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These sardine pancakes are soft, easy to hold, and made with just 5 simple ingredients. They’re an easy way to introduce sardines to babies and toddlers while adding omega-3 fats, protein, iron, and other important nutrients to their meal.
Recipe At a Glance
If you bought a can of sardines for your baby and are now staring at it wondering what you’re actually supposed to do with it, start here!
- Just 5 ingredients: You only need sardines, an egg, sweet potato, flour, and ground flaxseed.
- Soft and easy to hold: Perfect for babies learning to self-feed.
- Nutrient-dense: Sardines provide protein and omega-3 fats along with several important vitamins and minerals.
- Mild flavor: Sweet potato helps balance the stronger flavor of sardines.
- Quick to make: The batter comes together in one bowl and cooks in minutes.
- Freezer-friendly: Make a double batch and freeze some for another meal or snack.
- Great for the whole family: They’re especially helpful for babies and toddlers, but there’s no reason older kids and adults can’t enjoy them too.
Looking for more easy finger foods? Check out my Pancakes for Babies for more soft, nutritious pancake recipes that are perfect for baby-led weaning and little hands.
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Sardines: I recommend choosing sardines with no added salt or lower sodium when possible, especially when serving babies. Boneless and skinless sardines are convenient, although the soft edible bones in canned sardines can provide additional calcium.
- Egg: Helps bind the pancakes together while adding additional protein and fat. Egg is also a common food allergen, so keep that in mind if you’re serving these to a baby.
- Sweet potato: Adds moisture and a subtle natural sweetness that helps balance the flavor of the sardines. This is a great way to use a small amount of leftover cooked sweet potato. Be sure to check out my sweet potatoes for babies guide.
- Ground flaxseed: Adds texture and helps bind the batter while providing additional nutrients. You can also use any seed or seed blend like the brain booster from this company that I love! Use discount code “MIN15.”
Substitutions and Variations
- Sweet potato: Swap with pumpkin puree or plain mashed potato. Mashed banana can also work but will give the pancakes a noticeably sweeter flavor.
- Flour: Use all-purpose, whole wheat, oat flour, or your favorite gluten-free flour blend.
- Egg: If your child can’t have egg, you can try a flax egg made with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed and 2½ tablespoons water. Let it sit for about 5 minutes before using. Keep in mind the texture will be different from pancakes made with egg.
- Add veggies: Mix in a small amount of finely chopped spinach, grated zucchini, or grated carrot.
- Add cheese: Stir in a tablespoon of shredded cheese for additional flavor. Here’s my favorite cheese for babies.
- Add herbs: Try garlic powder, onion powder, dill, parsley, or another mild herb or seasoning your family enjoys.
- Make them crispier: Cook the pancakes in a little additional oil or butter for more golden, crisp edges.
- Try another fish: For another easy fish-based finger food, try my Salmon Patties.
How to Make Sardine Pancakes
You’ll find the full recipe card with all the exact measurements at the bottom of this post.
Step 1: Add the sardines to a bowl and mash thoroughly with a fork until mostly smooth.
Step 2: Add the egg, mashed sweet potato, flour, and ground flaxseed and stir until everything is well combined.
Step 3: Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat. Scoop the batter into the pan to form 3–4 small pancakes, gently flattening them as needed.
Step 4: Cook for about 2–3 minutes per side, or until the pancakes are lightly golden and the egg is cooked through.
Expert Tips
- Keep them small. Small pancakes are easier to flip and make a convenient size for little hands.
- Watch the heat. Keep your skillet around medium heat so the inside has time to cook before the outside gets too dark.
- Adjust the consistency if needed. Different sweet potatoes contain different amounts of moisture. If your batter seems too wet to hold together, stir in a little additional flour.
- Cook until completely set. Since these contain egg, make sure the centers are fully cooked before serving.
- Make extras. These are exactly the kind of finger food I love having tucked away in the freezer for busy days.
Serving Suggestions
Think of these as your protein-rich component and build the rest of the meal around them.
For breakfast, try serving them with avocado and soft fruit. For lunch, add a vegetable and fruit alongside. You can also serve them with plain whole-milk yogurt or another favorite dip.
For an iron-friendly pairing, add a vitamin C-rich food such as strawberries, kiwi, mango, broccoli, or bell pepper alongside the meal. For even more ideas, check out my Iron-Rich Foods for Babies.
Storage
Refrigerator: Allow the pancakes to cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Freezer: Freeze the cooled pancakes in a single layer until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. This makes it easy to grab just what you need.
Reheating: Warm gently in the microwave or skillet until heated through, then allow them to cool to a safe temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Sardines can be a nutrient-dense fish option for babies. They provide protein and omega-3 fats and are generally considered a lower-mercury fish choice.
They’re also naturally soft, which makes them particularly easy to incorporate into baby-friendly recipes like these pancakes.
Yes. The bones in canned sardines are generally very soft from processing and can be mashed thoroughly into the pancake mixture.
If you prefer, you can also use boneless, skinless sardines.
More Easy Baby Pancakes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Sardine Pancakes
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 sardine fillets
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons mashed sweet potato
- 1 tablespoon flour , any kind
- 1 teaspoon ground flaxseeds
Instructions
- Add the sardines to a bowl and mash thoroughly with a fork until mostly smooth. Add the egg, mashed sweet potato, flour, and ground flaxseed and stir until everything is well combined.
- Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat. Scoop the batter into the pan to form 3–4 small pancakes, gently flattening them as needed.
- Cook for about 2–3 minutes per side, or until the pancakes are lightly golden and the egg is cooked through. Transfer to a plate and allow the pancakes to cool before serving to your baby or toddler.
Notes
- Keep them small. Small pancakes are easier to flip and make a convenient size for little hands.
- Watch the heat. Keep your skillet around medium heat so the inside has time to cook before the outside gets too dark.
- Adjust the consistency if needed. Different sweet potatoes contain different amounts of moisture. If your batter seems too wet to hold together, stir in a little additional flour.
