Easy Pasta con le Sarde (Pasta with Sardines)

Pasta con le sarde is a classic easy Sicilian dish that combines the flavors of saffron, fennel, anchovies, pine nuts, and raisins. This authentic pasta dish is a staple in Italian cuisine, with its unique combination of sweet and savory flavors. Wonderful during the holidays or any night of the week.

If there is one recipe that sums up all of Sicily for me, it has to be pasta with wild fennel and sardines. Pasta con le sarde (pasta with sardines) is a dish so subtle, mysterious, and harmonious.

Pasta con le sarde is called pasta chi sardi in Sicilian dialect, and this recipe magically brings together very distinct Arabic ingredients, creating a quintessential Sicilian pasta recipe.

What most Americans don't know is that many Italian recipes (mostly, Italian-American dishes)that Italians grew up eating in the States, have origins in Sicily (and in the other regions where the immigrants came from, like Campania and Calabria).

Pasta con le Sarde- Feast of the Seven Fishes

Originally published December 2020 and updated on December 2021. I made this dish in December 2015 for a Feast of the Seven Fishes menu with fellow bloggers. I thought you would enjoy something authentic SICILIAN for your Christmas Eve.

The combination of the salty Mediterranean sardines with the delicate bitterness of the wild green fennel is so unique. But it doesn't end there.

The unique flavor combinations continues with the addition of sweet raisins (and if you're lucky to be in Sicily, probably your own sun dried sweet grapes), pine nuts and a touch of saffron (leftover from the Moors that invaded from Spain).

All of these incredible flavors are finished off with the fruity Sicilian extra-virgin olive oil (that I can't live without!).

Other Sicilian recipes I love are the Sicilian Fennel and Orange Salad and the Sicilian Savoiardi Cookies

You can find a remnant from various invasions of Sicily all in this one dish. Pasta con le sarde is the pasta dish that connects me to my history, to my Sicilian heritage. This is one of many Sicilian dishes that connects me to my family and who I am.

Why you'll love this pasta with sardines

• Pasta con le sarde is an easy to make, yet delicious dish that can be enjoyed any time of the year.
• The combination of saffron, fennel, anchovies and raisins provide a unique flavor profile that you won’t find in other pasta dishes.
• It's also very versatile since it can be served with a variety of sides, such as vegetables, cheese, or even seafood.
• This makes it an ideal meal for dinner parties and other large gatherings.

Using Cultivated Fennel Instead of Wild Fennel

In the traditional pasta con le sarde recipe, wild fennel is used. It grows in the wild, has tufty fronds rich in aroma, and requires longer cooking time due to its toughness. This wild fennel is usually blanched, chopped, and added to the sauce, infusing the pasta with intense fennel flavor.

However, if wild fennel is not available, cultivated fennel works just as well with a few adjustments. Begin by utilizing both the bulb and the fronds. Dice the bulb and sauté it with onion, creating a deep fennel base.

The fronds can be used as fresh herbs, enhancing the overall taste. To get the wild fennel intensity, instead of expensive fennel pollen, use ground toasted fennel seeds mixed with the breadcrumb garnish.

Do you make pasta con le sarde with tomatoes or without?

It depends! I learned that cookbook author Pino Correnti argues that the tomato-less recipe published in 1886 by the folklorist Giuseppe Pitrè is the only authentic version. In my Sicilian family, it has always been made without tomatoes.

Now if we were lucky enough to be in Sicily, it would be no problem to find wild fennel as it grows all over the island. If you can’t get a hold of wild fennel, use the tops of the fennel bulb and the fennel.

What ingredients do you need to make pasta con le sarde?

• Baby fennel bulbs with their fronds: They lend a beautiful, mild, liquorice-like flavor to the dish and also add a lovely crunch.
• Fresh sardines: They are the star of the dish, providing a rich, oily, and distinctive flavour. If fresh ones are not available, canned ones can also be used.
• Extra virgin olive oil: Used to sauté the ingredients, it adds a fruity depth and helps meld the flavors together.
• Onion: Adds a necessary sweetness and depth to the flavor profile.
• Salt-cured anchovies: They bring a unique, umami, and salty kick to the pasta sauce.
• White wine: Deglazing the pan with white wine adds a refreshing acidity to balance the richness of the other ingredients.
• Bucatini, spaghetti, or linguini: Long pasta shapes are traditional for this dish, capturing the sauce well.
• Toasted pine nuts: They add a lovely crunch and a buttery flavor, enhancing the overall eating experience.
• Raisins or currants: These add a hint of sweetness contrasting beautifully with the savoury elements.
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper: Basic seasonings to elevate all the other flavors in the dish.
• Toasted breadcrumbs for garnish: For added texture and to give the dish a beautiful finished look.
• Lemon zest: A final grating of lemon zest adds a punch of freshness lifting all the flavors.

How do you make homemade breadcrumbs?

Here is what you need to make your own breadcrumbs:

• 3-4 slices of bread (whatever you prefer)
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 300°F. Grind the bread up in a food processor. 3-4 slices of bread should yield about 2 cups of bread crumbs. In a large bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with olive oil. Place the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet and toast for about 10 minutes until golden brown (rotate halfway through). Allow the breadcrumbs to cool.

Place the breadcrumbs in the food processor and pulse a few times until the breadcrumbs are finely processed. Store in an airtight container. I keep this batch of breadcrumbs in a plastic container in the fridge and use it up in about a month.

How to make pasta con le sarde?

1. Boil the fennel: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the baby fennel and fronds and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and chop; set aside. If you can’t find baby fennel, use chopped fennel and cook with the onion.
2. Cook the sauce: Heat a large skillet with 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the onions and saute until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the white wine and the anchovies and break up with a wooden spoon.
3. Boil the pasta: Meanwhile, drop the pasta into a pot of salted water and cook until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
4. Add ingredients to the sauce: Add the reserved fennel, raisins, pine nuts, and a ladle of pasta cooking water to the skillet.
5. Simmer: Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add the sardines: and continue to cook, uncovered, until the sardines are cooked through.
7. Add the reserved pasta and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Garnish with the breadcrumbs and lemon zest.

Recipe Variations/Substitutions

If you're having trouble finding some of the ingredients or you're looking to mix things up, here are some variations and substitutions you can try in your Pasta con le Sarde:

• Canned sardines: If fresh sardines aren't available, canned sardines in olive oil are a great substitute. They're already cleaned, deboned, and ready to use.
• Anchovy Substitute: If anchovies aren't your thing, you can substitute them with capers. The capers will still provide that salty punch without the fishy taste.
• Pasta Type: Although this recipe calls for bucatini, you can use other types of pasta such as spaghetti, linguini, or even penne.
• Nut-Free: If you're allergic to pine nuts, you can substitute them with roasted chickpeas for a similar crunch.
• Vegetarian Version: Substitute the sardines with sautéed mushrooms or aubergine (eggplant) for a vegetarian version of this dish. You can also add a sprinkle of nutritional yeast to mimic the savory flavor of the sardines.

Feast of the Seven Fishes Menu for Christmas Eve

Brought to America from Southern Italy where it is all now but forgotten, the Feast of the Seven Fishes is a meal eaten by Italian-Americans that features (at least) seven fish/seafood dishes. Along with our hosts, myself, and Heather from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen, some bloggers have gotten together to share menu ideas for your Seven Fishes feast.

Along with the traditional seven fish and seafood dishes, we've included some side dishes, a palate cleanser, a dessert, and a cocktail. Recipes from the other participants is at bottom of this post.

Explore the Feast of the Seven Fishes dishes:

• Salmon Rillettes from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Marinated Shrimp Salad from A Healthy Life For Me
• Pistachio Crusted Baked Cod from Cravings of a Lunatic
• Pasta con le Sarde from Savoring Italy
• Tuscan Seafood Stew from Food Done Light
• Mixed Seafood Risotto from All Roads Lead to the Kitchen
• Linguine with Scallops and Broccoli from Kudos Kitchen By Renee
• Brussels Sprouts Risotto from Eats Well With Others
• Zuppa Inglese from Christina's Cucina

Where did the feast of the seven fishes originate?

The Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve originates most likely in Sicily or even Naples. My family in Sicily and my in-laws that are Calabrian (but live most of the year in the Lombardy region) don't make 7 actual courses of seafood.

My one aunt in Sicily will have an antipasto (maybe calamari fritti)and a pasta dish with seafood. My Calabrian mother-in-law on Christmas Eve will usually make an appetizer with salmon, and a seafood pasta.

So it seems the tradition of seven fish dishes carried over with the immigrants and became more of an Italian-American feast. Why exactly the number of 7 fish dishes? The Catholics fast on Christmas Eve and don't eat meat. They break the fast on this special cena della vigilia (Christmas Eve dinner) with fish.

Why the number seven for the feast of seven fishes?

There are many theories:

• It took seven days for God to create the earth, the Bible says.
• The number seven also could be representative of the sacraments.
• There are also those families where the number three holds more significance than seven, perhaps as it represents the Three Wise Men and the Holy Trinity.

Some Italian families do go all out and make 13 different fish dishes. Twelve of those dishes are representative of the apostles and the last one is for Jesus.

This is a pasta my father used to make and it reminds me of him. It will be my final addition to my #ProjectSicilia. I will attempt next year to be more active in sharing a Sicilian recipe every month. I’m sharing it for my personal record and for my kids to one day look back on and feel connected somehow through a recipe with their Nonno Rosario and their ancestors from the most splendid island in the world: Sicilia.

What seafood do you eat on the feast of the seven fishes?

In my family this is what we enjoy:

• baccalà
• squid
• scungilli
• calamari (usually fried)
• clams
• mussels
• a white fish

There are so many dishes and variations, but my mom and dad used to make an appetizer of stuffed clams, also some fried calamari and a mountain of pasta with mixed seafood. One of my best food memories of my parents collaborating in the kitchen was for this festive and delectable evening.

Pin it to your ITALIAN FOOD, DINNER, or PASTA Board to SAVE for later!

Find me on Pinterest for more great recipes! I am always pinning :)!

What to Serve with Pasta con le Sarde

A simple, crisp Italian salad, such as an Insalata Mista - a mix of fresh greens, tomatoes, olives, and a light vinaigrette - can provide a refreshing contrast to the pasta's intensity. You could also consider a classic tomato salad.

A crusty Italian bread like Ciabatta or Focaccia is perfect to mop up the sauce. Pair with a Sicilian white wine, such as Grillo or Catarratto, which will complement the sardines and cut through the richness of the dish.

For dessert, consider a light and tangy lemon sorbet or a slice of Cannoli Siciliani, a classic Sicilian dessert that wraps up the meal beautifully.

FAQ'S

Some other Sicilian recipes to enjoy:

• Sicilian Sesame Seed Cookies
• Sicilian Pasta with Cauliflower
• Sicilian Scacciata with Cauliflower
• Eggplant Timballo-Timballo di Melanzane
• Chocolate and Chestnut Cake {torta al cioccolato e le castagne}
• Easy Gluten-Free Stuffing (with Rice)
• Vegan Creamy Tomato Pasta

Did you make this? Please RATE THE RECIPE below:)

Please Subscribe and give a follow on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and TikTok xx

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

5 from 4 votes

Pasta con le Sarde (Pasta with Sardines)

Pasta con le Sarde is most likely the most Sicilian dish ever created. Wonderful during the holidays or any night of the week.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Italian

Keyword: Christmas, pasta, Sicily

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 655kcal

Author: Lora

Equipment

• 1 Large skillet
• 1 Pot
• collander
• Medium Saucepan

Ingredients

• 1 bunch about 6 baby fennel bulbs with their fronds
• 1 to 1 1/4 pounds fresh sardines cleaned, scaled, deboned, and roughly chopped (or 2 tins of canned sardines)
• extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion finely diced
• 3 salt-cured anchovies
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 pound pasta bucatini, spaghetti, or linguini
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/4 cup raisins or currants
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• toasted breadcrumbs for garnish
• lemon zest

Instructions

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the baby fennel and fronds and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and chop; set aside. If you can’t find baby fennel, use chopped fennel and cook with the onion.
• Heat a large skillet with 1/4 cup olive oil. Add the onions and saute until soft but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the white wine and the anchovies and break up with a wooden spoon.
• Meanwhile, drop the pasta into a pot of salted water and cook until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
• Add the reserved fennel, raisins, pine nuts, and a ladle of pasta cooking water to the skillet.
• Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the sardines and continue to cook, uncovered, until the sardines are cooked through. Add the reserved pasta and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
• Garnish with the breadcrumbs and lemon zest.

Nutrition Disclaimer

Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.

Notes

• Pasta con le sarde is typically made with olive oil, onions, pasta and a mixture of sardines and anchovy. I used spaghetti in this recipe, but you could also use bucatini. Fresh pasta would be ideal, as the sauce just sticks better to the pasta.
• You flavor the dish up with wild fennel, pine nuts and raisins. It is very nice to add a touch of saffron (optional if you don’t have it available). I like to add a splash of white wine and lemon zest to the sauce.
• And I top it off with the nice crunch of my own bread crumbs (it is so easy to grind and toast your own bread crumbs and adds a much better texture than canned bread crumbs, but use store bought bread crumbs if you don’t have your own.

Nutrition

Serving: 4g | Calories: 655kcal | Carbohydrates: 85g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 0.3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 54mg | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 591mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 213IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 422mg | Iron: 3mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @savoringitaly or tag #savoringitaly!