding me of this yummy forgotten food. We now incorporate it more in our diet. And the sardine with eggs is just BOMB!! Wonderful recipe!
Anya says
It's such a superfood! Thank you Ella for your kind review!