Tostada de Sardinas

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat a grill pan or frying pan over medium-high heat. While it heats, halve the cherry tomatoes, finely chop the parsley, and cut the lemon in half.

   120 g cherry tomatoes10 g flat-leaf parsley1 small lemon
2. 2

   Put the sardine fillets in a small bowl and season with the smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, 1 tsp of the olive oil, and 1 tsp lemon juice. Toss gently so the fillets stay intact.

   160 g fresh sardine fillets, boneless1/4 tsp smoked paprika1/4 tsp sea salt1/8 tsp black pepper1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil1 small lemon
3. 3

   Mix the tomatoes, capers, parsley, 2 tsp lemon juice, and the remaining olive oil from the sardine mixture in a bowl. Taste and adjust with a tiny pinch of salt only if needed, as the capers are already salty.

   120 g cherry tomatoes1 tbsp (15 g) capers, drained10 g flat-leaf parsley1 small lemon1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
4. 4

   Brush both sides of the sourdough slices with the olive oil for the tostadas. Toast in the hot pan for 1-2 minutes per side until crisp and lightly charred at the edges.

   2 slices (about 120 g) sourdough bread, thick slices1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
5. 5

   Add the sardine fillets to the same hot pan, skin-side down first if they have skin. Cook for about 1-2 minutes per side, just until opaque and lightly golden. Do not overcook; sardines should stay juicy and flake easily.

   160 g fresh sardine fillets, boneless
6. 6

   Top each toast with the grilled sardines, then spoon over the tomato-caper-parsley mixture. Finish with a squeeze of lemon and serve immediately while the bread is still crisp.

   2 slices (about 120 g) sourdough bread, thick slices160 g fresh sardine fillets, boneless120 g cherry tomatoes1 tbsp (15 g) capers, drained10 g flat-leaf parsley1 small lemon

Origin & History

Open-faced toasts with seafood are common across Spain, especially in tapas culture where good bread, olive oil, and simply prepared fish are celebrated. Sardines have long been a staple in coastal Spanish cooking, valued for their abundance, strong flavor, and affordability. This version combines classic Mediterranean pantry ingredients like tomato, capers, parsley, and lemon.