When sardines are in season, they deserve the spotlight – and the fish landed off Devon and Cornwall are some of the best in the world.
This recipe gives puttanesca a little extra swagger: we start with the usual anchovy-rich, tomato-based sauce – salty, garlicky, chilli-kissed, and full of capers and olives before flaking in the crispy skin and tender flesh of freshly grilled sardines right at the end, just before serving.
The result? Deep umami from the anchovies, real fishiness from the sardines, and a beautifully balanced sauce that works just as well with spaghetti or linguine as it does with a hearty slab of sourdough.
Born in the bustling backstreets of Naples, Spaghetti alla Puttanesca has a risqué little backstory – let’s just say it was the dish of choice for women who worked late nights and needed dinner in a hurry.
That spirit lives on in our version: fast, full of flavour, and a reminder that sardines really are one of the most underrated heroes of the British summer.
Here’s how to make it.
Seasonal sardine puttanesca
Description
A quick, summery pasta dish that celebrates British sardines at their best.
Grilled fresh sardines are flaked into a light, anchovy-based tomato sauce with olives, capers, garlic and chilli - a seasonal twist on classic puttanesca that’s full of flavour and ready in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
Instructions
Let's cook!
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Prepare your sardines
Rinse the sardines under cold water and carefully gut them — removing the gills at the same time.
Pat dry, brush with olive oil on both sides, and season with salt and pepper. Place the fish on a lightly oiled grill rack.
Place a foil-lined tray under the rack — believe us, this will save a lot of time cleaning up!
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Start the sauce
Gently heat the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy-based pan and add the chopped anchovies (you can also add the oil from the tin in which the anchovies came). Then add the chopped garlic and sage.
Don’t burn the garlic — the key here is to keep everything simmering away nice and gently.
Preheat your grill to maximum.
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Build the sauce
Add the chilli and cook for a few seconds. Add the skinned and chopped tomatoes, chopped olives, capers, and oregano.
Gently season — but go easy on the salt for now, as the sardines will add salt when added.
Leave the sauce to simmer gently for 10–15 minutes.
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Cook your pasta
While the sauce is gently simmering away, bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil and add your spaghetti.
Check the packet for cooking times — subtract one minute.
So if the packet says cook for 10 minutes, then only cook for nine.
Finish the dish
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Grill your sardines
Meanwhile, place your sardines under the blazing grill and cook for around 4 minutes each side (depending on the size of your fish) — or until the skin is scarred with golden brown blisters.
We like to squeeze lemon over the fish whilst cooking - a technique we picked up in Morocco.
Once cooked, remove and allow to cool for a couple of minutes.
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Don't forget your pasta!
When the pasta is a minute away from the suggested cooking time, drain your spaghetti and add it to the pan with the sauce. Keep the heat super low and give everything a good stir.
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Flake your sardines
This is the fun bit! Flake the flesh of your sardines into a bowl — this is easy to do with a fork.
Once the pasta and sauce are well combined, turn off the heat. Then gently fold in the flaked sardine flesh.
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Finishing touches
Add the chopped parsley — and yes, we also add a touch of grated parmesan.
Pop the lid on the pan and let it all rest for just a couple of minutes.
Serve into warmed bowls and enjoy!