I grew up eating canned sardines in tomato sauce, specially sautéed with onions, garlic, and a bunch of sauces – a simple, sweet-savoury dish my mum used to make. It’s a humble, simple meal that hits all the right notes.
But what happens when you use it as a pot pie filling and topped with a buttery puff pastry? Oufff. I didn’t expect it to slap soooo hard. A chicken pot pie could never! This will be on rotation in the menu for me! And if you love canned sardines, I think it will be for you too.
INGREDIENTS (Makes 1 Pot Pie)
- 1 large canned sardines in tomato sauce (approx 425g net weight)
- 1 red onions – diced
- 2 cloves garlic – minced/finely chopped
- 4-5 tbsp soy sauce (I use Habhal’s sweet soy sauce)
- 1/4 cup chilli sauce (I use Life thai chili sauce but the normal ones work fine)
- 2 tbsp oyster sauce
- Juice of 2-3 green limes
- 2-3 bunch fresh coriander – finely chopped
- 2-3 birds eye chilli – finely sliced (optional)
- 1 sheet of frozen puff pastry (thawed as per package instructions)
- 1 egg (whisked for egg wash)
HOW TO MAKE IT
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 degree celcius.
- In a wok, heat up around 1/4 cup of cooking oil and sauté red onions and garlic until fragrant and the red onions are soft and translucent.
- Add in canned sardines together with the tomato sauce. Lightly break the sardines into smaller chunks using using the cooking spatula if the sardines are in full chunks. Simmer for 3-5 mins.
- Add in soy sauce, chili sauce and oyster sauce. Mix well, and squeeze in lime juice before tossing in fresh coriander.
- Transfer sardine filling to an 8-9 inch round oven safe pan or a casserole dish.
- Roll out the thawed puff pastry sheet and cut into 16-24 squares. Arrange on top of the sardine filling, making sure that they fully cover the surface. Brush with egg wash.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the puff pastry on top have turned golden brown. Sprinkle with thinly chopped coriander at the top to garnish and serve warm.
Watch the video HERE.
FAQ
1. Can I use mackerel instead of sardines?
Yes! Canned mackerel works too – it’s slightly meatier and less soft than sardines, but still gives you that same rich, savoury flavour. Just make sure to taste and adjust the seasoning since mackerel tends to be a bit saltier.
2. Do I need to remove the sardine bones?
Nope! They’re super soft and completely edible once cooked. Plus, they add calcium. If you’re really particular about texture, you can mash them lightly while sautéing.
3. Can I make the filling ahead of time?
Definitely. You can prep the sardine filling a day or two in advance and keep it in the fridge. Just reheat it slightly before topping with puff pastry and baking.
4. Can I skip the lime/coriander?
You could, but that little squeeze of lime and the fresh coriander really brings the whole dish to life. It cuts through the richness and gives a nice fresh finish, so I’d say keep it in if you can.
5. How spicy is this?
It depends on how many bird’s eye chillies you throw in! Feel free to adjust to your heat tolerance.
6. Why don’t you add salt or sugar like usual?
No need! The dish is already sauce-laden with soy, sweet chili, and oyster sauce, which naturally seasons everything perfectly. Adding extra salt or sugar can throw off the balance.
7. One sheet of pastry is too little! The crust is my favourite part – can I use more?
Yes ofcourse! If you love an extra crust, use 2-3 sheets and stack them up on top of the sardine filling.
8. Why do you only have puff pastry at the top and not the bottom?
Because it’s a pot pie! Traditional chicken pot pies don’t have a bottom crust either – only a golden, flaky top. And since the sardine filling is saucy, a base crust would just get soggy. Keeping the puff pastry only on top gives you that perfect crisp lid.
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