Easy Keto Crispy Fried Sardines Recipe [Low Carb]

Today, we’re making one of my new recipes:  Keto crispy fried sardines using a can of sardines!

You can use fresh sardines, but a can of sardines instead is easy and great for beginners. 

This is a super simple sardine and easy recipe for anyone on the ketogenic diet or just a general low carb diet.

 What is the 72-hour sardine challenge?.  

You can watch me on my low-carb sardine challenge here. 

I was running this challenge in my Facebook group and found that a LOT of people hadn’t tried sardines before.  

Maybe you’ve never tried sardines or you’ve only tried these little oily fish once or twice and need a little help making them delicious while keeping them keto. 

Note: This crispy fried sardine recipe is not suitable for the sardine challenge while on a keto diet, but this is a great recipe for people nervous about sardines. 

If you like this recipe, you’ll likely also like this low-carb sardine recipe: Air Fryer Sardine Bites 

(Both of these low-carb sardine recipes make a great snack OR a main dish.) 

In this recipe, I’m using IndigoNili’s carnivore breading mix.  But you can also just use Pork Panko crumbs!

I’ll be using the following equipment for my crispy fried sardines:

• My Rotary Pork Rind Grater
• Enameled cast iron pan with lid

Pro tip: Keto sardines have health benefits that can help with depression, inflammation, heart disease, and general heart health.  They aren’t just for losing weight on a low-carb diet. 

According to webmd, these small oily fish are a great source of essential nutrients:

• Excellent source of calcium
• Iron
• Omega-3 fatty acids (healthy fats!)
• Vitamin D
• A good source of protein
• Vitamin B

These keto sardine recipes even help with nerve function because one serving provides over 3x what you need for B12 requirements. 

Crispy Keto Sardines Ingredients

• 1/3-1/2 cup of Indigo Nili’s recipe for Carnivore breading
• 1/2 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
• 1 can Bristling sardines, packed in olive oil
• Bacon grease or tallow for frying

How to Make Your Crispy Fried Sardines

• Prepare the carnivore breading and set aside what you will need for this recipe in a bowl.
• Season your breading to taste. (I normally add about 1/2 tsp. of Old Bay seasoning.
• Drain the juice from your tin of sardines. Remove them carefully, trying not to break them.
• Beat the egg in a separate bowl for the egg wash.
• For each of the sardines, dip into the egg wash and then coat with the crumbs. Lay them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat until all is coated.
• Heat your preferred skillet or frying pan. Add a fair amount of bacon grease or tallow to your pan. You don’t need to submerge the, you will be flipping.
• Make sure your grease is hot enough to sizzle with added to the skillet.
• Carefully add the sardines to your skillet. They are very delicate. Try to keep them from touching as well. They may stick together.
• Let them brown on the one side and then flip over to brown on the other side. The fish is already cooked, so it’s a matter of simply browning.
• Remove when done and place on a paper towel.

Notes on Keto Sardines 

The tiny sardines are great for frying and are one of my favorite of all the cans of sardines you can get at the grocery store.  

A nice addition would be to serve them with some fresh lemon juice, or a sardine sauce or a keto tartar sauce.

You can use canned sardines OR fresh. 

Final Thoughts on Keto Sardine Recipes

This recipe and my other new one (Air Fryer Sardine Bites.) are a great way (and the best way in my opinion) to introduce yourself to sardines without a complicated recipe. 

Low-carb sardines recipes sort of crept on me in popularity. 

They are one of the easiest meals to make and a perfect base you can build on. You can also make them a side dish for a main course.  

Sardines can lower blood pressure, but if you eat a lot of canned sardines, the sodium can have the reverse effect. 

If you’re a pregnant woman or if you have histamine issues be careful with eating too much canned anything.