Anchovies in Summer: 7 Surprising Cold Recipes

Anchovies as a star ingredient for summer

Cantabrian anchovies are probably the most versatile gourmet ingredient in summer cold cuisine. A single anchovy fillet transforms a simple dish into something memorable. Why? Because anchovies are pure umami — that fifth flavor that fills the mouth with taste and makes you want more.

The umami of anchovies acts as a natural enhancer: a couple of chopped fillets in a salad elevates the entire dish. In cold pasta, anchovies provide the saltiness and depth that you usually only get by cooking for hours. And on toast, a single quality anchovy on good bread with tomato is a bite that rivals any pintxo from San Sebastián.

In summer, when you don't want to cook, anchovies are your best ally: they are already ready to use, don't need heat, and their flavor is potent enough that with few other ingredients, you have a complete dish.

1. Anchovy toast with confit tomato and burrata

The evolution of the classic anchovy toast, elevated with two ingredients that turn it into a restaurant-quality bite:

• Toasted crystal bread or country bread
• Confit cherry tomatoes (found in jars, or use sun-dried tomatoes in oil)
• 1 small burrata ball (or stracciatella)
• 2 Cantabrian anchovy fillets per toast
• EVOO, black pepper, fresh basil

Assembly: Place a generous spoonful of crumbled burrata on the toast. Add 3-4 confit cherry tomatoes. Arrange the anchovy fillets crisscross on top. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, black pepper, and a basil leaf. The contrast between the creaminess of the burrata, the sweetness of the confit tomato, and the saltiness of the anchovy is addictive.

2. Caesar Salad with real anchovies

The original Caesar salad includes anchovies in the dressing — not those industrial "Caesar sauce anchovies" but real anchovies. The difference is huge.

Authentic Caesar dressing: In a mortar or mini-blender, mix 4 Cantabrian anchovy fillets, 1 clove garlic, 1 egg yolk, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 100 ml EVOO (add in a stream), 30 g finely grated Parmesan, black pepper. The result is a creamy, intense sauce with a depth that the bottled version cannot achieve.

Assembly: Washed and chopped romaine lettuce, stale bread croutons, Parmesan shavings, the dressing on top, and — the Bacalalo touch — 2 whole anchovy fillets per plate as a crown. The combination of anchovy in the dressing and whole anchovy on top creates layers of flavor that make this salad addictive.

3. Mediterranean cold pasta with anchovies

Summer cold pasta needs a powerful ingredient to compensate for the cold temperature (flavors are dulled by cold). Anchovies are that ingredient.

Ingredients (4 people):

• 350 g short pasta (fusilli, penne, or farfalle)
• 8 Cantabrian anchovy fillets, chopped
• 200 g cherry tomatoes, halved
• 100 g Kalamata black olives
• 50 g drained capers
• ½ red onion, finely julienned
• Fresh basil, oregano
• Vinaigrette: 4 tbsp EVOO, 2 tbsp wine vinegar, pepper

Preparation: Cook the pasta al dente, drain, and cool under running water. Mix with the vinaigrette while still warm to absorb flavor. Add the rest of the ingredients and the chopped anchovies at the end so they don't break apart. Let sit for 30 minutes in the refrigerator before serving. Just before serving, adjust oil and vinegar (pasta absorbs dressing while resting).

Note: Do not add salt. The anchovies, olives, and capers provide all the salt you need. If the pasta is bland, add more chopped anchovies instead of salt.

4. Creamy anchovy and caper dip

A dip for spreading on raw vegetable sticks, crackers, or toasted bread. It's ready in 3 minutes and is devastatingly good.

• 200 g cream cheese at room temperature
• 6 Cantabrian anchovy fillets
• 1 tbsp capers
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp chopped chives
• Black pepper

Blend everything in a food processor or with a fork until you get a cream with some chunks. It shouldn't be completely smooth — the anchovy and caper pieces add texture. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. Serve surrounded by carrot, cucumber, celery, and radish sticks.

5. Piquillo peppers with anchovy and cheese

A classic Basque pintxo that comes together in seconds and is pure perfection:

Open a jar of piquillo peppers. Inside each pepper, place a piece of creamy goat cheese (like a log) and a folded anchovy fillet. Close the pepper, secure with a toothpick, and arrange on a platter. Dress with EVOO and a pinch of pepper. You can serve them cold or at room temperature.

The combination of the sweetness of the piquillo, the creaminess of the cheese, and the saltiness of the anchovy is one of the most perfect flavor triads in Spanish gastronomy. Prepare at least 3 per person because they disappear in seconds.

6. Tomato carpaccio with anchovies and EVOO

A cold summer appetizer that only works under two conditions: exceptional seasonal tomatoes and premium anchovies.

Slice large vine or Raf tomatoes thinly. Arrange them on a plate, overlapping to form a circle. Place anchovy fillets on top, forming a star. Dress generously with the best olive oil you have, a few flakes of sea salt, and black pepper. Optional: a few fresh basil leaves.

Do not add vinegar — the acidity of the tomato and the saltiness of the anchovy already create all the balance you need. Olive oil is the third vertex of the triangle. A dish with 4 ingredients that needs nothing else.

7. Gilda: the perfect summer pintxo

The Gilda is the most famous pintxo in San Sebastián and one of the most perfect appetizers that exist. A skewer with three ingredients: green olive (Manzanilla or Gordal type), Basque chili pepper (piparra), and a folded anchovy fillet.

The order matters: First the olive (stable base), then the chili pepper (folded in a zigzag), and finally the anchovy (on the tip so it's the first thing you taste). It's eaten in one bite. The balance between the acidity of the olive, the mild spiciness of the chili pepper, and the umami of the anchovy is a masterpiece of culinary engineering.

For a perfect Gilda, you need quality anchovies — not thin, hard industrial anchovies. Bacalalo's Cantabrian anchovies, with their large size and buttery texture, are ideal. Prepare 3-4 per person as an appetizer.

Discover more summer recipes on our blog: 5 cold cod salads, 10 cold seafood appetizers or the perfect smoked fish platter. You can also explore our salted cod collection for more inspiration.

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