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Linguine Pasta with Sardines, Fennel & Tomato

Name: Linguine Pasta with Sardines, Fennel &amp; Tomato
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Yield: Serves 2 to 4
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1 pinch Kosher or sea salt; 1 tin sardines packed in olive oil (about 4 ¼ oz.); 1 splash extra virgin olive oil; 2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled, smashed, and roughly chopped (up to 3 cloves total, to taste); 1 small or ½ large bulb fennel, fronds reserved; 1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes, or more to taste; 1 cup canned peeled tomatoes with their juice, gently crushed; 2 ounces white (dry) vermouth; 1 medium lemon, juice and zest; 1/3 cup toasted bread crumbs; 3/4 pound dry linguine

by: lastnightsdinner

July 12, 2021

4.4

16 Ratings

Linguine Pasta with Sardines, Fennel & Tomato

Prep time 10 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Serves 2 to 4

Jump to Recipe

Author Notes

Though some of you probably can’t imagine sardines being a crave-worthy food, I’ve been completely smitten with them since my first taste (a long-ago birthday dinner at Prune restaurant in NYC, where my husband and I shared a starter of sardines with Triscuits, mustard and cornichons). These days we’ve always got a few tins in the pantry at home, so it’s easy to put together one of our favorite weeknight dinners – linguine with sardines, fennel, and tomato, my version of a classic pasta dish known as “Linguine con Sarde.” The sweet, slightly caramelized fennel and the bright tomatoes and lemon work really well with the rich flavor of the sardines, and the crunchy breadcrumb topping makes for a fun textural contrast. Think you don’t like sardines? This simple pasta dish just might make you change your mind. (Note: It goes without saying you should use the best quality wild-caught tinned sardines you can find. Some of our favorites are Wild Planet, Cole's, MorGaDa, and BELA-Olhão, all of which I’ve used and any of which work well here. Also, tiny fresh tomatoes are a wonderful replacement for canned during the summer months - Super Sweet 100s, left whole, or halved small cherry varieties work beautifully. Just add a pint or so to the pan in step 3 and let them cook until softened.) - lastnightsdinner —lastnightsdinner

Test Kitchen Notes

When we tasted lastnightsdinner's rich, sea-infused pasta, our first thought was: "It's amazing that you can make something that tastes this good using fish from a can!" This simple, pantry dinner (the only thing you may have to shop for is the fennel) packs a punch with just a few ingredients. Perfectly al dente strands of pasta are tossed lightly in a sauce of garlic, fennel, tomato, lemon and vermouth, studded with briny bits of sardine; the oil from the canned sardines enriches the sauce, and a shower of lemony toasted breadcrumbs brightens the dish. We found it challenging to caramelize the fennel without burning the garlic; if you'd like, you can add the garlic after you've sauteed the fennel. - A&M —The Editors

Test Kitchen-Approved
Your Best Seafood Pasta Contest Winner

What You'll Need

Ingredients

1 pinch Kosher or sea salt
1 tin sardines packed in olive oil (about 4 ¼ oz.)
1 splash extra virgin olive oil
2 fat cloves of garlic, peeled, smashed, and roughly chopped (up to 3 cloves total, to taste)
1 small or ½ large bulb fennel, fronds reserved
¹/₄ teaspoon red chile flakes, or more to taste
1 cup canned peeled tomatoes with their juice, gently crushed
2 ounces white (dry) vermouth
1 medium lemon, juice and zest
¹/₃ cup toasted bread crumbs
³/₄ pound dry linguine

Directions

Bring a very large pot of heavily salted water to a boil.
Open the sardine tin and drain a tablespoon or so of the oil into a wide skillet (the amount of oil in the tin will vary by brand, so add additional extra virgin olive oil if necessary to make up a tablespoon). Warm the oil over medium-low heat and add the garlic, cooking until fragrant.
Trim the fennel and slice the bulb very thinly (a mandoline works great here). Add to the skillet with a sprinkle of salt, raise the heat to medium, and cook until the fennel is soft and beginning to caramelize. Add the chile flakes and let them sizzle for a minute, just until fragrant, then add the tomatoes with their juice. Cook until the liquid is reduced, then add the vermouth and let that reduce slightly.
Add the sardines to the skillet with the tomato and fennel mixture, breaking up slightly but leaving some chunks. Zest the lemon and combine a tablespoon or so of zest with the toasted breadcrumbs, then set aside. Juice the lemon and add the juice to the pan. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
Add the linguine to the boiling salted water, cooking it until it is just short of al dente. Using tongs, transfer the linguine to the sauce to finish cooking, adding a little bit of the starchy pasta water and tossing gently to combine. (You'll want to leave this a little wet, as the breadcrumbs will soak up the sauce and dry the pasta out a bit once you've added them.)
Transfer the pasta and sauce to a large warmed serving bowl (or individual pasta bowls), add a drizzle of olive oil, sprinkle on the toasted breadcrumb-lemon zest mixture, and garnish with picked small fennel fronds and the remaining lemon zest.

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deanna1001
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164 Reviews

deanna1001 May 16, 2023

I can't believe I never reviewed this recipe...have made a dozens of times, though not in the last coupe of years as my mother did not like fennel. Made again last night...pure heaven. I used spinach and chive linguine from Trader Joe's and doubled the sardines. This recipe never fails! Quick and easy with huge flavor reward!

Beth February 21, 2023

I come back to this recipe everytime i find fennel at our farmers market—everything else is already stocked in my pantry! Sooooo tasty and so convenient! Yum and yay!

Änneken July 12, 2021

Just made this again and I am not sure why I didn’t leave a review before. It’s so tasty and easy yet sophisticated and transports me to the Mediterranean every time!

V April 23, 2021

Yum! I didn't have any fennel so I skipped it--used fresh early girl tomatoes, and added plant based butter at the end. Also used GF fettucini (brown rice based) SO TASTY! I will definitely make it again and buy fennel.

Magen June 13, 2020

This has been my “me night” dinner for the past two years. My husband can’t stand the smell of sardines, so whenever he’s gone for dinner, I make this. I had never had sardines before this recipe, and it hooked me! It’s so delicious, I look forward to it for weeks. I’d make it every week if I could. Thank you so much for this recipe!

maryvelasquez April 30, 2020

Dear lastnightsdinner,
Of all the recipes on food52, this is the one I've made the most and it has definitely been the star during the stay at home order. We love it so much.

Kay April 9, 2020

I have made this several times. I use an entire package of linguine or spaghetti depending on pantry stock. I also use an entire can of tomatoes. It is a family favorite and often requested by my children. The fennel adds something magical. It has a kind of frutti di mare taste but is much more economical. Really hard to mess it up.

Kay April 9, 2020

I have made this several times, sometimes omitting the bread crumbs if I don't have good ones. It is a family favorite and often requested by my children. It has a kind of frutti di mare taste but is much more economical.

bhilz March 31, 2020

I used this recipe as a template last night to use up some fennel from a produce box and the results were fantastic! I happened to have some leftover Marcella Hazan-style tomato sauce in the fridge, and used some lemon pepper tuna fillets in olive oil instead of the sardines. I skipped the vermouth as well. The results were fresh and zippy, with just the right hint of the sea.

Pamela T. December 30, 2018

This recipe overall was a hit. I followed the recipe. The only suggestion is to maybe do half a lemon. Then add to taste.

icharmeat October 13, 2018

I really wanted to love this recipe. It was close to a "love" for me but i don't think my wife would be on board (not the recipe's fault). (my) Kids would be okay with it.
To be fair, I didn't follow the recipe exactly: I used good quality, smoked sardines in oil from Latvia and fresh tomatoes from my garden. my fennel bulb was organic and grown only five miles from my home. The problem is that it was harvested three weeks ago and has languished in my fridge. I cleared off the outer layers of the fennel that were damaged and tasted the newly exposed layer- sastisfacory. I subbed pernod for the vermouth to make up for the semi-wasted specimen of fennel that I used. It was pretty delicious out of the pan but the leftovers were not nearly as good, even with new bread crumbs/zest.

I know, pasta doesn't do well as a leftover. This wasn't a textural issue with the noodle, it was a somewhat overly sardiney component that came through. I'm portuguese and I ate right through it but I don't think my kids would have eaten it the next day.

angusb September 8, 2018

a quarter cup of currants adds to this fine recipe.

Julia April 1, 2018

The 'cup of tomatoes', is that a liquid or solid cup?

pottsy.1990 March 29, 2018

Wow was this delicious! Went down very very well with my husband too. I cut back on the linguine a bit and we liked it that way with more of the sauce/sardines and less pasta. Now I want to find more sardine recipes!

Analida B. February 28, 2018

This looks looks like a great dish for Lent and I can't wait to try it! A nice marinara sauce might go well with this dish as well: https://ethnicspoon.com/quick-and-easy-marinara-sauce/

FrugalCat November 21, 2017

Finally got around to making this. I used whole wheat penne and it came out great. I think next time I will try it with anchovies instead of sardines.

Tom B. March 13, 2017

I made this with one change--rather than sardines, I used Latvian smoked sprats in oil, which I had on hand from a local international market, but you can get them online from multiple sources (just more expensive that way). Served with Food52 grilled chard stems with anchovy vinaigrette (which I broiled rather than grilled, and made with sprats instead of anchovies--the sprats were in an 8.8 oz jar so I had leftover ones from the pasta), and Lahey no-knead bread. Really delicious.

Shortrib June 27, 2016

I thought myself lucky to have access to fresh butterflied sardines in the market here in Amsterdam. I love fish btw and I'm pretty adventurous. And normally I'm not bothered by bones. However, these little puppies were boned four times before we could swallow a mouthful: first by the fishmonger (backbone) ; next by me with the tweezers (took at least 40 mins and got a hand cramp!); again by me after removing from the frying pan (since I noticed all sorts of bones now poking out); and finally at the table where hubby and I were both still pulling bones from every bite! Ok, so I've read that sardine bones are so soft that you can just eat them (and they're good for you!) but honestly I couldn't do it. The recipe, by the way, and the fish was delicious! I am going to try it again with canned (softer bones) and see if that proves more joyful. So much for crowing about fresh sardines! (We drank a rose from Puglia along with, which we thought was a good match.)

Shel June 12, 2016

We made it to the letter. It was absolutely delicious. This will be a repeat. Wow!! Love all the layers, the fennel bulb, tomato, lemon, hot flaked peppers; it's all there in a single mouthful. We enjoyed it with Chianti.

Cheryl May 9, 2015

Really liked it. I used only 1/2 lb. pasta, though, and that worked for me. I would have liked a whole large fennel bulb, so will try next time.

Cheryl February 20, 2023

This time I used panko instead of breadcrumbs. Panko was too crunchy and breadcrumbs would have been better.

joan B. April 24, 2015

Followed this recipe to the letter, and it was super good, the next time I might add a wee bit of sirachi for a bigger hit of heat, but regardless, this was an excellent recipe. Used Portuguese sardines, so not so strong a fishy taste.

Melissa C. April 12, 2015

This is so so SO good. I made it for myself for dinner this evening and am scarfing it up along with a lovely sauvignon blanc and a whole lotta Frank Sinatra. :)

NazNyc March 25, 2015

I've made Dave Pasternacks recipe. Equally yummY!

heatheranne March 24, 2015

I'll have to try this! One of my favourite pasta dishes is something I saw on TV made at a restaurant in Italy - anchovies, capers, roasted cherry tomatoes, a bit of passata, and some fresh basil. So easy and so amazing. This seems quite similar.

Bethany C. February 16, 2015

This is a favorite of mine as well. Thanks so much for posting it!!

Sarah February 5, 2015

I make this all the time - probably more frequently than any other dish. It's so great and easy! I always leave out the vermouth, though. I'm not very good at cooking off alcohol.

elf1 February 5, 2015

Cooked this tonight and it was delicious...love fennel and the breadcrumbs (poor mans parmesan) were lovely sprinkled on the top. Calorie saving too!
Thank you for sharing, felt I was in Italy and not grey cold UK!

Regina L. October 8, 2014

I just made this last night and it was divine. Even my 6 and 8 year old devoured it and asked for more.

lavierouge August 20, 2014

Can your recipes start including calories too?

icharmeat August 25, 2019

With all of the resources on the interweb, it isn't very difficult for you to find the calories of the individual ingredients and calculate the calories per serving (plus, you are a better judge of a serving for yourself or your family than a suggested serving size). Folks posting recipes have done the heavy lifting by creating the dish.

Mary August 11, 2014

Is there a way to make this with only one burner? Sadly, my stove is out of order so all I have is a single burner and a microwave. If this is possible, I am really excited to try to make this. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!

p June 6, 2014

i just made this tonight and it's oh so very tasty. i liked it because it was pretty easy and gave me something to do with the fennel and little tomatoes i couldn't decide what to do with. love it!

sevenfaces April 4, 2014

Fantastic weeknight pantry meal. I managed to put this together in 20 minutes flat, even after a few glasses of wine under my belt! I used celery instead of fennel (I can never find it at the markets), retained a lovely bit of crunch even after the sauce cooked down. Adding a few twists of freshly ground black pepper works well with the lemon to really make this dish sing.

zOOmz March 28, 2014

I think it is worth it to make the recipe as it is without changing it. It was killer! Thank you!

kristina R. March 17, 2014

Super easy and quick recipe! I added kale and carrots and it worked wonderfully together with the other flavors. Oregano doesn't hurt this either :) The pasta can be any kind but I opted for fusili con buck and it was a great addition to the texture!

WeekendCook February 22, 2014

For Kim and other oily fish nay-sayers, I used to think that too, until I had the most delicious spaghetti with sardines and fennel at Morandi restaurant in NYC - it knocked me over it was so delicious. I am definitely going to try this recipe - Morandi used whole wheat pasta, and that might be a good counterweight to the sardines.

Laura L. February 16, 2014

Made this the other night and it was absolutely delicious! I used gluten free pasta and no breadcrumbs and everyone - especially my 15 year old son - raved about it. I added more lemon juice and zest to the sauce.

Gregory G. February 16, 2014

Just reading this and have decided this is our Sunday Winter Supper tonight.

twinjadojo January 27, 2014

Mr. Twinjas made this for us tonight and it was oh so good. He reports that he subbed a dry sherry for the vermouth, used a large lemon, and cheated back a bit on the breadcrumbs. The flavors in this dish (lots of my favorites in here) dance together, and are proof positive that you are seriously missing out if you avoid oily fishies. We love to mix it up with new dishes all the time, but this one is getting a spot on the go-to list. Thanks for this!

louanne January 13, 2014

This is similar to Pasta Milanese which is served at the St. Joseph altars in New Orleans. I have my one version with anchovies, but sardines are what my grandma and mom used.

hana January 12, 2014

consider adding plumped raisins and toasted pine nuts to the above recipe. makes great addition and texture flavor layers variation

Kim December 15, 2013

I think you could substitute Italian sausage for the fish!! I do not think oily fish goes with pasta or much of anything else.

Rosie2012 September 16, 2013

How long did this take? Total time and a break down of each component if possible please. I hope to serve this for a dinner party soon! I just want to make sure I get the timing right!

Miachel P. August 11, 2013

Tried it with great results! Added in fresh basil and skipped the vermouth.

scootermagoo June 28, 2013

I really enjoyed this. I had to change a few things, because of what I had on hand: whole wheat spaghetti, white wine vinegar, and my whole tomatoes had basil, but it was still fantastic! Thanks so much for posting!

midnitechef April 4, 2013

ginampen April 4, 2013

Great recipe! Made it last night and it was a hit, I would not change a thing.

Einat March 10, 2013

i am a new comer to this group. made this pasta yesterday - i think it may be the best pasta i ever made. exchanged vermot for pastis to enhance the anise taste... wow.

ChefManuela March 6, 2013

This is a simplified Pasta con le Sarde, so popular now.
Should add pineseed, raisin and a bit of sugar (this the only pasta where italians would add sugar!) can you find "finocchietto selvatico" tip of wild fennel plant ?. That is a must. Forget the vermouth then.
www.cooking-class-authentic-tuscany.com

JackieP January 14, 2013

deee-lish! just made this tonight and was very satisfied w/the results! i truly fell in love with sardines (and anchovies, etc) while on my honeymoon in Spain nearly a year and a half ago, but have never thought to try to cook them myself. so 2013 presents an opportunity to start diversifying my cooking repertoire, and this did the trick! i also find the combo of flavors so interesting and lovely: first the lemon, then the fennel and maybe the vermouth, then the kick of red pepper at the end! i actually used fresh sardines (maybe 1/2 to 3/4 of a pound) and used regular olive oil for cooking. sardines are pretty fishy no matter how you slice them, but maybe for those who are sensitive to it, try fresh ones. they are more expensive than the tin version, but as fresh fish goes, they are still pretty cheap.

Tina M. September 23, 2012

A very refined version of my late mother-in-law's home version. She, from inland Southwestern Sicily, would lightly stuff the sardines with a bread/pinenut/raisin mixture and then fry them with wild fennel and olive oil and garlic. Breadcrumbs were a must (the pauper's grated cheese) but there were neither tomatoes or lemon in hers. I welcome the added zest and shall try this version anon.

Tina M. September 23, 2012

Emily_JK August 9, 2012

this was a wondrously easy dinner. subbed a splash of vodka for the vermouth and it all worked out great!

TayEvs July 23, 2012

I made this last night and unfortunately we had to scrap it and have salad for dinner. I quite enjoy grilled sardines and I was of the though that all the flavor from the fennel would help mellow the fish flavor out, but quite the opposite seemed to happen. The dish's fish flavor was far too potent. I'm wondering if it's possible I did something wrong, but if not than I would not recommend this recipe unless you are a die hard sardine lover.

Brunella July 3, 2012

I made this this last week and everyone loved it. The flavors are so clean and fresh, the fennel adds a nice twist to the dish. I haven't had a sardine for over 20 years, I have a new appreciation for the little fish!

Eric W. May 21, 2012

Made this for my wife, who initially turned her nose up at sardines. It was excellent. I used whole wheat pasta, and it really very healthy.

LDeuben April 26, 2012

This recipe was delicious. My husband and I just moved to Norway where canned fish is plentiful and everything else is astronomically expensive! And so, this was the perfect meal for our first dinner guests at our new home in Oslo. When I was completing the preparation of the dish it looked so good that I skipped the part about adding some additional pasta. This was a mistake because by the time it was served, the dish was a bit dry. Other than that, it was outstanding will be added to my regular fare for dinner parties in Norway!

Loke March 12, 2012

Made this the other day and loved it. I used a can of Cento sardines and I will say they were a little too fishy. Next time I will try and find a better tin, decrease the lemon juice a tad and use fresh conquese plum tomato. I served it with a little pasta water, crushed red pepper and olive oil as a the condiments. Definitely will try this again.

MoLiver4u March 12, 2012

sorry for the spam...I thought it hadn't posted so I kept clicking add:(

MoLiver4u March 12, 2012

Made this for dinner tonight..my husband doesn't like Fennel but it grows wild in my garden (thanks to having planted it like 5 years ago) so I decided to add it anyway when making this. SUCCESS! This was wonderful! I accidentally used Pernod instead of vermouth but apparently it was a happy accident because it was delicious! I've pinned this on pinterest and already I'm getting lots of repins and likes, it tastes as good as it sounded!

MoLiver4u March 12, 2012

student E. March 7, 2012

just finished eating this for dinner and it was delicious! (my fiance is currently eating a second bowl!) totally converted to sardines -- i used some smoked ones, on the recommendation of my father. the only change i'd make when i make it again is to decrease the lemon juice -- it was just on the sour side for me.

charlieayes March 2, 2012

Added chopped dried black olives. I think it is fantastic!

craftaddiction February 16, 2012

I made this for Valentine's dinner and it was a success. I don't like sardines from "old family recipes", and I stay away from it like the plague. But when I saw this recipe and labeled as the winner of a seafood pasta, I had to give it a try. I purchased sardines that was recommended by the contributor and it was a success. I am now a sardine convert. I would recommend making this recipe. It was a perfect weeknight dinner menu also.

thurston February 8, 2012

I made this tonight and was very pleased with the results. I only had baby fennel from the CSA, which didn't have the same flavor as a more mature bulb, but you could still taste its presence. I should have halved the breadcrumbs as I only used 4 ounces of pasta for the two of us, but I think I ate every last crumbs, so I guess that says something!

Chez N. January 25, 2012

Yum sardines!

biennourri November 18, 2011

Delicious. My small children enjoyed it too. It's also very economical.

boulangere September 25, 2011

It's pasta week on the curriculum, and this comes up on Monday. Can't wait.

BlueKaleRoad September 20, 2011

I printed this long ago to make and finally did last night...now I'm kicking myself that I didn't jump on it sooner! The whole family loved it! Thank you for sharing. :)

badzil September 15, 2011

On my left, French guy. Enjoying sardines since childhood. On my right, American girl. Never eaten sardines. Doesn't like them.

Tonight I cooked this for her. She said it was delicious. I guess that we're going to be eating more sardines around here. Thanks.

PatriciaG August 28, 2011

This was so incredibly delicious! I didn't have vermouth in the house, so skipped that part. I diced a plum tomato and added that instead. Every bite had another delightful surprise. Thank you for this recipe - it will be something I make often.

Clm2020 August 19, 2011

This dish sounds absolutely amazing, and I can't wait to prepare it for dinner tomorrow night. Not only does it look beautiful, but the recipe is also very healthy.

xoj9 August 11, 2011

made this last night for my husband and I and it was fab!

lastnightsdinner August 11, 2011

Thank you!

Sara July 3, 2011

What would you all suggest using in place of Vermouth? I don't cook with or drink alcohol... but this recipe looks DELICIOUS!

Thanks in advance!

lastnightsdinner July 4, 2011

You should be able to omit it with no problem, or just add a splash of water or extra lemon juice in its place. Enjoy!

drbabs April 17, 2011

I made this tonight--it was fabulous! And I added some fresh peas--so good--thanks again for a great recipe.

lastnightsdinner July 4, 2011

Oh, fresh peas sound like a wonderful addition! Glad you liked it!

Midge April 9, 2011

This was a cinch to make and so, so good. Going in the pasta rotation for sure.

lastnightsdinner April 9, 2011

So glad you liked it! And thank you!

Bevi April 7, 2011

Congrats on your upcoming new arrival, and keep eating healthy!!

lastnightsdinner April 9, 2011

Thanks so much!

lastnightsdinner April 7, 2011

This has been in heavy rotation in our house since I learned I was pregnant (and we're having it again tonight, in fact). I'm really delighted that so many of you have tried and liked this dish! Thank you for all of your wonderful comments!

fiveandspice April 7, 2011

Congratulations to you! What exciting news. Eat lots of those little fish for the baby's brain development!!!

lastnightsdinner April 9, 2011

Thank you! The little fish are some of my favorites, and I'm eating a ton of them :)

cilantro March 9, 2011

Made this tonight but only had tuna packed in olive oil in the pantry, no sardines.
But it was really delicious.

hardlikearmour March 9, 2011

Glad to hear that tuna worked! I will have to give it a try.

stephen_corona March 8, 2011

so good. i did without the fennel because i don't know what it is and i'm a poor college student. and used white wine instead of vermouth.

thirschfeld March 7, 2011

made this tonight...de-li-cious

rachelib March 2, 2011

Just finished eating/demolishing this for dinner. I don't know that I've had sardines before - it was excellent - my 8-year old enjoyed too.

GSmodden February 15, 2011

The lemon-zested bread crumbs are what give this dish that certain something extra. It's an easy dinner to make on a weeknight. It turned out quite delicious.

RMScott February 15, 2011

Fantastic and I found the simple canned in oil sardines perfect. Finding them in oil these days is no easy task because it seems everyone wants them in spring water.....

pierino February 15, 2011

Well then, try www.canneryrowsardineco.com This is the product of a genius young entrepreneur who came up with the idea of bringing sardines back to Cannery Row. Okay, I know the guy personally. The company is based in Monterey but the sardines might come from anywhere on the Pacific Coast. Gotta follow the fish. They are tinned under USDA oversight.

deensiebat February 15, 2011

Made it last night, and everyone loved it. The breadcrumbs and fennel fronds totally make it -- I am converted to the power of the garnish.

lastnightsdinner February 14, 2011

Yay! To all of you who have tried and liked this, I'm so glad - and thank you!

drbabs February 14, 2011

Hey, Jen--I made this tonight--I accidentally put a LITTLE too many chile flakes in it so it was hot but SO Good! I will definitely make this regularly--it is a great weeknight meal!
Thanks so much.

elltea February 12, 2011

We just made this for dinner tonight... SO delicious and easy! Thank you for sharing and congratulation on your well-deserved win!

lechef February 10, 2011

Congrats! I made this last night, and it definitely deserved to win! I am glad to have another pantry staple recipe to pull out on those nights when you just want a quick, delicious dinner without any hassle.

Daphne February 10, 2011

Pantry dinner recipes save me! I love not having to always plan ahead! Will buy sardines next time at the store and report back to you pronto on my results! Prune and NYC, they are still ahead of me, in my dreams, hope to visit both one day! Thank you for the recipe!

Daphne February 10, 2011

Made this tonight! It's a great winter meal, rich and flavorful. I made chocolate cake for dessert, it's nice to have something sweet after.

lillianrossc February 9, 2011

Yum!

lastnightsdinner February 9, 2011

Thanks again, everyone! I want to give huge props to the incredibly talented melissav, too - I can't wait to try her catfish recipe!

halfasiangirl February 9, 2011

I can't wait to make this; I LOVE sardines and think this combination sounds so wonderful. Congratulations and thank you for sharing it!

melissav February 9, 2011

I bow to the seafood goddess! A well deserved congratulations.

Waverly February 9, 2011

Lovely recipe. I cannot wait to try it.....what a perfect dish for any night of the week. Congratulations.

Stockout February 9, 2011

Congratulations!! I just bought my first tin of sardines today and I am going to eat this winning dish for dinner tonight. Although my Dad ate sardine sandwiches all the time, I never could take that plunge. Now that I am all grown up I am giving them a go...brava!!

cheese1227 February 9, 2011

Wow, lady. You are rockin' book 2! Congrats. I'm note sure my kids will like this one as much as the hunter's chicken, but I know I will.

Table9 February 9, 2011

Congrats! So wonderful.

lastnightsdinner February 9, 2011

Wow, thank you all so much!!!

Kitchen B. February 9, 2011

Congratulations - it looks great

Bevi February 9, 2011

Congrats! This is a great win!

mrslarkin February 9, 2011

Woo hoo! Winner! Congrats, Jen! I bought my sardines!! Husband gave me strange looks, but I can't wait to give this a try. :)

drbabs February 9, 2011

Me too! I bought sardines yesterday! Congratulations!

midnitechef February 6, 2011

I've never been a fan of sardines (or anchovies for that matter) but you've interested me in at least giving this a go. Congrats for being a finalist :)

lastnightsdinner February 8, 2011

Thank you!

lastnightsdinner February 5, 2011

Again, thanks so much, everyone!

edamame2003 February 3, 2011

you may convert me with this dish. when my dad visits me he stocks the pantry with sardines and I have no idea what to do with them. now i know...thank you! and congrats to you!

Sagegreen February 3, 2011

Congrats, Jen! You may convert the masses with this dish.

shayma February 3, 2011

gorgeous flavours coming together here, Jen. you have my vote :) x shayma

monkeymom February 3, 2011

I love that this recipe can turn humble pantry items into something stellar. And I love sardines, can't wait to try it. Congrats LND!

wanderash February 3, 2011

I was just gazing longingly at a can of sardines in the store today-- now I have a delicious reason to go back and get them! Great recipe! Good Luck!

Greenstuff February 3, 2011

I must have sensed something, as I just arrived home with two tins of sardines--a somewhat unusual purchase for me--and see that this recipe has been named a finalist! Congrats, I can't wait to make it.

WinnieAb February 3, 2011

Yay- congrats! You know I love me some sardines, and this pasta sounds completely amazing. Best part is I have everything i need to make it in the house right now.

TasteFood February 3, 2011

Congratulations! This sounds great - you had me with the sardines.

lastnightsdinner February 3, 2011

Thanks, everyone, for your wonderful comments, and thanks food52 for selecting this as a finalist! I'm just thrilled. I'm kind of on a mission to convert people into sardine fans :)

Kayb February 3, 2011

If one were not a fennel fan, what would you recommend substituting for it in this dish? Love to try it, but just not crazy about fennel.

lastnightsdinner February 3, 2011

Hi Kayb - my first thought would be celery, or maybe some mild sweet onions?

Cara E. February 3, 2011

I make one like this, but with raw fennel and saffron. This looks wonderful...considering trying it tonight! Congrats!

fortheloveofyum February 3, 2011

mmmmm! love this! Congrats on being a finalist!

LazizaBites February 3, 2011

wow,this sounds delicious - I might make this soon - have everything but the sardines!
voted ;)

Aliwaks February 3, 2011

Looks wonderful!

Good enough to make me want to try to eat sardines again, but maybe not...I really wish I liked them, sardine dishes always sound amazing, I keep trying them and it never works out for me...frustrating.

They seem such an integral part of this but have to ask, what would you substitute?

lastnightsdinner February 3, 2011

Hm... I'd say anchovies would work well if you like them, or you could try some good canned tuna - a bit of imported bonito or something like that. Let me know if you try with an alternate fish - I'd love to know how it turns out!

IndianSimmer February 3, 2011

Lovely recipe! Just voted for you! Good luck :-)

Nora February 3, 2011

I love sardines--rich, fishy, good for you!--and I think this is brilliant.

fiveandspice February 3, 2011

Congratulations! This looks phenomenal! And I do have everything needed to make it in my pantry already...onto the menu it goes!

Midge February 3, 2011

Hurray lnd!

onetribegourmet February 3, 2011

Congrats!!! Just voted for you! Good Luck! :)

Table9 February 3, 2011

I just knew this one would be a finalist! It is so wonderful...what great ingredients. Congrats!

mrslarkin February 3, 2011

Congrats, lnd! This sounds so so great! Might even crumble me some Triscuits over the top. ;)

hardlikearmour February 3, 2011

Congrats! Had I feeling I'd see this as a finalist.

tigressnuma February 1, 2011

i tried this, it was really good. i dont use sardines much! also i didn't have breadcrumbs on hand but i did have raw pinenuts. i toasted them and chopped them up. real nice substitute with lemon zest!

lastnightsdinner February 1, 2011

Oh, the pine nuts sound like a lovely addition - so glad you liked this!

SwoonMySpoon January 29, 2011

Just made this for dinner. Love it! I've officially added to my list of go-to dinners. I'm on my second serving.

lastnightsdinner January 30, 2011

I'm so glad you liked it!

drbabs January 26, 2011

Perfect weeknight meal!

lastnightsdinner January 26, 2011

I agree - it's so easy, and we've always got what we need on hand to put it together :)

melissav January 25, 2011

I had this for dinner tonight and very much enjoyed it.

lastnightsdinner January 26, 2011

Oh, I'm so glad - thanks for letting me know!

pierino January 24, 2011

Damn! I love sardines as much as I love Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers. Great ideas at work here. I also love Prune when I can squeeze into that tiny place---I feel like a sardine.

lastnightsdinner January 25, 2011

I take this as high praise coming from you, sir. Thank you.

shayma January 23, 2011

mmmm i hope this gets chosen- (oops, am i not supposed to say that in public? ;) x shayma

lastnightsdinner January 25, 2011

Shayma, you're too kind - thank you :)

dymnyno January 22, 2011

Yum, this is my kind of recipe...I love those little fish!

lastnightsdinner January 23, 2011

Thank you! I can't get enough of them :)

Midge January 22, 2011

You are on a roll! This looks so up my alley.

lastnightsdinner January 22, 2011

Thanks, Midge! It's one of our favorite pantry suppers :)

maryvelasquez January 22, 2011

I have almost everything I need to make this. Can't wait! Can I substitute sardines packed in water? Or should I just get the oil packed?

lastnightsdinner January 22, 2011

Hi Mary - I don't see why not! Just add a tablespoon or so of regular olive oil to the pan instead of the oil from the tin. I hope you like it - I'm making it for dinner tonight :)

maryvelasquez January 25, 2011

Delicious! After the rich winter food I've been eating, this pasta was almost refreshing. Very clean tasting. The lemon zest + juice really makes it.

lastnightsdinner January 25, 2011

Thanks so much! I'm so thrilled you liked it!

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