Sarde in Saor: Venetian Sweet and Sour Sardines

Sarde in saor is the Venetian appetizer that made me fall in love with sardines. Crispy fried sardine fillets are layered with a mountain of slowly cooked onions in a sweet vinegar marinade, studded with plump raisins and toasted pine nuts, and then left to rest overnight. The flavors melt together into something tangy, gently sweet and savory all at once, and it is even better the next day.

In this post I share the history behind the dish, why it works, the ingredients, how to clean and fillet sardines, the step-by-step method, tips, serving ideas, variations, common mistakes and how to store it safely. The printable recipe card with exact measurements and estimated nutrition is at the bottom of the post.

What Is Sarde in Saor?

Saor means flavor in the Venetian dialect, and the dish dates back centuries. Fishermen and sailors needed a way to keep fish good for days at sea, and frying it, then covering it with vinegar and onions, did the job. Raisins and pine nuts arrived with the spice trade, adding sweetness and a hint of the Middle East to the recipe.

Today you will find sweet and sour sardines in nearly every bacaro, the little wine bars of Venice, served as cicchetti with a glass of wine. Venetians especially love it for the Festa del Redentore each July, but it is just as welcome on a winter holiday table, including the Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve.

Why This Sarde in Saor Recipe Works

• Lots of onions. The onions are just as important as the fish. Cooking them low and slow for 20 minutes makes them silky and sweet.
• Balanced marinade. White wine vinegar and a splash of white wine bring tang, while a little sugar and raisins round it out.
• Light flour coating. A thin dusting of flour gives the sardines a golden crust that holds up in the marinade.
• Time does the work. A rest of 12 to 24 hours lets the vinegar soften the fish and mellow the onions.
• Pine nuts for crunch. Toasting them first brings out a buttery flavor.

Because it is meant to be made ahead, these Venetian sardines are a stress-free choice for entertaining. All the work happens the day before your party. On the day itself, you simply take the dish out of the refrigerator, slice some bread or polenta and pour the wine.

Ingredients You Will Need

The ingredient list is short and inexpensive, which is part of the charm.

• Fresh sardines: About 1 1/2 pounds (680 g), roughly 16 small sardines. Ask your fishmonger to scale and clean them if you prefer.
• Flour: A few tablespoons of all-purpose flour for dredging.
• Oil: A neutral oil such as sunflower or vegetable oil for frying.
• White onions: Two pounds (900 g), thinly sliced. It seems like a lot, but they cook down dramatically.
• Olive oil: For slowly cooking the onions.
• White wine vinegar and white wine: The tangy base of the saor.
• Sugar: Just a tablespoon or two for balance.
• Golden raisins and pine nuts: One third of a cup of each.
• Bay leaves and black peppercorns: For gentle aroma.

Sardines are small, affordable and sustainable choices at many fish counters, and they are naturally rich in omega-3 fats. Their bold flavor is exactly what makes them stand up to the tangy onions, so do not swap in a very mild fish unless you want a gentler dish.

How to Clean and Fillet Sardines

Fresh sardines should have bright, clear eyes, shiny silver skin and firm flesh with a clean ocean smell. Keep them on ice or in the coldest part of the refrigerator and cook them the same day.

1. Scale. Under cold running water, rub the sardines gently from tail to head with your thumb to remove the scales.
2. Remove the head. Cut or pull off the head just behind the gills.
3. Gut. Slit the belly with a small knife or your thumb and rinse out the insides.
4. Butterfly. Run your thumb along the backbone to open the fish flat like a book.
5. Remove the backbone. Lift the bone from the head end and snap it off at the tail. You can leave the tail on or cut the fillet in half.

Rinse the fillets, pat them very dry and keep them cold. Frozen, cleaned sardine fillets also work well if fresh ones are hard to find; thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. If cleaning fish is new to you, do not worry about perfect fillets. A few small bones are soft and edible, and the onions hide any rough edges once the dish is layered.

How to Make Sarde in Saor

You need a large skillet for the onions, a second skillet for frying and a glass or ceramic dish about 8 by 8 inches for layering. Avoid metal dishes, since the vinegar can react with them.

1. Cook the onions. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions, bay leaves and a pinch of salt and cook gently for 20 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and pale gold, not browned.
2. Make the saor. Add the vinegar, wine, sugar and peppercorns. Simmer for 5 minutes, then stir in the raisins and toasted pine nuts and remove from the heat.
3. Dredge the sardines. Season the fillets with salt and dust them lightly with flour, shaking off the excess.
4. Fry. Heat 1/2 inch of oil to 350°F (175°C). Fry the sardines in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden and cooked through, opaque and flaking.
5. Drain. Transfer to paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt.
6. Layer. Spread a layer of warm onions in the dish, top with a layer of sardines and repeat, finishing with onions and their liquid.
7. Marinate. Cool, cover and refrigerate for at least 12 hours and up to 24 hours before serving.

Take the dish out of the refrigerator 30 minutes before serving. Sarde in saor tastes best cool or at room temperature, not straight from the cold.

Tips for the Best Sweet and Sour Sardines

• Slice the onions thin. Thin, even slices turn silky and drape over the fish.
• Do not brown the onions. Low heat keeps them sweet and pale, the classic look.
• Fry in small batches. Crowding the pan drops the oil temperature and makes the fish greasy.
• Pour the onions on warm. Warm saor soaks into the fish better.
• Be patient. The overnight rest is what makes the dish.

If you love bold seafood starters, try my crunchy crispy coconut shrimp or the classic golden fried calamari. For a Christmas Eve spread, the salt cod baccala with olives pairs beautifully. Find more ideas in my seafood recipe collection.

How to Serve Venetian Sardines

In Venice, sarde in saor is almost always served as cicchetti, small bites eaten standing at the bar. Here are my favorite ways to serve it at home.

• On grilled polenta: The most traditional option. Slice cooled polenta, grill or pan-fry it until crisp and top with a sardine and onions.
• On crostini: Toasted baguette slices brushed with olive oil make easy party bites.
• On an antipasto platter: Serve with olives, marinated vegetables, cheese and crusty bread.
• As a light lunch: Pair with a green salad and a slice of bread.
• With wine: A crisp Prosecco or a dry Soave is the Venetian way.

Spoon plenty of the onions and marinade over each portion. The onions are every bit as delicious as the fish. For a holiday party, I set the dish out with a small spoon and a basket of toasted bread so guests can build their own bites, and I keep a second dish in the refrigerator to swap in once the first has been out for an hour or so.

Easy Variations

• Other fish: The same saor works with fresh anchovies, small mackerel fillets or even sole fillets.
• Shrimp in saor: Fry peeled shrimp until pink and opaque and layer them the same way.
• Red onion saor: Red onions give a pretty pink color and a slightly sharper bite.
• No-fry version: Brush sardine fillets with oil and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 6 to 8 minutes until opaque and cooked through.
• Without sugar: Skip the sugar and rely on the raisins and slow-cooked onions for sweetness.
• Gluten-free: Dust the sardines with rice flour or fine cornmeal instead of wheat flour.

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

These are the most common problems with sarde in saor and how to fix them.

Storage and Food Safety

Keep sarde in saor covered in the refrigerator and enjoy it within 3 days. It is meant to be served cool, so do not leave it out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour on a hot day. The FDA has a helpful page on selecting and serving seafood safely.

Always cook the sardines all the way through before marinating, since the vinegar adds flavor but does not make undercooked fish safe. I do not recommend freezing, because the onions and fish turn watery when thawed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to cook? Here is the full printable sarde in saor recipe with exact measurements and estimated nutrition.

Sarde in Saor (Venetian Sweet and Sour Sardines)

Fried sardine fillets layered with slow-cooked sweet vinegar onions, raisins and pine nuts and marinated overnight.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Marinating 12 hours hrs

Total Time 13 hours hrs 5 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Italian

Calories: 330

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Saor

• 1/3 cup golden raisins
• 1/4 cup dry white wine warm, for soaking raisins (60 ml)
• 1/3 cup pine nuts (45 g)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil (60 ml)
• 2 pounds white onions thinly sliced (900 g)
• 2 bay leaves
• 3/4 cup white wine vinegar (180 ml)
• 1/4 cup dry white wine (60 ml)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
• salt to taste

Sardines

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh sardines about 16, cleaned and butterflied (680 g)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour for dredging (40 g)
• neutral oil for frying, about 1 1/2 cups

Method

 

1. Soak the raisins in the warm wine for 15 minutes. Toast the pine nuts in a dry skillet for 2 to 3 minutes until golden.
2. Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions, bay leaves and a pinch of salt and cook gently for 20 minutes until very soft and pale gold.
3. Add the vinegar, 1/4 cup wine, sugar and peppercorns and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the raisins with their soaking wine and the pine nuts. Remove from the heat.
4. Season the sardine fillets with salt and dust lightly with flour.
5. Heat 1/2 inch of oil to 350°F (175°C) in a second skillet. Fry the sardines in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per side until golden, opaque and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
6. Layer the warm onion mixture and sardines in a glass or ceramic dish, finishing with onions and their liquid.
7. Cool, cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. Remove 30 minutes before serving and serve cool or at room temperature.

Notes

Make ahead: This dish must be made at least 12 hours ahead and keeps for up to 3 days refrigerated.

Serving safety: Do not leave out for more than 2 hours.

Nutrition is an estimate per serving; oil absorption varies.

I hope these sweet and sour sardines bring a little taste of Venice to your kitchen. If you make them, please leave a comment and a star rating below and tell me how you served them. Happy cooking, friends!