Canned Anchovies: Types, Differences and How to Choose

On a supermarket shelf or a gourmet food website, the options for canned anchovies can be overwhelming. Aluminum cans, glass jars, olive oil, sunflower oil, Cantabrian, Mediterranean, Peruvian, size 0, size 00, with or without bone. Prices ranging from 2 to 30 euros for the same apparent format.

Not all of them are the same. And the differences between them directly affect the flavor, preservation, and how you will use them. This guide breaks down each variable so you can choose wisely, not randomly.

Can vs. glass: what affects flavor and preservation

The packaging is not just an aesthetic detail. It has real consequences on the consumption experience and the product's shelf life.

The aluminum can is the historical format and remains the most common for large-scale production. Its advantages are physical resistance (it doesn't break), lower production cost, and total opacity to light, which is a real protective factor against the oxidation of fish fats. Its disadvantages are that you cannot see the product before opening it, and once opened, it cannot be hermetically sealed: you have to transfer the contents to a glass container.

The glass jar allows you to see exactly what you are buying before opening: the color of the fillets, the amount of oil relative to the fish, the uniformity of the fillets, and the presence or absence of visible defects. This visual inspection point is its greatest advantage for the discerning consumer. It can also be closed and stored directly in the refrigerator once opened, with the oil covering the fillets.

Its main disadvantage is transparency: light accelerates the oxidation of the anchovy's polyunsaturated fats. A glass jar exposed to direct light (natural or artificial) for weeks or months on a shelf reduces product quality faster than an opaque can. Serious producers who use glass add cardboard boxes or opaque wrappings precisely for this reason. If you buy anchovies in a glass jar without any additional light protection, that is a warning sign.

Does the packaging material affect the product's flavor? Under normal storage conditions (no direct light, stable temperature), the flavor difference between anchovies in a can and the same anchovies from the same producer in a glass jar is minimal or nonexistent. What does affect it is post-opening management: in glass with a screw cap, preservation is more practical, and the product lasts longer once opened.

Olive oil vs. sunflower oil: real impact on anchovies

This is the variable that has the most impact on the final product's flavor, yet it is the one most consumers overlook when checking the label.

The oil in a can of anchovies is not just a preservative: it is part of the product's flavor profile. The anchovy absorbs some of the oil during the storage period, and that oil modifies the perception of flavor in the mouth.

Extra virgin olive oil contributes its own aromatic compounds (fruity, herbaceous, slightly bitter) that integrate with the anchovy's flavor and amplify its complexity. Olive oil fat has a higher melting point than sunflower oil fat, which gives the fillet a firmer texture and a more defined mouthfeel. Furthermore, olive oil has its own antioxidant properties (polyphenols, vitamin E) that contribute to the product's stability during storage.

Sunflower oil is neutral in flavor, which in theory should "let the anchovy speak." In practice, the result is an anchovy that tastes flatter, less complex, and with a less defined mouthfeel. Sunflower oil does not add nuances but also does not help develop the ones the anchovy already has. It is the cheapest oil and the most used in low-cost industrial productions.

There is a third type that appears on some labels: "olive oil" without the "extra virgin" specification. It is refined oil mixed with a small amount of virgin oil to recover some flavor. It is better than sunflower but clearly inferior to extra virgin. Brands that use it do so to reduce costs while keeping the word "olive" on the label.

Practical rule: if the oil is not extra virgin, they are saving on the element that most affects the product's flavor. In low-to-medium priced preserved foods, this is expected. In preserved foods that are presented as premium or artisanal at a high price, it is a red flag.

Cantabrian vs. Mediterranean vs. Imported: regional differences

The geographical origin of the anchovy determines its biological profile before salting, and that biological profile translates into specific sensory differences in the final product.

Cantabrian anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus from the Cantabrian Sea and Bay of Biscay) caught in season from May to June is the reference standard for Spanish preserved fish. The fish enter the coast from deep Atlantic waters, with maximum fat reserves accumulated during winter. Colder water favors slower growth and denser flesh. The concentrated fishing season in a few weeks and the artisanal production in the Santoña area are the factors that make Cantabrian anchovy the global benchmark for this preserved food format.

Mediterranean anchovy (the same Engraulis encrasicolus but from the Mediterranean) has different characteristics: generally smaller fish, lower fat content per season, milder and less intense flavor. It is mainly consumed fresh or as pickled anchovies. For salted preserved food production, it yields a correct product but with less intensity and complexity than the Cantabrian. Preserved Mediterranean anchovies exist on the market, especially in Italian productions (Menaica anchovies, Cetara anchovies) which have their own tradition and identity, but the point of comparison for the Spanish market is clearly the Cantabrian.

Imported anchovies (Morocco, Peru, Argentina) are the category that generates the most confusion. The Engraulis ringens from Peru and Argentina is a different species from the European Engraulis encrasicolus, with a stronger and less delicate flavor profile. Anchovies processed in Morocco can be of a similar species to the Cantabrian (the Cantabrian and the North African Atlantic share species) but the processing is often industrial, faster, and with less quality control. The very low price (under 3 euros per can) for a product labeled "anchovy" without specifying origin is usually a sign of imported anchovies with accelerated industrial processing.

Spanish legislation allows products that do not meet origin or process requirements to be labeled as "Cantabrian anchovy" or "Cantabrian style." There is no European PDO that protects the term. The Cantabrian Anchovy Consortium certifies basic origin and process, but its seal is neither mandatory nor ubiquitous. Consumers who want certainty need to read the full label, not just the headline.

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What to look for on the label before buying

With all of the above as context, here is the labeling checklist we use at Mercat del Ninot when evaluating a new product for our store:

• Specific origin: "Santoña," "Cantabria," "Cantabrian Coast" are acceptable. "Cantabrian style" or "Cantabrian anchovy flavor" are red flags.
• Type of oil: it must say "extra virgin olive oil." "Olive oil" alone is refined oil. "Sunflower oil" is the low-end of the market, regardless of price.
• Drained weight: must be indicated on the label. Always compare by price per drained gram, not by total package weight. A 100g can with 40g drained is more expensive per gram of anchovy than a 120g can with 80g drained at a similar price.
• Size or number of fillets: if the size (0, 00, 000) is not explicitly stated, the number of fillets per can allows you to calculate it. Fewer than 8 fillets in 50g drained: size 00 or larger. Between 8 and 14: size 0-00. More than 14: smaller than size 0 or substandard sizes.
• Production date or campaign: producers who can specify this do so. It is a sign of transparency and quality control. Those who cannot or do not want to do not include it.
• Additives: a quality anchovy only has anchovy, salt, and oil. The presence of antioxidants (E-300, E-301, E-302), acidifiers, or colorants in the ingredients list indicates that the product needs chemical help to maintain its appearance and stability.

How to store an open can (the professional trick)

The most common mistake with canned anchovies is storing the open metal can in the refrigerator. Metal exposed to air in the refrigerator oxidizes and transfers metallic flavors to the oil and fish. In a few hours, the anchovies acquire a metallic aftertaste that spoils the product.

The correct procedure once the can is opened:

1. Immediately transfer all contents (anchovies and oil) to a glass jar with an airtight lid.
2. Ensure that the fillets are completely covered with oil. If the oil in the can is not enough to cover them, add extra virgin olive oil until covered.
3. Close the jar and store it in the coldest part of the refrigerator (not in the door).
4. Consume within a maximum of 3-5 days.

Before serving, always remember to take the jar out of the refrigerator 15-20 minutes in advance. Olive oil partially solidifies at low temperatures, and cold anchovy fillets lose texture and flavor.

An additional trick many professionals use: when little oil is left in the jar but there are still fillets, add a little more good extra virgin olive oil. The oil absorbs the anchovy flavor and becomes an excellent condiment for toast, pasta, or salads once all the fillets have been consumed.

Canned anchovies in cooking: 8 specific uses

Preserved anchovies have two uses in cooking: as a protagonist (where they are directly seen and tasted) and as a background enhancer (where they are not identified but their absence would be noticed).

• Gilda: pickled guindilla pepper + Manzanilla olive + anchovy rolled on a toothpick. The most iconic use. Requires size 00 anchovies for the correct balance of proportions.
• Toast with butter: sourdough bread, unsalted butter at room temperature, anchovy fillets on top. Full description in our specific article on this recipe.
• Pasta sauce: 3-4 anchovy fillets dissolved in hot olive oil with sliced garlic and chili pepper. Add al dente pasta, cooking water, and stir. A complete dish in 15 minutes.
• Sofrito enhancer: 1-2 fillets dissolved in the sofrito oil before adding onion and garlic. Enhances the flavor of any stew, tomato sauce, or braise without anyone identifying the anchovy as an ingredient.
• Vinaigrette: 2 finely chopped fillets + sherry vinegar + olive oil + mustard. Ideal for tomato salads, Nicoise salad, or white asparagus.
• Pizza: on an already baked pizza, in the last 30 seconds of the oven or off the heat. Do not bake anchovies directly: heat dries them out and makes them too salty.
• Bagna càuda: Piedmontese sauce of anchovies, garlic, and olive oil for dipping raw vegetables. Requires quality anchovies because the sauce has nowhere to hide a bad ingredient.
• Anchovy butter: mix softened butter with very finely chopped anchovies in a 4:1 ratio. Refrigerate and use on steak, toast, or to finish pasta. Keeps for a week in the refrigerator wrapped in film.

Frequently Asked Questions