Crispy Air Fryer Sardines Recipe (Not Carbs!)

I never liked sardines until I started cooking them in my air fryer. Now these air fryer sardines are one of my favorite quick meals. The air fryer makes these canned sardines perfectly crispy in just 10 minutes. If you’ve got canned sardines in your pantry, this fried sardines method will change how you eat them. It’s a simple, healthy recipe with sardines that’s affordable and surprisingly delicious.

Want to see exactly how I make these crispy air fryer sardines? Watch the video below. If you enjoy simple protein recipes like this one, hit subscribe for more air fryer recipe ideas each week.

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Why I Love This Air Fryer Sardines Recipe

I make these air fryer sardines at least once a week now, and here’s why:

1. They’re quick. From start to finish, I can have these ready in about 15 minutes.
2. They’re affordable. Canned sardines are one of the best cheap protein at the grocery store.
3. They’re healthy. All that protein and omega-3s make these a nutritional powerhouse.
4. They’re versatile. I can eat them as a snack, add them to a salad, or make them part of a main meal.
5. They’re delicious. The crispy pork rind coating and the tender fish inside create the perfect contrast of textures.

Did You Know: A single can of sardines gives you more omega-3 fatty acids than most fish oil supplements, plus they’re much more delicious!

Ingredients

Here’s everything you need to make these crispy air fryer sardines:

• 2 cans of sardines (about 240g total when drained)
• 1 large egg (50g)
• 1/2 cup pork rind crumbs (Gluten-Free, Sugar-Free, Zero Carb) (50g)
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (2g)
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (2g)
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper (1g)

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Equipment Needed

You do not need fancy tools for this fried canned sardines recipe:

• Air fryer
• Two small bowls or plates
• Fork for beating the egg
• Paper towels
• Tongs or spatula for flipping

Note: No air fryer? You can bake these in a regular oven at 425°F (220°C) for about 15 minutes, but they won’t get quite as crispy.

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Nutritional Benefits

I love how these air fryer canned sardines fit into almost any healthy eating plan:

Each serving (recipe makes 2 servings) gives you about:

• 250-275 calories
• 20-22 grams of protein
• 0 grams of carbs (using pork rind crumbs instead of cheese)
• 18 grams of fat (including those awesome omega-3s)

Sardines are seriously nutritious little fish. They give you:

• Tons of B12 (great for energy)
• Vitamin D (hard to get from food)
• Calcium (from their tiny edible bones)
• Selenium (an important mineral many people lack)

The pork rind coating keeps this recipe zero-carb and perfect for keto or carnivore diets while adding extra crispiness and protein.

How to Fry Sardines Crispy

Step 1: Set Up Your Coating Stations

First, get your dipping stations ready. This makes the whole process much cleaner and faster.

1. Take your 1/2 cup of pork rind crumbs and put them on a flat plate or shallow dish.
2. Add the smoked paprika, garlic powder, and white pepper to the pork rind crumbs.
3. Mix everything together with a fork until the spices are evenly spread throughout the crumbs.
4. In another small bowl, crack your egg and beat it well with a fork.

Step 2: Get Your Sardines Ready

Proper prep makes a big difference in how your sardines turn out.

1. Heat up your air fryer to 400°F (205°C).
2. Open the sardine cans and drain off the oil or water.
3. Gently take each sardine out of the can. Try not to break them – whole sardines look nicer and cook more evenly.
4. Pat each sardine dry with paper towels. This step is important! Drier sardines get crispier coatings.

Note: Do not worry about the bones in the sardines. They are soft and completely edible – actually, they add calcium to your meal!

Step 3: Coat The Sardines

Want to know the secret on how to fry sardines crispy? This double-coating process is what creates that amazing crispy exterior.

1. Take a dried sardine and dip it in the beaten egg, making sure it gets coated all over.
2. Let any extra egg drip off.
3. Now roll the sardine in the pork rind and spice mixture, pressing gently so the coating sticks well.
4. Place it on a clean plate and repeat with all the remaining sardines.

Top Tip: If your fingers get too coated with egg and crumbs, rinse and dry them. Clean fingers make the coating process much easier.

Step 4: Air Fry These Sardines to Crispy Perfection

The air fryer is the magic tool that makes these sardines so good and crispy.

1. Put your coated sardines in the air fryer basket. Do not crowd them – leave some space between each piece.
2. Cook them at 400°F (205°C) for about 10 minutes total.
3. Around the halfway point (5 minutes), open the air fryer and flip each sardine over.
4. Keep cooking until they turn golden brown and the coating looks crispy.

Did You Know: Air fryers use about 80% less oil than traditional frying methods but still give you that satisfying crunch.

Step 5: Serve and Enjoy

Almost done!

1. Take the sardines out of the air fryer when they’re golden and crispy.
2. Let them cool for a few minutes – they’re super hot right out of the air fryer.
3. Serve them while they’re still warm and crispy.

These crusted sardines make an awesome snack with their crunchy coating. They pack tons of protein and healthy fats with zero carbs. You get all the satisfaction of a fried snack, but it’s actually good for you.

Related Recipe: If you love these healthy and crispy sardines, you’ll definitely enjoy the BEST Air Fryer Chicken Strips Recipe. They’re crunchy, juicy, and super easy to make.

Serving Suggestions

Here are my favorite ways to enjoy these crispy sardines:

As a Snack

I love eating these crispy sardines straight out of my air fryer, sometimes with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or a little hot sauce for dipping.

As Part of a Meal

• Toss them on top of a big green salad
• Serve alongside some roasted vegetables or baked cauliflower
• Add them to a lunch bowl with cucumber, tomatoes, and olives

In a Wrap

They’re surprisingly good in a lettuce wrap with some fresh greens and a bit of mayo or avocado.

Top Tip: These taste best fresh out of the air fryer, but if you have leftovers, you can reheat them for a few minutes at 350°F (175°C) to bring back some of the crispness.

Recipe Variations

The basic canned sardines recipes is great, but here are some ways I like to mix things up:

Different Spice Blends

• Mediterranean: Skip the paprika and add dried oregano and lemon zest instead
• Spicy: Add a pinch of cayenne pepper to the mix for some heat
• Italian: Mix in some dried basil and oregano for an Italian twist

Coating Changes

• Nutty version: Mix some ground almonds with the pork rind crumbs
• Extra crunchy: Use a coarser grind of pork rinds for more texture
• Fresh herbs: When in season, I add chopped fresh dill or parsley to the coating

Note: If you add anything to the pork rind mixture, make sure it’s finely chopped or ground so it sticks well to the sardines.

Troubleshooting

Even with a simple recipe, things can sometimes go wrong:

If the Coating Falls Off

This usually happens if:

• The sardines are too wet
• The egg coating is too thin
• You handled them too roughly

Fix it by patting the sardines really dry and being gentle when coating them.

If They’re Not Crispy Enough

Try these fixes:

• Make sure your air fryer is fully preheated
• Don’t overcrowd the basket
• Cook them a minute or two longer
• Flip them halfway through cooking

If They’re Too Salty

This could be from:

• Very salty sardines
• Very salty pork rinds

Next time, look for low-sodium sardines or rinse them quickly before patting dry.

Final Thoughts

Before this recipe, I rarely ate sardines. Now they’re a regular part of my meal rotation. What I love most is how such a simple preparation method can completely transform an ingredient.

Even my friends who “hate fish” have been surprised by how good these are. The air fryer creates that satisfying crunch without deep frying, and the pork rind coating gives an incredible crispiness that you just can’t get with other coatings.

Give this healthy recipes with sardines a try, even if you think you do not like sardines. It might just change your mind like it changed mine.

Did you try these air fried sardines? Leave a comment below with your results or any questions about the recipe. I would love to hear how they turned out for you or what variations you might have tried!

More Air Fryer Recipes

If you love this healthy crispy air fryer sardines, check out these other great air fryer recipes below:

• How To Cook Salmon In Air Fryer – Flaky, perfectly cooked salmon fillets with crispy skin, ready in minutes.
• Air Fryer Chicken Drumsticks – Juicy, flavorful chicken drumsticks with crispy skin, made effortlessly in the air fryer.
• How To Cook Ribs in Air Fryer – Fall-off-the-bone tender ribs cooked to perfection with a delicious BBQ glaze.

Which air fryer recipe will you try next? Let me know!