Smoked Sardines with Lemon-Garlic Vinaigrette
Quick, protein-packed sardines with a bright vinaigrette made from fresh lemon and garlic. This Mediterranean-inspired Whole30 recipe, ready in about 5 minutes, pairs sardines in olive oil, lemon, garlic for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 calories and feeds 1, so it slots cleanly into a Whole30 week and pairs well with roasted sweet potato or a simple olive-oil salad. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 3 oz sardines in olive oil
- 1/2 lemon
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
- 1/16 tsp black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Drain sardines well, removing any bones, and place in a small bowl.
- Step 2: Finely mince garlic and zest lemon, then squeeze juice over sardines.
- Step 3: Whisk together 2 tbsp olive oil, minced garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, 1/8 tsp sea salt, and 1/16 tsp black pepper.
- Step 4: Pour vinaigrette over sardines, gently flake with a fork, and stir in chopped parsley until evenly coated.









