Baked Sardines (with White Wine Sauce, Roasted Veggies & Garlic Confit)

Difficulty level: Medium
Cooking time: 50 minutes

Looking for a flavorful Mediterranean-inspired dish? Try this easy baked sardines recipe with white wine sauce, roasted vegetables, and homemade garlic confit. Ready in under an hour!

🥘 Ingredients

For the Baked Sardines and Vegetables:

• 2 cans Wild Sardines in extra virgin olive oil with lemon (@wildplanetfoods)
• 3 roasted red bell peppers
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons capers
• All the garlic confit (see below), plus the infused oil
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)

For the Garlic Confit:

• 1 whole garlic head, peeled
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 thyme sprigs
• Freshly cracked black pepper (to taste)

For the Baguette Crostini:

• 1 demi baguette, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Black pepper (to taste)
• 1 garlic clove (for rubbing on toasted slices)

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🍳 Equipment Needed

• Air fryer (for garlic confit) :

• Oven :

• Roasting pan (or oven-safe baking dish) :

• Small cocotte (or covered oven-safe dish) :

• Pan (or griddle) for crostini :

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🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Make the Garlic Confit (Rich Flavor Base)

Garlic confit adds depth and smoothness to this sardine dish. Here’s how to make it:

• Preheat air fryer to 350°F (175°C).
• Add peeled garlic cloves to a small cocotte with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper.

• Cover and cook for 30 minutes, until the garlic is tender and golden.

2. Roast the Vegetables & Bake the Sardines

This part infuses the sardines with bold Mediterranean flavors:

• Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
• In a roasting dish, combine red peppers, sliced onion, capers, garlic confit, garlic oil, white wine, Italian seasoning, lemon zest, and lemon juice.

• Roast uncovered for 20 minutes.
• Nestle the sardines gently into the mixture (include some oil from the cans), then roast for another 10 minutes.

• Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.

3. Toast the Crostini

Perfect for dipping or building bite-sized toasts:

• Drizzle baguette slices with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Toast on a hot pan or griddle until golden brown.
• While still warm, rub each slice with a cut garlic clove for a bold flavor boost.

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🍽️ How to Serve

Serve the baked sardines and vegetables on warm crostini or with a side of crusty bread. It’s a beautiful dish for a Mediterranean brunch, tapas-style dinner, or even a gourmet weeknight meal. Packed with omega-3s, vitamin D, and lean protein, this is one of the best ways to enjoy canned sardines!

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