This Sardine Fried Rice has that delicious salty-savory bite and meaty texture of sardines paired with the earthiness of regular fried rice, the sweetness of spring onions, and the fieriness of ginger, all sautéed in coconut oil with a hint of cumin and coriander!
Ready in 15 minutes, this is quick and easy meal with lots of flavor that tastes like you spent tons of time and effort in kitchen!
Sardine Fried Rice
I’m gobbling up a huge bowl of this exact Sardine Fried Rice as I write this to – hopefully – better conjure the flavor of this dish.
This Sardine Fried Rice has that delicious salty-savory bite and meaty texture of sardines paired with the earthiness of regular fried rice, the sweetness of spring onions, and the fieriness of ginger, all sautéed in coconut oil with a hint of cumin and coriander!
If you ask me, this is the best fried rice on Earth but I may be highly biased, which is why I can’t wait for you guys to try it and let me know what you think!!
Why you should try this fried rice:
- Flavorful. The salty-savory bite and meaty texture of sardines meets the earthiness of regular fried rice with egg and a touch of soy sauce!
- Aromatic. The spring onions, garlic, and ginger are sautéed in coconut oil and seasoned with cumin, and coriander, giving the dish a hint of warmness, citrus, fieriness and extra earthiness.
- Quick and easy. Ready in just 15 minutes, this fried rice is perfect for weeknights and whenever you don’t feel like cooking but still crave a delicious meal!
- Filling. This dish won’t have you looking for more! Sardines and eggs have a high protein content that will help keep you full for longer!
Ingredients for Sardine Fried Rice
Coconut oil for sautéing. I highly recommend using coconut oil for flavor but peanut, canola, sunflower, or vegetable also work. Do not use olive oil as the flavor would be too strong and has nothing to do with the rest of the ingredients used and overall vibe of the dish.
Spring onions. You want to use the white part for sautéing and the green part for topping so make sure to keep the green part raw for some zest and freshness!
Garlic for flavor.
Ginger for flavor. You can leave it out if you don’t have it on hand or don’t like it, the dish will still taste delicious.
Cumin. Use ground cumin.
Coriander. Use ground coriander. You can also use fresh cilantro if you prefer, in that case I would recommend just using it raw as a topping, maybe instead of spring onions.
Salt and pepper for seasoning.
Canned sardines. I used canned sardines in olive oil but canned sardines in water will also work. I haven’t tried this dish with the ones in tomato sauce yet but I think they might still work but the result and overall flavor would be totally different though so I can’t recommend it as it would be different enough to be another recipe and require adjustments.
Egg. That’s what makes fried rice fried rice. Make sure you beat your eggs separately, prior to adding them to the pan so they will scramble evenly.
Rice. When it comes to fried rice, you ideally want to use day-old cooked rice because the overall texture is best for this type of dish but I always forget to make it ahead of time and never have leftovers and almost always make mine with same-day cooked and cooled rice. It works. It’s good. Just make sure your rice cools down completely.
Soy sauce (use GF for GF eaters). Optional but highly recommended. While not all fried rice contains soy sauce, this dish tastes amazing with just a hint of soy sauce. You can leave it out if desired (I tried it without soy sauce and it was just as delicious, you might need more salt though).
How to make Sardine Fried Rice
STEP ONE: Saute the vegetables. Add the coconut oil to a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the spring onions, garlic and ginger. Season with cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Saute until the onions are soft and fragrant (2-3 minutes).
STEP TWO: Add the sardines. Add the canned sardines to the skillet and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
STEP THREE: Add the egg. Slide all the ingredients to one side of the pan and pour the beaten egg onto the empty side of the pan. Immediately start swirling a wooden spoon or spatula in the egg to make it curdle, essentially making a scrambled egg. Once the egg is scrambling and still runny on top, add the rice and mix everything together as you keep cooking. Add the soy sauce, if desired.
STEP FOUR: Serve. Serve the rice topped with sliced spring onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy! This dish is delicious both warm and at room-temperature.
Can I make this ahead of time?
I wouldn’t recommend it. The flavor of sardines might get stronger and fishier overtime, overpowering all the other ingredients.
Can I store Sardine Fried Rice?
I don’t recommend storing this fried rice for longer than a day as the flavor of sardines might get stronger and fishier and overpower all the other ingredients.
To store it simply add it to an air-tight container and chill it in the refrigerator. Make sure to reheat it until hot before enjoying.
HAPPY COOKING!! I hope you'll love this Sardine Rice recipe as much as I do!
PS: Please leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ⭐️ if you make it! Your comments make my day!! You can also tag me on Instagram @itsdamnspicy 🌈💘
More rice recipes you'll enjoy:
- Ecuadorian Rice And Beans (Menestra Recipe)
- Greek Lemon Rice
- Chicken And Yellow Rice (Arroz Con Pollo)
- Sticky Teriyaki Tofu Rice Bowl
Sardine Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil (or vegetable, sunflower, canola, peanut oil)
- 2 bulbs spring onions (mince the white part, reserve the green parts for topping)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- Salt and pepper
- 8.8 oz (250 g) canned sardines (in olive oil or water)
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 4 cups (560 g) cooked long-grain rice (day-old or same-day but cooled)
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce (optional but recommended)
Instructions
- Saute the vegetables. Add the coconut oil to a large non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add in the spring onions, garlic and ginger. Season with cumin, coriander, salt, and pepper. Saute until the onions are soft and fragrant (2-3 minutes).
- Add the sardines. Add the canned sardines to the skillet and cook for another 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
- Add the egg. Slide all the ingredients to one side of the pan and pour the beaten egg onto the empty side of the pan. Immediately start swirling a wooden spoon or spatula in the egg to make it curdle, essentially making a scrambled egg. Once the egg is scrambling and still runny on top, add the rice and mix everything together as you keep cooking. Add the soy sauce, if desired.
- Serve. Serve the rice topped with sliced spring onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy! This dish is delicious both warm and at room-temperature.
Notes
📷 DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?! Tag @itsdamnspicy on Instagram and hashtag it #itsdamnspicy
Leave a Reply