Begin by gathering all your ingredients. Open the canned sardines and drain them, slice your bread and tomatoes if using, and prepare your herbs and cream cheese.

Generously spread cream cheese on one side of each slice of bread.

Place sardines over the cream cheese, distributing them evenly across the bread.

Sprinkle fresh basil leaves over the sardines.

If you're using tomato slices, capers, or red onion, layer them on now.

Close the sandwich with the other slice of bread and press lightly.

Optionally, toast the sandwich on a skillet for a few minutes to warm it through and create a crispy crust.