37 Anchovy, Sardine, and More Tiny Fish Recipes
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Tiny fish have massive potential. Sold fresh at seafood markets or packed in oil in adorably graphic tins, forage fish like sardines and anchovies (which feed on even tinier marine life such as plankton) are pantry powerhouses with multi-faceted appeal.
Nutritionally, forage fish punch well above their weight. “Although they’re small, they’re nutrient-rich and packed with protein,” says Esther Tambe, a registered dietitian-nutritionist and certified diabetes educator. “They’re a good source of vitamin D, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids, and iron.” Some believe wild-caught forage fish maintain more nutrients than larger, commercially farmed fish like salmon. (Approximately 80 to 90 percent of the salmon we eat in the United States comes from farms.) In one study, analysts found that wild fish from the lower rungs of the food chain contained five times more calcium than farmed salmon fillets.
While no one is saying to stop eating salmon—it’s one of our favorite weeknight proteins—it’s worth noting that anchovies, sardines, and other forage fish are considerably gentler on the wallet too. “A can of sardines might be $3, compared to a salmon fillet you’re definitely paying double digits for,” says Tambe.
There are other reasons to think small when hitting up your local fishmonger. Forage fish are one of the most eco-friendly seafoods available; some researchers believe they have the lowest carbon footprint of any animal food source. By eating them more frequently, we can prevent the overfishing of larger swimmers like swordfish and salmon.
Moving forage fish to the center of our plates could also have lasting personal and public health benefits. According to a recent study of data from more than 130 countries, we could prevent 750,000 human deaths annually and reduce ischaemic heart disease if we swapped the red meat in our diets for forage fish.
Whether you’re a new adopter or have been popping tins for as long as tides have rolled, there’s a tiny fish recipe here for you: Maybe you like draping crispy-skinned grilled sardines over griddled country bread, blitzing anchovies into umami-rich sauces and salad dressings, or branching out to mackerel, smelt, and other varieties. The world is, if not your oyster, then certainly your anchovy. Here are 37 tiny fish recipes to try.
Photography by Emma Fishman, Food Styling by Adriana Paschen, Prop Styling by Elizabeth Jamie2/37Braised Beans and Sardines With Fennel
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Judy Kim, Prop Styling by Stephanie De Luca3/37Classic Caesar Salad
Accept no substitutions: This is the ultimate Caesar. The homemade Caesar dressing is the perfect complement to crisp romaine, crunchy croutons, and big shards of Parmesan cheese—and it’s not so bad with a plate of crudité either.
Photo by Alex Lau4/37Nasi Lemak
This spin on Malaysia’s classic dish comes from New York City’s Kopitiam. It features tiny chiles and crunchy dried anchovies atop velvety coconut rice.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro6/37Boquerones With Green Olives and Orange
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boytsova7/37Red Pesto Pasta
According to one anonymous reader from San Fransisco, this is “Quite possibly one of the best pastas I’ve ever had! PERIOD.” Well, thanks! The sauce is a mix of anchovies (six of them), walnuts, fresh red chiles, garlic, tomato paste, Parmesan, and olive oil. Plus a little knob of butter. Sounds pretty good, no?
Photo by Chelsie Craig, Styling by Molly Baz8/37Crispy Smashed Potatoes With Walnut Dressing
Take super crispy potatoes with buttery insides, top them with an umami-rich anchovy and walnut dressing, and you’ve got a picture-perfect dinner-party side. But we’ve also been known to turn this into a weeknight dinner.
Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Pearl Jones, prop styling by Allie Wist9/37Escarole Caesar With Sardines and Hazelnuts
Photo by Emma Fishman, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio10/37Mackerel Pantry Pasta
Not all varieties of mackerel are considered forage fish. Look for small whole fish or tins labeled Jack or Atlantic mackerel. Pacific and King varieties are much larger.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Sophie Strangio11/37Blackened Carrots With Daikon and Pomegranates
Photograph by Laura Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Sophie Strangio12/37Baked Pasta and Leeks With Anchovy Cream
Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Judy Kim14/37Summer Squash Pasta With Just Enough Anchovies
Photograph by Paola + Murray, food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich, prop styling by Marina Bevilacqua15/37Bagna Cauda With Spring Vegetables
This warm anchovy dip has been made in Piedmont, Italy, since at least the 16th century. The dressing will separate rather than form a cohesive emulsion, so use your best olive oil—you’ll taste it.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Jillian Knox, prop styling Sophie Peoples17/37Vidalia Onion Pissaladière Pizzas
When restocking your tinned fish cupboard, head over to the refrigerated section and grab some ready-made pizza dough for this grilled version of a southern French classic, topped with caramelized onions, salty olives, and anchovies.
Photo by Alex Lau, food styling by Susie Theodorou, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime18/37Rigatoni With Fennel and Anchovies
Photo by Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott, food styling by Andy Baraghani, prop styling by Kalen Kaminski20/37Tomatoes and Haricots Verts With Anchovies
Photo by Heidi's Bridge26/37Lazy Caesar Salad
Ditch the raw egg yolk for store-bought mayo in this streamlined Caesar. Want to make it lazier still? Pick up a tube of anchovy paste.
Chelsie Craig34/37Bucatini With Butter-Roasted Tomato Sauce
Humble canned tomatoes develop rich intensity in the oven with garlic and anchovies in this easy pasta sauce. Swap in spaghetti, linguine, or any other long, skinny noodle for the bucatini.
