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Iana's Sicilian Pasta with Sardines

Iana's Sicilian Pasta with Sardines balances briny fish with the gentle sweetness of fennel and raisins, all enriched by pine nuts in a tomato base. Garlicky olive oil–toasted breadcrumbs add crunch, while a sprinkle of Parmesan brings a savory finish. Serve for a cozy dinner when you want bold Mediterranean flavors with satisfying texture.

  • Prep15 mins
  • Cook30 mins
  • Serves8
  • DifficultyMedium
Iana's Sicilian Pasta with Sardines

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Iana's Sicilian Pasta with Sardines, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

44 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
51 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
24 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityFair
58 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

54
Heart Health
67
Metabolic
44
Digestive
37
Inflammatory
33
Performance
42
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Warm olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the fennel bulb, fronds, and onion. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the sardines with their oil and stir until crumbled. Stir in the raisins, pine nuts, basil, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes; cook until toasted. Pour in the tomatoes and let the sauce simmer.

  2. 2

    Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until slightly firm, about 12 minutes.

  3. 3

    Meanwhile, heat oil in another pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the bread crumbs and basil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

  4. 4

    Drain the pasta; serve topped with the sauce, the seasoned bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese.

About This Recipe

Iana's Sicilian Pasta with Sardines is an Italian dinner recipe made with 14 ingredients. It takes about 45 mins, serves 8, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Bread Crumbs, Crushed Tomatoes, Diced Onion, and Fennel Seed. Each serving provides about 566.41 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Iana's Sicilian Pasta with Sardines?
It is an Italian pasta recipe made with 14 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
What is Iana's Sicilian Pasta with Sardines made of?
The main ingredients are Bread Crumbs, Crushed Tomatoes, Diced Onion, Fennel Seed, Fresh Basil. The full list of 14 is above.
What goes well with Iana's Sicilian Pasta with Sardines?
Explore these Italian side-dish recipes.
How long does it take to make Iana's Sicilian Pasta with Sardines?
About 45 mins in total: 15 mins to prepare and 30 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 566.41 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Iana's Sicilian Pasta with Sardines easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 14 ingredients and 4 steps.
Is Iana's Sicilian Pasta with Sardines healthy?
Iana's Sicilian Pasta with Sardines has an easyChef Pro health score of 44/100. Per serving, it provides 566.41 calories and 19.9 g of protein, or 40% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber and iron. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 449.77 mg (20% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 1.78 g (9% of the Daily Value). It contains Tree Nuts, Fish, Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Tomatoes, Garlic and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

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