Enjoy canned sardines the Korean way with this easy Korean technique that takes under 15 minutes from start to finish. This makes for a quick side dish or main course (when you have nothing in the fridge).
This is on the list of easy Korean dishes along with sesame spinach, BBQ mushrooms, and seasoned broccoli. Another quick fish dish with Korean flavors is this Hawaiian salmon with gochujang glaze made in the air fryer.
Ingredients
There are many variations of Korean sardines, but this version is the one I remember my mom making. There were always lots of onions strips that braised down to a silky, soft texture.
- Canned Sardines - I use the tins packed in olive oil you at my Costco. One 4 oz tin is enough for 1 person. Sardines packed in water work too. If you don't have sardines, this dish works really well with canned mackerel.
- Korean red chili flakes - This is a must have for the majority of Korean dishes. It seems like it might be really spicy, but they come in varying shades of heat. Generally, I find the flavor to be more sour than spicy, and you usually need to add jalapenos or other fresh chilis to make a Korean dish spicy because this chili powder alone doesn't do it. You can find many brands available on Amazon, but makes sure to keep what you don't use in the freezer so the red color stays bright.
- Onion - White or onion will do. This is the must have ingredient in this dish my mom always added lots of.
- Green Onion - For many Asian foods, green onion garnish is almost mandatory.
- Garlic - Fresh garlic is preferred, but you can substitute garlic powder. Garlic powder adds a different kind of savory flavor than fresh garlic that's really good.
- Cooking Oil - I use the oil from the sardine tin. If you use water packed sardines, than any good cooking oil will do.
- Water - Water is needed just to cover the fish. It turns into a thick, saucy broth with the red chili flakes. You could use a fish stock or beef stock, but water is fine.
- Optional Salt - The tinned sardines already has enough salt for my taste, but feel free to add as you please to the finished dish.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
You'll need a small saucepan or small Dutch oven, enough to hold the fish. I used a 2 qt saucepan.
Slice the onion into ⅛" thick half moons. Slice the green onion into thirds, and mince the garlic.
Add oil to the pan.
Add the onion to the pan. Give it a quick stir and let cook for a minute to develop its own flavor. You might not think it helps, but it actually does layer in a different flavor than adding onions into the braise without cooking in oil first.
Add the Korean red chili flakes and garlic to the pan. Stir and cook for about 15-30 seconds.
Variations
- Fresh sardines are common in places like Spain, but I rarely see them in California. You could use fresh sardines in this dish too, with or without the bones.
- Spicy - Add some sliced fresh jalapeno, fresh chili, or even cayenne powder if you really want some more tingle. My mom added sliced jalapenos to everything since my Dad likes everything spicy.
- Canned mackerel - This would be a very nice substitute for canned sardines.
- More veggies - Add some thinly sliced carrots with the onion for a sweet dimension.
- Fresh ginger - If you have some ginger around, add about a grated teaspoon along with the garlic. Ginger goes so well with seafood dishes to add freshness.
I like to serve this with fresh steamed brown rice, seaweed crisps, and a side of sesame broccoli (or whatever veggies, salad are leftover in my fridge).
Storage
Cool, store within an airtight container in the fridge, and consume within 3 days. You could also freeze for up to a month.
More Fish Recipes
Recipe
15 Minute Korean Sardines (with canned fish)
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon cooking oil such as avocado, coconut, or grapeseed
- 1 .1 lb sardines packed in oil 1.1 lbs is four, 4.4 oz tins of sardines packed in oil. See Note 1 for alternatives.
- 1 c onion sliced ¼" thick, about 1 small onion
- ¼ c Korean chili powder See Note 2 about coarse vs. fine chili powder
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic about 2 small cloves
- 1 teaspoon fish sauce or soy sauce or liquid aminos
- ¼ c water
- 3 ea green onion Cut into 2" long pieces, slice the white part of the onion further into thin strips
Instructions
- Heat the saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the onion to the pan. Give it a quick stir and let cook for a minute to develop its own flavor. You might not think it helps, but it actually does layer in a different flavor than adding onions into the braise without cooking in oil first.
- Add the Korean red chili flakes and garlic to the pan. Stir and cook for about 15-30 seconds.
- Gently layer the sardines into the pot, taking care to keep each sardine in tact as much as possible. Also, pour in all the liquid and oil from the tin.
- Pour in the water. It should just about cover the fish. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer at a gentle bubble for 5 minutes uncovered. Since the fish is already cooked, you're just trying to infuse it with onion and chili flavor. You also don't want to stir, so you don't break up the fish. During the last minute of cooking, add the green onion strips.
- Remove the pot from the heat, and gently spoon the fish onto a serving dish.
- Serve with steamed rice and seaweed crisps.
Notes
- I prefer using sardines packed in olive oil. However, you can use use sardines packed in water. Just pour in the entire contents of the tin (fish and water) into the pot. This recipe also works really well with canned mackerel instead of sardines.
- Korean chili powder comes in coarse or fine texture. Coarse is more common and preferred for this dish, but you can use the fine powder if you have it.
- Variation: Add 1 teaspoon of minced ginger for extra freshness. Add thinly sliced carrots and cook with the onion for more vegetables.
Nutrition
Food safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Fortune Cookie 🥠
Laziness kills ambition
Anger kills wisdom
Fear kills dreams
Ego kills growth
Jealousy kills peace
Doubt kills confidence
Now read that right to left
Tim says
Making this for a snack tomorrow. Sounds delicious!
Deanna @ Agile Test Kitchen says
Cool! Thanks so much for trying it and checking out the post Tim!