Craving something quick, crispy, and seriously satisfying? These Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Sardine Toasts are a total game-changer. Imagine golden sardines sizzling on crusty ciabatta, topped with a punchy pickled cabbage slaw that’s got just the right amount of heat. I wasn’t sure I’d be into sardines, but this dish totally won me over—it’s fresh, bold, and unbelievably easy. (inspired by Jamie Oliver)

Ingredients Needed

For the Pickled Slaw:

1 heaped tablespoon fennel seeds
320g (about ¼ head) red cabbage, finely sliced or grated
1–2 mixed-colour chillies, finely sliced
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Sea salt and black pepper

For the Toasts:

1 x 270g ciabatta loaf
12 fresh sardines, scaled, gutted, and butterflied
Olive oil (for drizzling and frying)

How To Make Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Sardine Toasts

Toast the Fennel Seeds: Start by heating a non-stick frying pan on medium. Toss in your fennel seeds and toast for about a minute—your kitchen will smell amazing. Add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, fry for another minute, then pour everything into a large bowl.
Make the Quick Pickle: While that’s cooling down a bit, finely slice your red cabbage and chillies. Toss them into the bowl with the fennel oil. Add vinegar, a pinch of salt, and some black pepper. Give it all a good mix and let it sit while you prep the bread and fish.
Prep the Ciabatta: Cut your ciabatta in half lengthwise and drizzle each side with olive oil. Then slice each half into 6 smaller pieces so you end up with 12 little toasts.
Add the Sardines: Take a sardine and press it, flesh side down, onto the soft side of each ciabatta piece. Press firmly—this helps it stick and crisp up nicely.
Cook the Toasts: Heat a griddle pan or large frying pan over high heat. Once it’s hot, lay the toasts in sardine-side down. Cook for 2 minutes, then flip and toast the bread side for another 2 minutes. Depending on your pan size, you might need to do this in batches.
Serve and Enjoy: Stack three toasts on each plate and top them with a generous scoop of the pickled slaw. You want that contrast—warm, crispy sardines with cold, crunchy cabbage. Eat right away!

Why I Love This Recipe

This one came out of nowhere for me. I was low on ingredients, had sardines in the fridge, and gave it a go. And wow—crispy, tangy, just the right amount of spice. Even my partner, who usually side-eyes sardines, loved it. It’s now one of those “why didn’t I try this sooner?” meals.

Recipe Tips

Fresh is best: Sardines should be shiny and smell like the sea—not fishy.
Slice cabbage thinly: It pickles faster and gives a better crunch.
Chilli your way: Use one for mild heat, two if you like a kick.
Crowd control: Don’t pack too many toasts in the pan at once. You want crisp, not steam.
Bread swap: No ciabatta? Use baguette slices or sourdough.

How To Store This Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Sardine Toasts

At Room Temperature: These are best hot and fresh. After about 30 minutes, the magic starts to fade.
In the Fridge : Keep leftover toasts and slaw in separate containers. They’ll stay decent for up to 2 days.
In the Freezer : Wouldn’t recommend it—freezing messes with the texture of both the sardines and the bread.
Reheating : Reheat the toasts in a dry pan or oven at 180°C (350°F) for 5 minutes. Skip the microwave—it’ll make the bread soggy.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Can I use canned sardines instead of fresh?
Yep! Just make sure they’re boneless and pat them dry before using.
What can I use instead of red cabbage?
White cabbage, savoy, or even thinly sliced kale will work just fine.
Is this recipe really spicy?
Not unless you want it to be! Stick to one chilli for mild, go for two if you like a bit of fire.
Can I prep the pickle ahead of time?
Yes, and it actually tastes better after a couple of hours in the fridge.
What goes well with this?
Think a green salad, some olives, or even a crisp lager or glass of white wine.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 462 kcal
Carbs: 38.2g
Protein: 37.9g
Fat: 18.9g
Sugar: 4.9g
Fibre: 4.2g
Sodium: 1.6g

Try More Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Recipes:

Jamie Oliver 5 Ingredients Sardine Toasts

Course: 5 Ingredients RecipesCuisine: Mediterranean

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

462

kcal

Crispy sardine toasts with zingy pickled cabbage—quick, bold, and straight from Jamie Oliver’s 5 Ingredients cookbook.

Ingredients

1 heaped tbsp fennel seeds
320g red cabbage, finely sliced
1–2 mixed-colour chillies, finely sliced
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
Sea salt and black pepper
1 x 270g ciabatta loaf
12 fresh sardines, butterflied
Olive oil

Directions

Toast fennel seeds in a pan for 1 minute. Add olive oil and fry another minute. Pour into a bowl.
Add cabbage, chillies, vinegar, salt, and pepper. Toss and set aside.
Halve ciabatta, drizzle with oil, and cut into 12 pieces.
Press sardines flesh-side down onto bread.
Cook toasts sardine-side down on high heat for 2 minutes each side.
Stack 3 per plate and top with the pickled slaw. Serve immediately.

Notes

Fresh is best: Sardines should be shiny and smell like the sea—not fishy.
Slice cabbage thinly: It pickles faster and gives a better crunch.
Chilli your way: Use one for mild heat, two if you like a kick.
Crowd control: Don’t pack too many toasts in the pan at once. You want crisp, not steam.
Bread swap: No ciabatta? Use baguette slices or sourdough.