From quick everyday meals to dishes that taste like they took hours, anchovies are one of those ingredients that quietly do much of the heavy lifting in your kitchen. Here’s how to actually cook with them, and why a small tin can change the way you make food.

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Small Fish, Big Upgrade

There’s a good chance you’ve heard of anchovies (maybe thanks to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), but you’ve probably never tried them. Many refer to anchovies as those smelly little fish that people put on top of pizza, or the star ingredient for an authentic Caesar salad, but anchovies are so much more.

Think of anchovies as the quiet overachiever – less mainstream than truffles but just as capable of elevating many recipes, adding deep umami richness to everything from pasta sauces and dressings to soups and roasted vegetables, along with health benefits that might surprise you.

Mash them, melt them, whisk them in… and suddenly your food tastes richer, deeper, and a bit more like you know what you’re doing.

They have a way of turning humble, everyday meals into something a little more special.

Anchovies Add Depth (Not Fishiness)

Let’s get this out of the way: anchovies aren’t here to make your food taste fishy. 

They’re here to elevate and sometimes even take centre stage. 

Think of them as small ingredients with big main character energy when the recipe calls for it. One minute, they melt into a sauce as if nothing happened… the next, they’ve quietly transformed the whole dish.

All savoury umami depth, no fishy drama.

Small but Mighty Kitchen Hero

Anchovies might be small, but they definitely earn their spot in the kitchen.

They’re a natural source of vitamin B12, which supports energy and overall wellness, and traditionally salt-cured – a simple, time-tested method that preserves flavour without over-processing. Our anchovies are not processed in pressure cookers – that’s why they are placed in the cooler section of grocery stores and should be refrigerated when opened.

In other words: nothing fancy, just really good ingredients doing their thing. 

Everyday Meals, Upgraded

This is where anchovies really shine.

Stir them into pasta sauces and watch the flavour deepen instantly. Add them to roasted vegetables for a savoury edge that makes everything more interesting. Blend them into dressings and suddenly your salad isn’t just “on the side.”

They’re also a great way to rethink familiar dishes. Cantonese fried rice, for example, is traditionally made with salted fish. Swap in anchovies and you get the same savoury taste, with a slightly different twist that still feels true to the dish.

Small change. Big payoff.

Easy Ways to Use Anchovies

Ready to give them a go?

We’ve pulled together some of our favourite anchovy recipes to show just how easy (and surprisingly versatile) they really are.

Anchovy & Onion Tart

Layers of tender potatoes, leeks and gruyère baked into a rich, creamy filling, finished with anchovies for a perfectly balanced savoury bite.

Toasted Focaccia with Anchovy-Ricotta Spread

Creamy ricotta meets briny anchovies, spread over crisp, golden focaccia. Simple, satisfying and hard to stop at one

Spicy Mackerel Pasta

Pasta shells tossed in a bold arrabbiata sauce with flaked mackerel, kale, anchovies, topped with parmesan and fresh oregano.

Seafood Risotto

Creamy risotto with Siciliana sauce, cherry tomatoes, mackerel, and anchovy fillets, finished with parmesan and fresh oregano.

Bonus: A Twist Worth Trying

Cantonese-Style Anchovy and Egg Fried Rice

Fragrant jasmine rice stir-fried with anchovies and soft scrambled eggs, finished with a savoury sauce. Quick, satisfying, and a perfect example of how a small swap can completely change a dish.

Anchovies for Beginners (No Stress)

1. First Step: Start small–one or two go a long way for flavour. Think of anchovies as your flavour builder, not the star of the dish! A great way to begin is to try them in familiar favourites like pizza, dressings, or pasta sauces, where they blend in easily and quietly boost the overall flavour.
2. Pairings: Anchovies pair best with ingredients that balance their intense savoury, salty profile, such as olive oil, butter, lemon, or tomato, to round out the flavour when incorporated into a sauce or dressing. 
3. The Melt Method: Place anchovy fillets into hot olive oil with garlic or onions; they will disintegrate and disappear, creating a rich, savoury base without a “fishy” texture.
4. Use the Oil: Use the oil from the anchovies tin. It’s packed with flavour, and can be used tossed on vegetables or in homemade dressings.  
5. Stock Up! Grab a couple of tins from the refrigerated seafood or meat section at your grocery store and pop them in the fridge so you can test out these new tips, tricks, and recipes.

Anchovies have a way of quietly working their way into your cooking.

Start small… and before you know it, they’re in everything.

Keep a tin in the fridge – you’ll be surprised how often it comes in handy.