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Fish, Busy evenings

Sardine toasts with composed salad

Sardine toasts with composed salad are a cold dinner for 4 people, ready in 15 minutes, very easy to make, for a cost of €2.30 per person. The key is mashing the sardines with the cream cheese using a fork, to get a smooth, lemony spread.

Tonight, grilled toasts with mashed sardines, lemon and cream cheese, served with a composed salad, quick and full of flavor.

Sardine toasts with composed salad
Total time
15 min
Difficulty
Very easy
Cost per person
€2.30
Calories per person
580 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Sardines mashed with cream cheese and lemon make a creamy, slightly tangy spread, with that briny edge that wakes up a slice of toasted bread. Chives add freshness, and the crunch of the toast contrasts nicely with the soft filling. It's a simple meal with no fussy cooking, just a toaster and a cutting board.

This is the kind of dinner you throw together on a weeknight when it's warm out and turning on the oven feels like too much. Mon Chou likes to slot it into spring and summer menus, with cherry tomatoes and cucumber in season. Kids often like the spread version, as long as the sardines are mashed well enough that they don't notice them too much.

The ingredients

4 people

Bakery

  • Country bread 8 slices

Pantry

  • Canned sardines in oiloften in the pantry 4
  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 3 tbsp
  • Vinegaroften in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Dairy

  • Cream cheese 150 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Lemon 1
  • Cherry tomatoes 250 g
  • Cucumber 1
  • Lettuce 1
  • Chives 1 bunch

Allergens Gluten, Fish, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Toast the slices of country bread. 4 min

    Rub them with a clove of garlic while still warm to add flavor.

  2. Drain the sardines and mash them with the cream cheese, lemon juice, chives, salt and pepper.

    Remove the center bone if it bothers you, otherwise it's fine to eat.

  3. Spread the mixture generously on the bread.

    Add the topping at the last moment so the toast stays crisp.

  4. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and the cucumber into rounds, and toss them with the lettuce.

    Salt the tomatoes a little beforehand, they release a juice that acts as a dressing.

  5. Season with the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper, and serve with the toasts.

    A few drops of lemon on the toasts at the end add a nice kick.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick sardines packed in olive oil rather than vegetable oil, the spread will taste better.
  • Drain the sardines well before mashing them, otherwise the spread turns runny and slides off the bread.
  • Make the salad right before serving so the tomatoes and cucumber stay crisp.

The variations

  • Swap the sardines for mackerel in oil, the flavor is a bit stronger but the texture stays the same.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the sardines with mashed chickpeas, a drizzle of olive oil and a pinch of cumin.
  • For kids, serve the spread on the side with bread sticks, they often prefer dipping to spreading.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of cold lemonade
  • Crunchy radishes on the side
  • A chilled cucumber soup starter

Storage

The sardine spread keeps for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container, but the toast is best eaten the same day to stay crisp. Don't freeze the spread, cream cheese and lemon don't hold up well after thawing. The composed salad doesn't keep, so toss it together just before serving.

Questions about this dish

Can you use a different cheese instead of cream cheese?

Yes, fresh goat cheese or cottage cheese both work well instead. Aim for a texture close to classic cream cheese so the spread stays smooth.

Do you need to remove the bones from canned sardines?

No, canned sardine bones are soft and perfectly fine to eat. If they still bother you, just remove the center bone.

Can you make the sardine spread ahead of time?

Yes, you can make it a few hours ahead and keep it in the fridge in a sealed container. Spread it on the bread only at the last minute so the toast stays crisp.

Will kids who don't like fish eat this?

Often yes, since the cream cheese and lemon soften the fishy taste a lot. Mash the mixture well so the texture is smooth and less recognizable.

How long does it take to make sardine toasts with a composed salad?

Count 15 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “very easy”.

How many calories are in sardine toasts with a composed salad?

About 580 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 sardine toasts with a composed salad cost?

About €2.30 per serving, or €9.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

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

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