Easy Sardine Spread Recipe

This delicious sardine spread is a hit in the Czech Republic. You can make it in a flash, and I guarantee your guests will love it! All you need besides sardines is cream cheese, finely chopped onion, and a little lemon juice for an extra zingy flavor to make the appetizer.

Czechs enjoy sardine dip smeared on slices of white bread or rye bread. Serve at family celebrations, gatherings with friends, at Christmas or New Year's Eve.

Czechs call sardine spread “sardinkova pomazanka” or “rybi pomazanka.”

MY TIP: Try this garlic cheese spread, too (our family fav!)

Ingredients

To make Czech sardine spread, you will need:

• Canned sardines; packed in olive or sunflower oil
• Cream cheese; Czech use so-called "pomazankove maslo". Arla cream cheese spread could be a good substitution if you are based in the US.
• Onions; possibly shallots if you want a milder flavor and the onion taste is too strong for you
• Lemon juice; freshly squeezed
• Salt, to your liking

✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

Instructions

STEP 1: Take the cream cheese out of the refrigerator about half an hour ahead of time to allow it to come to room temperature. Peel and finely chop the onion. Open the can of sardines, partially drain the oil, and save it for later.

STEP 2: Put the sardines, cream cheese, and chopped onion in a bowl. Drizzle with fresh lemon juice; watch out for the pits.

STEP 3: Mash with a fork until everything comes together. If you want a smoother, less thick spread, add a little more of the oil you skimmed off the sardines earlier.

STEP 4: Season with salt to taste, and stir once more.

Serving

Smear the sardine dip on slices of white or rye bread. The first choice of Czechs is veka, rohlíky rolls, housky buns (all types of Czech bread). Garnish the sardine spread with sweet&sour pickled cucumber. The taste of cucumbers complements this spread fantastically.

Serve as a snack or light dinner.

TIP: If you're planning a gathering with friends, top with sardine spread the jednohubky, Czech finger food!

Storage

Place the spread in an airtight container or a bowl covered with cling film. This will prevent the dip from drying out on the surface.

Store the sardine spread in the fridge and use it within three days.

Useful Tip

• If the sardines have prominent bones, you can remove them. Otherwise, the fish are heat-preserved so that the bones are soft and can be mashed in the spread without feeling them.
• The spread has a coarser, more rustic texture thanks to the chopped onions - we love it that way at home when we occasionally crunch fresh onions between our teeth. If you want a smoother spread, blend it with an immersion blender.
• Sardine spread pairs well with fresh bread, as a filling for your sandwich. It’s also great as a dip for crackers or breadsticks.

More Czech appetizers:

• Garlic cheese spread
• Czech open-faced sandwiches
• Homemade ham spread