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Fish, Maghreb and Middle East

Chermoula stuffed sardines with Moroccan salad

Chermoula stuffed sardines are a Moroccan dish for 4 people, ready in 50 minutes, medium difficulty, for €2.60 per serving. Butterflied sardines are filled with a paste of cilantro, parsley, garlic and spices, then pan fried until crisp. Success depends on a thick filling that holds together while cooking and a fresh tomato cucumber salad served alongside.

Butterflied sardines stuffed with chermoula and pan fried, served with a little Moroccan tomato and cucumber salad, it tastes like vacation.

Chermoula stuffed sardines with Moroccan salad
Total time
50 min
Difficulty
Medium
Cost per person
€2.60
Calories per person
590 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Fresh sardines, butterflied open, close around a green and fragrant filling of cilantro, parsley, raw garlic, cumin and paprika. Breadcrumbs thicken this paste so it stays put during cooking, and a light dusting of flour gives the sardines a thin, crisp skin in the pan. The result is a flavorful fish, a little bold, never bland.

This is a spring or summer dish, best made when sardines are truly fresh at the fish counter. Kids generally like this stuffed version, since it is less daunting to eat than a whole sardine with its bones. Mon Chou loves this dish because it turns a simple, inexpensive fish into something that genuinely tastes like vacation, especially with that fresh little Moroccan salad on the side.

The ingredients

4 people

Fish counter

  • Fresh sardines 12

Fruits and vegetables

  • Fresh cilantro 1 bunch
  • Flat leaf parsley 1 bunch
  • Garlic 4 cloves
  • Tomatoes 4
  • Cucumber 1
  • Red onion 1

Pantry

  • Ground cuminoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
  • Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Lemon juiceoften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Flouroften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Bakery

  • Country bread 4 slices

Allergens Fish, Gluten

The step by step recipe

  1. Scale the sardines, remove the heads, butterfly them open and remove the center bone.

    Rinse them under cold water and pat them dry, they'll cook better.

  2. Blend the cilantro, parsley, garlic, cumin, paprika, two tablespoons of lemon juice, two tablespoons of oil and the breadcrumbs into a thick paste.

    The breadcrumbs soak up moisture from the filling so it stays in place.

  3. Spread a bit of filling on half the sardines and sandwich them with another sardine, then coat them in flour.

    Press firmly to seal the two sardines together, a toothpick can help.

  4. Brown the sardines in a pan with the remaining oil, a few minutes on each side. 10 min

    Don't move them during the first minute, the crust forms and they stop sticking.

  5. Dice the tomatoes, cucumber and red onion, season with oil, lemon juice and salt, and serve alongside the sardines and bread.

    Let the salad rest in the fridge while the sardines cook, the flavors blend together.

Our tips to get it right

  • Ask your fishmonger to scale and behead the sardines, it saves time and spares you the messiest part of the job at home.
  • Pick sardines of even, medium size, they close into sandwiches more easily and cook at the same rate.
  • Heat the oil before adding the stuffed sardines, a properly hot pan keeps the coating from sticking.

The variations

  • Swap the cilantro for fresh mint if you prefer a milder, less distinctive filling.
  • For a fish free version, spread the same chermoula filling on halved tomatoes or portobello mushrooms and pan fry them until golden.
  • To save time, make the filling the day before and just stuff and fry the sardines the evening you plan to serve them.

What to serve it with

  • Grilled country bread
  • Fresh mint tea
  • Squeeze of lemon on top

Storage

Cooked sardines keep for 1 day in the refrigerator in a sealed container, though they quickly lose their crispness. The salad keeps separately for 2 days, well covered. Freezing isn't recommended, it would ruin the texture of the fish.

Questions about this dish

Can I use frozen, pre cleaned sardines?

Yes, thaw the sardines in the refrigerator the day before and pat them very dry before stuffing. The texture is slightly less firm than with fresh sardines, but still works well.

How do I keep the sardines from falling apart while cooking?

Press the two sardines firmly together after stuffing them, and use a toothpick if needed. Flip them only once, as soon as a golden crust has formed.

Can I make the chermoula ahead of time?

Yes, the chermoula paste can be made the day before and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It actually tastes better after resting a few hours.

Do kids usually eat this dish easily?

Yes, generally, since the filling softens the strong raw fish flavor and there's no center bone left to deal with. Serve the salad on the side if your child isn't a fan of raw diced vegetables.

How long does it take to make chermoula stuffed sardines with a Moroccan salad?

Count 50 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “medium”.

How many calories are in chermoula stuffed sardines with a Moroccan salad?

About 590 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does chermoula stuffed sardines with a Moroccan salad cost?

About €2.60 per serving, or €10.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains fish, gluten. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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