This punchy spaghetti recipe is made with canned sardines in tomato sauce, tossed through a buttery white wine, garlic and saffron sauce. Scatter with olives and dress with a squeeze of lemon juice to serve. Don’t like sardines? You can swap in tinned tuna, if preferred.
Are you looking for more speedy pasta recipes?
Ingredients
You’ll need these…
Get cooking with these ingredient essentials
Method
Cook the spaghetti in a large saucepan of boiling salted water for 6-8 minutes or until al dente. Reserve ½ cup (125ml) cooking water, then drain the spaghetti. Set aside and cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a large deep-sided frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the fennel and cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until starting to soften. Add the garlic and cook for a further 2 minutes or until fragrant.
Add the tomato paste, saffron and wine to the pan and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until reduced slightly.
Add the reserved cooking water and spaghetti and cook, tossing, for 1 minute or until heated through and glossy. Add the undrained sardines and fold in until just combined. Drizzle with the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
Scatter sardine pasta with the olives and fennel fronds to serve.
Where can I buy sardines in tomato sauce?
Canned sardines in tomato sauce are available from most major supermarkets, as well as some green grocers and delis.
Sardine pasta variation
For a simple 6-ingredient sardine pasta, try our sardine and tomato pasta. It will also be on the table in 20 minutes!
