Ingredients
Method
Instructions
- Step 1: Start the pickled onion. Combine the apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and warm water in a small bowl or jar and stir until dissolved. Add the thinly sliced red onion and press down so it’s submerged. Leave for at least 15 minutes while you prepare everything else – it will turn bright pink and soften. The longer it sits the better, but 15 minutes is enough to transform it.
- Step 2: Make the avocado crema. Add the avocado, sour cream, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, and salt to a blender or small food processor. Blend until completely smooth, adding water a tablespoon at a time until it reaches a pourable consistency – thicker than a sauce but thin enough to drizzle easily. Taste and adjust lime and salt. Set aside.
- Step 3: Season the sardines. Drain the sardines and place in a bowl. Add the smoked paprika, cumin, olive oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper. Use a fork to mash gently – you want a rough mixture with some larger chunks rather than a completely smooth paste. The texture should be somewhere between mashed and flaked.
- Step 4: Warm the tortillas. If you have a gas hob, hold each tortilla directly over the flame with tongs for 20-30 seconds per side until charred in spots and pliable. Alternatively, warm in a dry skillet over high heat for 30 seconds per side. Keep warm wrapped in a clean cloth or foil while you work through the batch.
- Step 5: Assemble and smash. Spoon a generous tablespoon of sardine mixture onto each warm tortilla. Use the back of the spoon to press and spread it across the surface – this is the smash step. The sardines should cover most of the tortilla in a thin, even layer.
- Step 6: Top and serve. Drizzle the avocado crema over each taco. Add a small pile of drained pickled red onion. Finish with fresh cilantro, a slice of chili if using, and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately – these don’t wait well once assembled.
Tips for the Best Result
- Slice the onion as thin as possible. Paper-thin slices pickle much faster and have a better texture in the finished taco than thicker slices. Use a mandoline if you have one – if not, take your time with a sharp knife.
- Don’t over-mash the sardines. You want some texture – a few larger pieces of fish rather than a smooth paste. Over-mashing creates something that looks less appealing and loses the satisfying bite that makes the taco interesting.
- The crema should be loose enough to drizzle. If it’s too thick it sits on top of the taco rather than coating it. Add water a tablespoon at a time until you can drizzle it easily from a spoon.
- Warm tortillas are non-negotiable. Cold tortillas crack when you fold them and don’t have the right flavor or texture. The 30-second char over a flame is worth it every time.
- Make extra pickled onion. It keeps in a sealed jar in the fridge for two weeks and works on everything – salads, grain bowls, sandwiches, the crispy sardine rice bowl, scrambled eggs, cheese on toast. Once you have a jar in the fridge you’ll use it constantly.
- Serve immediately after assembling. The tortillas go soft quickly once topped. Put everything in separate bowls and let people build their own at the table – it stays better that way and is more fun.
Nutrition
Notes
Start the pickled onion first - it needs 15 minutes minimum and can be made up to two weeks ahead. The avocado crema can be made up to two days ahead with plastic wrap pressed onto the surface to prevent browning. Assemble tacos just before serving - they go soft quickly once topped.
For the smash technique: press the sardine mixture down and across the tortilla with the back of a spoon rather than just spooning it on. More surface area, better ratio in every bite.
