Green Salad with Sardines

High-Protein Sardine Salad

Green salad with sardines and vegetables topped with a simple garlic sour cream dressing. No cooking, filling, and easy to make for a cold lunch or quick dinner.

This is a quick meal that comes together in minutes and keeps you full without cooking.

I've been eating salads like this for as long as I can remember. Nothing is easier than popping open a can and dropping it over a salad. It turns a salad into a real meal, and honestly, how much tuna can you eat anyway?

The dressing tastes great and can easily replace mayonnaise in most creamy salass recipes like veggie tuna and egg salad.

If you choose sardines packed in water with just fish and salt on the label, they're about as close to whole food as canned food gets.

What are Sardines?

Sardines are small oily fish most often sold canned in water or oil. They've been eaten for generations because they're affordable, shelf-stable, and filling. They're also a staple in Mediterranean cooking, where they're typically served simply with greens, lemon, and olive oil.

Sardines have a mild, savory flavor and a soft but meaty texture. They're high in protein and naturally rich in omega-3 fats, calcium, and vitamin D. Because they're small fish, they're lower on the food chain and generally contain less mercury than larger fish.

I like Wild Planet sardines packed in water. They're larger and more firm than most other brands, which can sometimes be mushy. Sustainably caught in the North Pacific, they're my top choice. The package also notes they are scale-free.

Ingredients

Makes 2 servings

I'm using a mixture of arugula and romaine lettuce. You can use a blend of any lettuce you have. Yes, iceberg is ok too!

• Sardines packed in water, drained
• Arugula
• Romaine lettuce, chopped or torn
• Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• Red onion or scallions, thinly sliced
• Cooked beets, diced
• Flaked sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Lemon wedges

Garlic Sour Cream Dressing

You can also use tzatziki sauce or hummus for the dressing.

I'm using Cabot 10% fat yogurt. It's very thick so I've added a little olive oil. To thin thick yogurt, use extra virgin olive oil, milk, or water.

If you're in a rush or want to keep it dairy free, a squeeze of fresh lemon works instead of dressing.

• Greek yogurt or sour cream
• Minced garlic
• Chopped parsley or basil
• Lemon juice
• Extra virgin olive oil, milk or water, for thinning
• Salt and pepper to taste

Additional Toppings

• Broccoli sprouts
• Capers
• Olives
• Diced cucumbers
• Chopped dill

Recipe For Sardine Salad

1. In a medium bowl, whisk the yogurt, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use. You can thin the dressing with additional olive oil, milk or water to make it pourable.
2. Slice the onion and place it in a bowl of cold water until ready to use to remove the harsh taste.
3. In a large salad bowl, toss the arugula with the Romaine. Top with the tomatoes, onions, and diced beets.
4. Lay the sardines over the salad.
5. Sprinkle some sea salt and grind some black pepper over the top.
6. Serve with the sour cream dressing.

Storage

• Store leftover salad and dressing separately.
• The dressed greens will wilt fast, so only dress what you plan to eat.
• Sardines and vegetables keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
• Dressing will keep 3-4 days refrigerated.

More High Protein Seafood Meals

• Boiled Shrimp with Old Bay
• Steamed Shrimp and Broccoli
• Sheet Pan Fish and Vegetables
• Shrimp Tortilla Wraps
• Salmon with Coconut Aminos
• Baked Salmon Salad
• Fish with Lemon Caper Sauce

Check out all of our high protein fish recipes for more!