Italian · lunch, dinner
Pasta con le Sarde (Sicilian Sardine Pasta)
Video by Vincenzo's Plate on YouTube · Open on YouTube
- Pescatarian
- Dairy-free
Contains: Gluten, Fish, Tree nuts. Check labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes.
About 35 g of protein and 1.4 g of omega-3 a serve, and the canned sardines and anchovies make it rich in vitamin B12, selenium and calcium. The fat is mostly olive oil and pine nuts; a generous plate at about 925 kcal.
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Ingredients 15
Method
Tap a time to watch that step in the video.
- Steep the saffron in a glass of hot water (ideally the day before). Pick the leafy fronds off the fennel and boil them in unsalted water for 5–7 minutes; lift them out, chop finely and keep the water for the pasta. 2:23
- Toast the pine nuts in a dry pan over medium-low until golden and set aside. Add 2 tbsp olive oil and toast the breadcrumbs, stirring, for about 5 minutes until golden; set aside. 4:18
- Warm 4–5 tbsp olive oil over medium-low with the onion. Add a splash of water and the garlic, then the anchovies, stirring until they melt. Stir in the tomato paste, adding a splash of water if it dries out. 6:26
- Add the chopped fennel and sultanas, then half the saffron water. Lay in the sardines and cook under 2 minutes without breaking them up. Season with pepper (salt only if needed) and add the rest of the saffron water as it reduces. 8:37
- Bring the fennel water back to the boil, topping it up if needed, add 1 tbsp salt and cook the spaghetti until al dente. Save a mug of pasta water. 10:04
- Drain the pasta into the sauce with the pine nuts and toss, adding splashes of pasta water so it coats the spaghetti. Serve topped with sardine pieces and plenty of toasted breadcrumbs. 11:08
Tip. The cook used canned Spanish sardines; fresh cleaned sardine fillets are traditional. Serves 2–3 (the cook's estimate).
The method is a summary in our words — the video shows every step.
One serve gives you 1 of 3
Where the energy comes from one serve
- Net carbs 38%
- Protein 16%
- Fat 46%
For comparison, low-carb eating usually gets under 26% of its energy from carbs, and ketogenic eating under 10%. Why this is here
Lower-carb idea. About 76% of the 85 g of net carbs come from the spaghetti. To cut carbs, try half the pasta and more vegetables, or zucchini noodles.
Vitamins & minerals % of a day, one serve · tap for more
Vitamin B12 High250%
6 µg a serve, mostly from good-quality canned sardines (99%). Keeps nerves and blood cells healthy. Found almost only in animal foods and fortified foods (some plant milks, nutritional yeast), so vegans need a reliable source.
Selenium High186%
102 µg a serve, mostly from spaghetti (56%). Part of the body's antioxidant enzymes and needed for thyroid hormones. Seafood, eggs, meat and Brazil nuts are rich sources.
Omega-3 High85%
1.4 g a serve, mostly from good-quality canned sardines (73%). Omega-3 fats support the heart and brain. Oily fish give EPA and DHA; walnuts, flax, chia and canola give ALA, which the body converts only a little.
Vitamin E High48%
7.2 mg a serve, mostly from virgin olive oil (41%). An antioxidant that protects cell membranes. Nuts, seeds and plant oils such as olive oil are the main sources.
Iron High29%
5.2 mg a serve, mostly from good-quality canned sardines (37%). Carries oxygen in your blood. Iron from plants absorbs better with vitamin C in the same meal — lemon, tomato or capsicum.
Zinc High28%
3.1 mg a serve, mostly from spaghetti (36%). Needed for immunity, wound healing, taste and growth. Meat, seafood, legumes, seeds and whole grains supply it.
Magnesium High27%
112 mg a serve, mostly from spaghetti (35%). Takes part in hundreds of reactions — energy, muscles, nerves, blood sugar and bones. Nuts, seeds, legumes and whole grains are good sources.
Calcium High26%
334 mg a serve, mostly from good-quality canned sardines (76%). Builds bones and teeth and helps muscles and nerves work. Dairy, calcium-set tofu, sardines with their bones and some greens supply it.
Vitamin K High22%
27 µg a serve, mostly from virgin olive oil (46%). Needed for blood clotting and bones. Leafy greens and herbs are very rich in it. If you take warfarin, keep your intake steady and talk to your doctor.
Vitamin B6 High20%
0.3 mg a serve, mostly from good-quality canned sardines (33%). Helps turn food into energy and make brain messengers. Chickpeas, fish, poultry, potatoes and bananas are good sources.
Vitamin D Source17%
3.3 µg a serve, mostly from good-quality canned sardines (97%). Helps you absorb calcium for bones and supports muscles. Few foods have much — oily fish, eggs, UV-exposed mushrooms, fortified milks. Sunlight is the main source.
Potassium Source15%
720 mg a serve, mostly from good-quality canned sardines (37%). Balances sodium to help control blood pressure and keeps muscles and nerves working. Beans, potatoes, leafy greens and fruit are rich sources.
Folate Source10%
41 µg a serve, mostly from spaghetti (38%). Needed to make DNA and new cells — especially important before and in early pregnancy. Legumes and leafy greens are rich sources.
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Vitamin C6%
5.7 mg a serve, mostly from red onion (32%). An antioxidant needed for collagen, immunity and iron absorption. Long cooking destroys some, so raw herbs, citrus and capsicum help.
Vitamin A3%
28 µg a serve, mostly from good-quality canned sardines (76%). Keeps eyes, skin and the immune system healthy. Orange vegetables and dark greens give beta-carotene, which the body turns into vitamin A.
Estimated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central values; % of a day uses the food-label daily values. How this works
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Recipe and video by Vincenzo's Plate; the method summary, nutrition estimate and diet notes are Notbroken’s. General information about food, not dietary advice.