How To Balance The Salty Flavor Of Canned Sardines

If the only fish you ever get from a can is tuna, you're missing out on a lot of economical and tasty options for adding more seafood to your diet. Canned sardines are particularly popular with Portuguese diners, and if you don't typically have a tin on hand in your pantry, it's time to incorporate some international flair and consider stocking a few varieties. (For recommendations, check out our ranking of canned sardine brands.) There's just one issue: Sardines, especially canned varieties, tend to be a bit salty. Luckily, there are several ways to balance that out, depending on the type of dish you're making and the flavors you prefer.

The easiest methods to cut your canned sardines' saltiness are to rinse them before incorporating them in your dish or soak them in water (a tinned fish tip that's also effective for anchovies) for about 30 minutes. These methods are perfect if you're making a simple dish and don't want to add other ingredients for fear of throwing off the final product. When you're incorporating sardines in something like a pasta dish or stew, another option is to add more of the neutral-tasting ingredients, tossing in some extra pasta, rice, potatoes, or beans to dilute the saltiness.

Since sardines are oily (and often also come packed in oil), you might assume that the last thing you want is to add more fat. That isn't necessarily true. Sardines have a relatively strong flavor, so a bit of fat can actually help mellow that fishy taste. Dairy is another sure-fire way to counteract an overly salty ingredient because of how it coats your mouth. Combine the two and opt for a dairy product with a high fat content such as a splash of heavy cream.

Something acidic can also fix oversalted food, so that's another great option when you're trying to balance out your dish. Lemon juice works well with many flavors, and as a bonus, it adds a certain degree of freshness and brightness that works beautifully with the natural oiliness of sardines. However, virtually anything acidic can help counteract saltiness, so vinegar also does the trick. Still, you'll want to consider how your acidic addition affects the flavor profile. For example, balsamic vinegar has a strong taste that may change the taste too much. More neutral choices like rice wine, white wine, or regular distilled white vinegar are ideal.