The BEST Sardines & Eggs - Myriad Recipes (2024)

This has to be one of the best Sardines & Eggs recipes I’ve ever made. You need less than 10 ingredients and it’s all made in one pan. It’s full of flavour and perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

This recipe is so simple and comes together in less than 15 minutes. It's all made in one pan, so there's minimal washing up. I love serving this recipe with some toasted bread for breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• One Pan: One thing I love about this recipe is that you make it all in one pan. There's minimal washing up and you only have to use one hob, so it's really easy to prepare. If you love one pan dishes, then you'll love my Lemon Boursin Pasta, Asparagus Orzotto, or this Baked Chicken with Cream of Chicken Soup.
• Less than 10 ingredients: You'll only need 9 ingredients for this sardine and egg dish. A lot of the ingredients you'll probably already have, so it's a great one to whip up on the weekend or midweek for a healthy 'nutritional powerhouse' meal.
• Breakfast, lunch, or dinner: Inspired by Tunisian Shakshouka, a tomato and egg dish, this one pan meal is perfect for breakfast, lunch or dinner. It's a light and healthy dish, so I love to serve it up with a good quality piece of wholemeal toasted bread. It's also delicious with my 2 Ingredient Bread Bites.

If you're making this for breakfast and you want a couple more recipe ideas for the next few mornings, why not try my Indian-inspired breakfast paratha or my scrambled egg burger. They're both so delicious and a bit different, so give them a go!

Ingredients

Onion: I’ve used white onion for this recipe, it adds a wonderful sweetness to the dish. You could also use red onion or shallots if you have have them in your fridge instead.

Garlic: One garlic will suffice for this recipe, especially if you’re having it for breakfast and you’re not super keen on having garlicky breath all day. However, if you’re a huge garlic fan then feel free to add in another crushed clove.

Mixed Herbs: This is a premade jar that I always have in my cupboard. It has a variety of dried herbs in it including parsley, oregano, and rosemary. It’s a great versatile dried herb mix that works really well to balance out the spicy flavours in this dish.

Paprika: I love adding paprika into dishes like these Sardines and Eggs. It adds a wonderful smokiness and slight spice to it, but it’s not overpowering.

Chilli Flakes: A bit of spice never hurt anyone, so I’ve used everyday chilli flakes for this recipe. But if you want to change up the flavour a bit, feel free to use Gochugaru flakes or chipotle flakes for extra smokiness.

Tinned Tomatoes: Any kind of tinned tomato will do for this recipe. You could also use fresh tomatoes if you’d prefer, just make sure to cook them down until they’re soft and bubbling before adding in your sardines.

Sardines: Tinned sardines in oil or brine are great for this recipe. They add an incredible umami flavour that elevate this dish to a whole new level. If you’re not a fan of sardines, you could use mackerel or tuna too.If you're a fan of dishes with fish, you should try my Butter Salmon Curry recipe or my Tuna Mayo Onigiri!

Eggs: To finish off this dish, I love topping the sardine and tomato mixture with eggs. Similar to shakshuka, just make little holes in the tomato fish sauce and crack your eggs into them. Place on the lid of the pan and cook for another few minutes until the eggs are cooked but still runny, then serve up with a piece of toast! If you love a good egg recipe, you should definitely check out my Harissa Egg Sandwich, Egg and Chive Pockets, and these Miso-Marinated Eggs.

Parsley: I always love topping dishes with a bit of fresh garnish, and chopped parsley works perfectly for this dish. You could also use coriander or basil if you’d like.

Ingredient Substitutions

Onion: Red onion, shallots, or spring onions could all work well for this dish.

Mixed Herbs: If you don’t have a pre-made mix of herbs, then I’d recommend using 1 teaspoon dried oregano and 1 teaspoon dried thyme.

Paprika: If you don’t have any paprika, you can use spices like cumin, cayenne, or cajun seasoning to add a bit of extra flavour and colour.

Chilli Flakes: You can use fresh chillies if you don’t have chilli flakes. Any red or green chilli will work well. Make to sure add as much as you like based on your spice tolerance.

Tinned Tomatoes: If you don’t have tinned tomatoes, you can use fresh tomatoes. If you have neither of them, I’d recommend frying down a load of finely chopped red peppers with some tomato puree.

Sardines: If you’re not a fan of sardines, feel free to use tinned mackerel or tinned tuna. They both provide that nutritional omega 3 and umami-rich flavour.

Parsley: If you’re not a fan of parsley, feel free to use fresh coriander or basil.

Recipe Variations

Vegan Sardines & Eggs: If you really like the sound of this recipe but you follow a plant-based diet, I'd recommend subbing out the sardines for sun-dried tomatoes for a boost of umami and extra flavour. You can also add in some silken tofu for addition protein source. As an egg replacement, I'd recommend dolloping on some plant-based sour cream and some nutritional yeast. This dish will be full of flavour and a great vegan alternative.

Sardines, eggs, and pasta: This dish would work so well with pasta. So, if you fancy making into more of a dinner dish, follow the instructions up until you add the eggs on top. Boil some pasta on the side and then pour your pasta into your sardine and tomato mixture. Mix until everything is well combined and then fry an egg on the side if you fancy it. Serve up, top with parsley, and enjoy!

I also made a great Vegan Prawn Toast recipe that I love to make for my plant-based friends!

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1: Place a non-stick frying pan on medium heat and add in a drizzle of oil. Add in your onions, garlic, spices, herbs, a big pinch of flaky salt, and grind of pepper. Fry for a few minutes until the onions and garlic have softened.

Step 2: Pour in your tinned tomatoes and add in your tinned sardines. Lightly mash up your sardines and fry for a further 5 minutes.

Step 3: Once your sardines have merged with the tomato spiced sauce, make two little holes or indents and crack in your eggs. Place on the lid of your pan and leave to cook for a further 3-5 minutes or until the egg whites have cooked.

Step 4: Once your eggs are cooked, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve up!

What To Do With Leftovers

Storage:Store any leftover Sardines and Eggs in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.

Freezing:While this dish can be frozen, the texture may change slightly. If you plan to freeze, I'd recommend just freezing the tomato and sardine mixture and leaving out the eggs until you're ready to eat your meal. Place the sardine tomato mixture in an airtight container and label with the date. When defrosting, place the container in the fridge overnight to thaw all the way through, then follow the reheating steps below.

Reheating:To reheat this dish, place your sardine and tomato mixture into a non-stick pan, and heat on a low to medium heat for 5-10 minutes. Make a couple of indents into your pan, crack in your eggs, place on the lid and cook for another 3-5 minutes until your eggs are cooked. Serve up and enjoy!

Sardines & Eggs Recipe FAQs