Fried Sardines

Saw Fresh Sardines? Grab Them!

If you spot fresh sardines (sardalya in Turkish) at the fish counter, don’t hesitate, just get them! Fried sardines are so delicious, and you can only make them with fresh sardines.

If you’ve never tried them before, you’re truly missing out.

Most people think of canned sardines when they hear the word “sardine,” and yes, those are tasty too, but freshly fried sardines are on a completely different level.

And if your fishmonger has already cleaned them, this becomes one of the easiest dinners ever. Add a simple green salad on the side and you’ve got a real feast.

About the Ingredients

Please find the full list of ingredients with their measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

You only need four simple ingredients to make this super easy recipe for fried sardines.

Whole Fresh sardines: Ask your fishmonger to clean and gut them for you if possible. Fresh sardines cook super fast and taste amazing when fried.

Cornmeal: This is what gives the sardines their beautiful crispy coating. Make sure you use cornmeal, not corn flour.

Salt: Just a simple seasoning, nothing fancy needed. Of course, you can add black pepper too if you want. 

Oil: We usually use light olive oil for cooking, but sunflower oil works perfectly too.

How to Make Fried Sardines

Please find the full instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Fried sardines are really easy to prepare.

Once the fish are cleaned, the only thing you need to do is rinse and drain them well. Then coat them lightly with a simple mix of cornmeal and salt.

Fry the sardines in hot oil in small batches until golden brown. The exact cooking time depends on their size, but they usually fry in just a few minutes. Don’t overcook them, or they lose that nice tenderness inside.

Note: If you’re planning to serve a salad on the side, make it first. Sardines fry so quickly, and they taste their best when served piping hot without any waiting time.

Serving Suggestions

We like to keep things simple when serving fried sardines.

No matter what fish we cook, we always put sliced onion, parsley, and plenty of lemon on the side. And for us, a big bowl of Turkish lettuce salad called Mevsim Salatasi, makes the whole meal complete.

If you’re planning to serve a salad too, make it first. Once the sardines are fried, they cool down quickly, and while it’s not the end of the world, fried sardines really taste their best when they’re still hot.

You can also serve them with the following side dishes:

• Coban Salata (Shepherd's Salad)
• Roasted Potato Salad
• Turkish Potato Salad
• More Side Dishes for Fish

Make Sandwiches with Fried Sardines

If you want to switch things up, you can easily turn your fried sardines into a delicious fish sandwich.

In Turkey — especially in Istanbul — there are places that fry sardines fresh and serve them right away as simple sandwiches. 

This is also a great way to use leftovers. If you have a few fried sardines left from dinner, keep them in the fridge and make a quick sandwich for lunch the next day. 

Remove the backbone, place a few sardines inside some bread, add as much onion and salad as you like, squeeze some lemon, and you’re done. It tastes just like a classic street-style fish sandwich.

It’s simple, satisfying, and such a tasty way to enjoy them again.

How to Clean and Gut Sardines

If your fishmonger doesn’t do it for you, don’t worry — it’s really not as hard as it sounds.

Use the back of a knife to gently rub off the scales; they come off easily because sardines have very thin, soft scales.

After that, hold the fish in your hand and pull off the head — most of the innards will come out with it. If anything remains, slide your finger along the belly to clean it out.

That’s really all you need to do. After a couple of sardines, you’ll get the hang of it and the rest will go quickly.

Finally, rinse all the cleaned sardines under cold water and place them in a sieve so they can drain well.

Head On or Head Off?

Fishmongers usually ask whether you want the heads removed, and honestly, it’s completely up to you. You can keep them on or ask them to take them off — both ways are fine.

When we fry sardines, we usually prefer them without the heads. In our family, the heads aren’t everyone’s favorite. If the sardines are small, it’s not a big deal, but with larger ones we definitely enjoy them more headless. Of course, the heads are edible, so if you like them, fry the fish as they are.

And if your fishmonger doesn’t remove them, taking the heads off at home is super easy. Hold the fish firmly and pull the head downward — it comes off in one quick motion. Or you can simply cut it off with a sharp knife.

Change the Oil If You’re Frying a Big Batch

This recipe is written for about 1 kilo of sardines, which you can usually fry in 3–4 batches using the same oil. That amount works fine.

But if you’re frying more than 1 kilo, don’t keep using the same oil endlessly. After 3–4 rounds, the little cornmeal bits in the oil start to burn, and this can affect the flavor of the next batches.

When you reach that point, simply pour out the used oil (be very careful — the oil will be extremely hot). Transfer it into a heatproof bowl and let it cool completely. Later, discard it properly — never pour hot oil down the sink.

Once the pan is empty, wipe the bottom with a paper towel and add fresh oil before continuing. It makes a big difference in taste and keeps the sardines clean and flavorful.

Can I Make Them Ahead?

Fried sardines are best eaten fresh and hot, so they’re not ideal for making ahead. If you prepare them in advance, they lose their crispiness. It’s best to have everything else ready and fry the sardines right before serving.

Storage

You probably won’t have many leftovers because fried sardines are just that good, but if you do, you can keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for 1–2 days. When you’re ready to eat them, take them out a little earlier and let them come to room temperature.

We don’t really recommend reheating fried fish — the smell changes and the flavor isn’t the same. They’re much nicer enjoyed as they are.

More Turkish Seafood Recipes

• Hamsi Tava (Fried Anchovies)
• Kalamar Tava (Fried Calamari)
• Tarator Sauce for Calamari
• Oven Baked Sea Bass

You Might Also Like