These mini Sardine Fish Cakes are served with a Spicy Yogurt Sauce, and are perfect to serve as Tapas or Hors D’Oeuvres.
Recipe by Sarah Trenalone on December 5, 2017
Prep time: PT10M
Cook time: PT10M
Total time: PT50M
Rating
4.94 stars (94 reviews)
Keywords
canned fish recipe, how to make sardine fish cakes
Ingredients
2 tins sardines (~4oz) packed in chili + oil, oil reserved (Or use unflavored sardines + refer to Recipe Notes below)
1/2 cup plain yogurt (whole milk)
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
2 twigs fresh thyme
2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 egg
1/2 cup plain yogurt (whole milk)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon capers brine (from capers jar)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
⅛ teaspoon cayenne powder, to taste (optional)
pinch salt, to taste
Categories
Appetizer
Cuisine
American
Steps
Remove sardines from tin, reserving oil, and place fish in a mixing bowl. Add remaining fish cake ingredients, along with the oil from one tin (about 2 TB) to the bowl.Gently mix all the ingredients together with a fork. Mix until incorporated, and then stop. (Do not use a blender or food processor for this step, because you don't want to purée the fish.)
Use a 1 TB measuring spoon (or another small scoop) and scoop the fish cake mix into small balls. One by one, roll the balls in your hands, and then flatten into small patties 2" across, and about 1/2" thick. You should end up with 15 - 18 patties, depending on the size of your scoop.Set patties on a rimmed baking sheet, large cast iron pan, or casserole dish. (Note: We've added oil to an oily fish. While cooking, oil from the fish will drain out of the fish, and the fish will fry in the oil under the broiler. Avoid using a rimless baking sheet, because the oil will drip all over your oven.)Refrigerate patties for about 30 minutes.
While fish cakes chill, mix together all the ingredients for the yogurt sauce. Make sure to taste as you add the cayenne and salt-- use more or less as desired. Put sauce in the refrigerator until it's time to serve.Move oven rack to the top 3rd of the oven (or about 6" from the broiler). Broil 5 minutes, flip, and broil 3-5 minutes more, until fish cakes are dark and golden.Remove cakes from pan (and residual oil) immediately. Serve while still hot with the yogurt sauce.Leftovers:Store leftover patties in the fridge, and use within 1-2 days. Use the sauce within a week.Make Ahead + Freeze: Let sardine cakes cool, and then wrap individually and tightly with wax paper, plastic wrap, or foil. Store in an air-tight container in the freezer, and use within three months. To reheat, simply unwrap and cook again. Cook until golden. Patties may take 2-3 minutes longer to cook from frozen.Sauce should not be frozen.
Nutitrion
Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 24 kcal
Carbohydrates: 2 g
Protein: 1 g
Cholesterol: 13 mg
Sodium: 213 mg
Reviews
Terry on 2026-04-15 (5 stars): They were excellent! So, so tasty. I'm thinking of testing subbing the yogurt with sour cream and/or (seasoned) mayo, or a bit of both.
:^)
Nikki on 2026-04-05 (5 stars): I subbed yogurt for cottage cheese that I smoothed in blender first. Came out awesome!
Anne on 2026-01-03 (5 stars): I don’t like spice, so I made these exactly as directed with regular season brand sardines. I didn’t make the sauce, but just ate them on buttered toast. So good! Really reminded me of a crab cake! I’m trying to learn to like sardines because they are so healthy. My 8, 6, and 5 year olds even surprised me by voluntarily eating them plain and liking them! Thanks for the great recipe! I really appreciate that I can just make them all at once under the broiler instead of flipping them in a pan in batches. Surprisingly easy!
Today, I at the leftovers cold in a sandwich with just a little mayo, and that wa also great!
Jen on 2025-06-28 (5 stars): These were a hit! So delicious. I added a can of sockeye salmon—bone-in, skin-on—to stretch the recipe a bit, and added more of the seasonings (could have doubled, in retrospect), used two small eggs, broiled most of them in the toaster oven, fried some in cast iron. Both ways were amazing. The sauce takes them over the top. Using the caper brine is genius.
Skye on 2024-12-08 (5 stars): I love this recipe! I know there’s instructions for freezing the cooked fish cakes, but would it be possible/a good idea to freeze them uncooked? I’d love to be able to make a fresh batch anytime. Thank you!
Jennie on 2023-12-10 (5 stars): These were absolutely fantastic and such a great alternative in place of salmon filets, salmon patties, other fish. Tried sardines out of can and did not care for that but this recipe sounded so good. Am so glad I tried this recipe! It will be a regular rotation now and hubby is asking already when we are going to have it again! Thank you!
