Recipe

Canned Sardines in Creole Sauce with Potatoes

Name: Canned Sardines in Creole Sauce with Potatoes
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Ingredients: 360 g canned sardines in olive oil, drained weight (about 4 cans, depending on the size); 600 g peeled potatoes, cut into 1.5 cm cubes; 400 g crushed tomato with no added sugar; 1 medium onion (about 150 g), chopped; 1 small green bell pepper (about 100 g), chopped; 3 garlic cloves, chopped; 30 ml olive oil; 200 ml water, and a little more only if needed; 1 bay leaf; ½ teaspoon cumin; Salt to taste; Pepper to taste; White rice to serve (optional)

Home-style stew of canned sardines in oil with diced potatoes, cooked in a Creole sofrito of tomato, onion, bell pepper and garlic.

CiberCubaNovember 7, 2026

AI-generated image.CiberCuba

Preparation15 min
Cooking30 min
Total time45 min
Servings4 servings
DifficultyEasy

This is a pantry dish: with a few cans of sardines in olive oil, some potatoes and a good sofrito, you get a complete, flavorful lunch without any fuss. The potatoes cook in a Creole sauce of tomato, onion, bell pepper and garlic, and the sardines, which come already cooked, go in only at the end so they reach the plate whole.

It is made in a single pot over gentle heat. Serve it with white rice on the side if you want a heartier meal.

Method

Open the cans and drain the sardines carefully, without breaking them. Set them aside whole on a plate.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Peel the potatoes and cut them into 1.5 cm cubes. Chop the onion, green bell pepper and garlic.
Heat the olive oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper and sauté for 6-7 minutes, stirring, until soft and the onion is translucent.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, just until fragrant, without letting it brown.
Add the crushed tomato, the bay leaf and the cumin. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the sauce thickens slightly.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Add the potatoes and the 200 ml of water, and add a little pepper. Stir, partially cover and cook at a gentle simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring from time to time so it doesn't stick. If the sauce dries out, add water a little at a time: it should end up thick.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Check for doneness: the potatoes should be tender (a fork goes in without resistance) and the sauce thick, covering them without being dry. If they are still firm, cook a little longer and add a bit of water if needed. Give it one last stir before adding the fish.
AI-generated image.CiberCuba
Place the whole sardines on top of the potatoes and heat for 2-3 minutes, gently moving the pot instead of stirring with a spoon, so they don't break.
Taste and adjust the salt at the end, carefully, because the canned fish already adds salt; add pepper if needed. Remove the bay leaf.
Serve hot, with white rice on the side if you like.

Tips and variations

About the cans: the drained weight varies a lot depending on the brand and the can size. Check the drained weight listed on the packaging and open as many cans as needed to reach about 360 g of sardines.

If you only have sardines in tomato sauce: this recipe is designed for sardines in oil. If you use sardines in tomato sauce, weigh only the fish (about 360 g), reduce the crushed tomato to about 250 g and add the sauce from the cans at the end, together with the sardines, because it is already cooked and tends to add more salt and a bit of sweetness. Taste before salting.

Keeping them whole: once the sardines are in, do not stir them with a spoon; gently move the pot instead.

Sauce consistency: it should be thick, covering the potatoes without being dry. If it sticks to the bottom, add water a little at a time.

Storage: keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheat over low heat with a splash of water. Freezing is not recommended, because the potato loses its texture.