Cook · Tinned fish · November 2026

The Tinned Fish 25

Tinned fish is the snack plate of the year and the gift every food person wants. So here are 25 tins worth buying from small canneries, from Lisbon and Galicia to Alaska and Copenhagen. Each one has who makes it, where to order it, what to eat it with, and Chef's own quick recipe for tonight: pasta, toast or rice. Save any recipe and it lands in your recipes, laid out the way we cook.

1. No.1Photo: Fishwife

   Smoked · North America

   Gold Label Smoked Salmon

   From Fishwife · Los Angeles

   Smoked, in oilNot spicy

   The Los Angeles brand that got a lot of people to open their first tin. The salmon is Kvarøy Arctic, from northern Norway, smoked in small batches over beech, maple and birch with a little dark brown sugar and garlic salt.

   Sweet, smoky, flaky, and nothing like the salmon in a supermarket can. If you're converting someone to tinned fish, start here.

   Eat it withHot rice and soyA bagel with cream cheeseCucumber and chili crisp

   Order from Fishwife ↗

   Chef's quick recipe

   Smoked salmon rice bowl

   15 min · 2 bowls · Hot rice warms the salmon just enough; the cucumber and rice vinegar keep it bright.

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   You need

   • 1 tin Fishwife smoked salmon (about 3 oz / 90 g)
   • 1½ cups (280 g) cooked short-grain rice, hot
   • 1 Persian cucumber, thinly sliced
   • 1 tsp rice vinegar
   • Pinch of salt
   • 1 ripe avocado, sliced
   • 2 tsp soy sauce
   • 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
   • 2 scallions, thinly sliced
   • 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
   • Chili crisp, to taste

   How to make it

   1. Toss the cucumber with the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt. Leave it 5 minutes while you get the rest ready.
   2. Divide the hot rice between two bowls.
   3. Open the tin and break the salmon into big flakes with a fork. Keep the oil.
   4. Lay the salmon, avocado and drained cucumber over the rice.
   5. Whisk the soy, sesame oil and 1 tsp of the tin's oil and spoon it over.
   6. Finish with scallions, sesame seeds and as much chili crisp as you like. Eat while the rice is hot.

   Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Fishwife's.

   Open this tin, and its card to share →

2. No.2Photo: FishNook

   Smoked · North America

   Smoked Sockeye Salmon

   From Wildfish Cannery · Klawock, Alaska

   Smoked, hand-packedNot spicy

   A small family-run cannery and smokery on Prince of Wales Island in Southeast Alaska, which for decades has smoked and canned fish for the island's subsistence fishermen. The sockeye gets salt, cane sugar, garlic, black pepper and wood smoke.

   Deep red, firm and properly smoky. It tastes like it came off a dock, because it more or less did.

   Eat it withDark rye and butterA dip with cream cheese and dillA cold lager

   Order from FishNook ↗

   Wildfish Cannery doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to FishNook, a shop that carries it.

   Chef's quick recipe

   Smoked sockeye toast with lemony cream cheese

   10 min · 4 toasts · Cream cheese loosened with lemon carries the smoke; capers and red onion cut the richness.

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   You need

   • 1 tin Wildfish smoked sockeye (about 3.5 oz / 100 g)
   • 4 oz (115 g) cream cheese, soft
   • Zest of ½ lemon and 2 tsp juice
   • 2 tbsp chopped dill, plus sprigs
   • Black pepper
   • 4 slices dark rye or sourdough
   • 1 tbsp capers, drained
   • ¼ small red onion, sliced paper-thin

   How to make it

   1. Beat the cream cheese with the lemon zest, juice, chopped dill and a good grind of pepper until smooth and spreadable.
   2. Toast the bread until crisp at the edges, about 2 minutes a side in a pan or toaster.
   3. Spread the toast thickly with the cream cheese, right to the edges.
   4. Break the salmon into large flakes and pile it on.
   5. Top with capers, red onion and dill sprigs. Cut each toast in half and serve right away.

   Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Wildfish Cannery's.

   Open this tin, and its card to share →

3. No.3Photo: Taylor Shellfish

   Smoked · North America

   Original Smoked Oysters

   From Ekone Oyster Co. · Willapa Bay, Washington

   Smoked, not oilyNot spicy$13 a tin

   Willapa Bay oysters, raised from hatchery to harvest, smoked and canned with very little oil so the oyster leads. Taylor Shellfish Farms sells Ekone's tins.

   Firm, savory and clean. People who think they don't like smoked oysters change their minds on this one.

   Eat it withSaltines and hot sauceA martiniLinguine with garlic

   Order from Taylor Shellfish ↗

   Ekone Oyster Co. doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Taylor Shellfish, a shop that carries it.

   Chef's quick recipe

   Smoked oyster linguine with garlic and lemon

   20 min · 2 servings · The oysters go in last, off the heat, so they stay plump; pasta water turns butter and lemon into a sauce.

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   You need

   • 1 tin Ekone smoked oysters (about 3 oz / 85 g)
   • 6 oz (170 g) linguine
   • Salt
   • 2 tbsp olive oil
   • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
   • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
   • 2 tbsp butter
   • Zest and juice of ½ lemon
   • 3 tbsp chopped parsley
   • 2 tbsp toasted breadcrumbs

   How to make it

   1. Boil the linguine in well-salted water until 1 minute short of the packet time. Scoop out 1 cup of the water before draining.
   2. While it cooks, warm the olive oil in a wide pan over medium-low. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic is pale gold, not brown.
   3. Add the drained pasta, the butter and ½ cup of pasta water. Toss hard over medium heat for 1 minute until glossy; add more water if it looks dry.
   4. Take the pan off the heat. Fold in the oysters, lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley.
   5. Divide between bowls and scatter the breadcrumbs over for crunch.

   Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Ekone Oyster Co.'s.

   Open this tin, and its card to share →

4. No.4Photo: Milk Street Store

   Tuna and mackerel · North America

   Albacore in Mediterranean Olive Oil

   From St. Jude · Washington

   Troll-caught, in olive oilNot spicy

   Joe and Joyce Malley's family boat, the St. Jude, trolls the Pacific for albacore one fish at a time, so there's almost no bycatch. The tuna is frozen at sea, hand-filleted and hand-packed, and it has won Good Food Awards.

   Tuna that flakes into big, clean, buttery pieces. Once you've had this, the cheap can tastes like cat food.

   Eat it withA tuna meltWhite beans and lemonPasta with capers

   Order from Milk Street Store ↗

   St. Jude doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Milk Street Store, a shop that carries it.

   Chef's quick recipe

   Albacore pasta with capers, lemon and parsley

   20 min · 2 servings · The tuna's own oil is the sauce. Capers and lemon keep it sharp; nothing is cooked hard.

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   You need

   • 1 tin St. Jude albacore in olive oil (about 6 oz / 170 g)
   • 6 oz (170 g) spaghetti
   • Salt
   • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
   • 1 tbsp capers, rinsed
   • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
   • Zest and juice of 1 lemon
   • ½ cup chopped parsley
   • Black pepper

   How to make it

   1. Cook the spaghetti in salted boiling water until al dente. Save ¾ cup of the water.
   2. Drain the tuna's oil into a wide pan (add a splash of olive oil if it's under 2 tbsp). Warm over medium-low, add the garlic, capers and pepper flakes and cook 2 minutes, until fragrant.
   3. Add the pasta and ½ cup of pasta water. Toss for a minute until the oil and water come together.
   4. Off the heat, add the tuna in big flakes, the lemon zest and juice and the parsley. Toss once or twice so the tuna stays in pieces.
   5. Season with black pepper and serve.

   Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't St. Jude's.

   Open this tin, and its card to share →

5. No.5Photo: Boston General Store

   Mussels, cockles and clams · North America

   PEI Mussels in Smoked Paprika & Fennel Tomato Sauce

   From Scout · Canada

   In sauce●○A little heat

   Started by chef Charlotte Langley to source everything from Canada and the U.S. The mussels are rope-grown and hand-harvested in the inlets of Prince Edward Island, in a sauce of tomato, roasted red pepper, garlic, fennel seed and chili.

   A whole little dish in a tin. Warm it and you've got mussels on toast in five minutes.

   Eat it withGrilled breadA fried eggA glass of cold white

   Order from Boston General Store ↗

   Scout doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Boston General Store, a shop that carries it.

   Chef's quick recipe

   Mussels on garlic toast

   10 min · 2 servings · The sauce is already made. Toast rubbed with garlic soaks it up; a little aioli makes it a meal.

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   You need

   • 1 tin Scout PEI mussels (about 3.2 oz / 90 g)
   • 2 thick slices country bread
   • 1 tbsp olive oil
   • 1 garlic clove, halved
   • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
   • 1 small garlic clove, grated
   • 1 tsp lemon juice
   • 1 tbsp chopped parsley

   How to make it

   1. Stir the mayonnaise with the grated garlic and lemon juice. That's your quick aioli.
   2. Brush the bread with olive oil and toast it in a pan over medium heat, 2 minutes a side, until golden. Rub the hot toast with the cut garlic.
   3. Tip the mussels and their sauce into a small pan and warm over low heat for 2 minutes, just until hot. Don't boil them.
   4. Spread a little aioli on each toast and spoon the mussels and sauce over.
   5. Scatter parsley and eat with a knife and fork.

   Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Scout's.

   Open this tin, and its card to share →

6. No.6Photo: FishNook

   Sardines and sprats · Portugal

   Extra Spiced Sardines in Olive Oil

   From Nuri (Pinhais) · Matosinhos, Portugal

   In spiced olive oil●●Spicy$8.99 a tin

   Pinhais, by the fish market in Matosinhos, still packs by hand and cans sardines the day they come off the boat, then ages the tins for months before they ship. The extra spiced tin gets three chilies instead of one, with clove, carrot, pickle and laurel.

   The classic Portuguese tin, with real heat. Let it sit in the cupboard a year and it only gets better.

   Eat it withBread and salted butterSpaghettiVinho verde

   Order from FishNook ↗

   Nuri (Pinhais) doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to FishNook, a shop that carries it.

   Chef's quick recipe

   Spicy sardine spaghetti with crunchy breadcrumbs

   25 min · 2 servings · The spiced oil flavors everything; breadcrumbs toasted in it stand in for cheese, the way Sicily does it.

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   You need

   • 1 tin Nuri extra spiced sardines (4.4 oz / 125 g)
   • 6 oz (170 g) spaghetti
   • Salt
   • ⅓ cup (25 g) coarse breadcrumbs
   • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
   • 1 tbsp tomato paste
   • 1 tbsp golden raisins (optional)
   • Zest of ½ lemon
   • ¼ cup chopped parsley

   How to make it

   1. Put the pasta water on. Drain the tin's oil into a wide pan and keep the sardines aside.
   2. Toast the breadcrumbs in 1 tbsp of that oil over medium heat, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes until deep golden. Tip them into a bowl and season with a pinch of salt.
   3. Cook the spaghetti in salted water until al dente; save 1 cup of the water.
   4. In the same pan, warm the rest of the oil over medium-low with the garlic for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and raisins and cook 1 minute, until the paste darkens.
   5. Add the sardines and break them up with a spoon. Add the pasta and ½ cup of water and toss for a minute until saucy.
   6. Off the heat, stir in the lemon zest and parsley. Serve with the breadcrumbs on top.

   Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Nuri (Pinhais)'s.

   Open this tin, and its card to share →

7. No.7Photo: FishNook

   Sardines and sprats · Portugal

   Spiced Small Sardines in Olive Oil

   From José Gourmet · Portugal

   In spiced olive oil●○A little heat

   The Portuguese brand with the illustrated tins people keep after they're empty. Small sardines in olive oil seasoned with clove, bay leaf and white pepper, plus a piri-piri chili, a slice of pickle and a slice of carrot in every tin.

   Little, tender and warm with spice rather than hot. The tin you buy twice: one to eat, one to give.

   Eat it withToast with tomatoCrackers and a soft cheesePickled red onion

   Order from FishNook ↗

   José Gourmet doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to FishNook, a shop that carries it.

   Chef's quick recipe

   Sardine toast with tomato and quick-pickled onion

   15 min · 2 toasts · Grated tomato for juice, pickled onion for snap, the sardines on top whole.

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   You need

   • 1 tin José Gourmet spiced small sardines
   • ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
   • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
   • ½ tsp sugar
   • Salt
   • 2 slices sourdough
   • 1 ripe tomato, halved
   • Flaky salt
   • Small handful of parsley or mint leaves

   How to make it

   1. Stir the onion with the vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt. Leave 10 minutes, stirring once, until pink and soft.
   2. Toast the bread well, brushed with a little oil from the tin.
   3. Grate the cut sides of the tomato on a box grater into a bowl, leaving the skin behind. Season with salt.
   4. Spread the tomato over the toast, lay the sardines on whole and spoon over a little more of the spiced oil.
   5. Top with the drained onion, flaky salt and herbs.

   Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't José Gourmet's.

   Open this tin, and its card to share →

8. No.8Photo: FishNook

   Sardines and sprats · Portugal

   Sardines in Olive Oil & Lemon

   From Ati Manel · Matosinhos, Portugal

   In olive oilNot spicy

   Atlantic sardines landed in Matosinhos, near Porto, and canned by hand the same day, in the bright yellow and blue tins you see all over Portugal. This one is just sardines, olive oil, lemon and salt.

   Clean and bright, a good first sardine. Squeeze nothing: the lemon is already in.

   Eat it withRiceBoiled potatoesA green salad

   Order from FishNook ↗

   Ati Manel doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to FishNook, a shop that carries it.

   Chef's quick recipe

   Sardine fried rice with lemon and herbs

   15 min · 2 servings · Day-old rice fried in the tin's oil, sardines folded in at the end so they stay in chunks.

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   You need

   • 1 tin Ati Manel sardines in olive oil and lemon (about 4.2 oz / 120 g)
   • 2 cups (300 g) cooked rice, cold
   • 2 eggs, beaten with a pinch of salt
   • 3 scallions, sliced, whites and greens apart
   • 1 garlic clove, chopped
   • 1 cup frozen peas
   • 1 tbsp soy sauce
   • 2 tbsp chopped dill or parsley
   • Lemon wedges

   How to make it

   1. Heat 1 tbsp of the tin's oil in a large nonstick pan or wok over high heat. Pour in the eggs, stir until just set, about 30 seconds, and tip them onto a plate.
   2. Add another 1 tbsp of oil, the scallion whites and garlic; cook 30 seconds.
   3. Add the rice and press it flat. Leave it 1 minute to crisp, then stir and repeat twice more.
   4. Add the peas and soy sauce and stir-fry 2 minutes until the peas are hot.
   5. Fold in the sardines in large pieces, the eggs, scallion greens and herbs. Serve with lemon.

   Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Ati Manel's.

   Open this tin, and its card to share →

9. No.9Photo: Luisa Paixão

   Sardines and sprats · Portugal

   Tricana Sardines in Olive Oil and Piri-Piri

   From Conserveira de Lisboa (Tricana) · Lisbon, Portugal

   In olive oil with chili●●Spicy

   Tricana is the house brand of Conserveira de Lisboa, the old tinned-fish shop on Rua dos Bacalhoeiros in Lisbon, where every tin is still wrapped in paper by hand at the counter.

   The tin every Lisbon visitor carries home. Piri-piri gives it a slow burn.

   Eat it withTomato riceGrilled breadA cold beer

   Order from Luisa Paixão ↗

   Conserveira de Lisboa (Tricana) doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Luisa Paixão, a shop that carries it.

   Chef's quick recipe

   Portuguese tomato rice with sardines

   35 min · 2 to 3 servings · Arroz de tomate is meant to be loose and soupy; the sardines go on at the end so they just warm through.

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   You need

   • 1 tin Tricana sardines with piri-piri
   • 1 small onion, finely chopped
   • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
   • 1 bay leaf
   • 3 ripe tomatoes, grated (or 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes)
   • ¾ cup (150 g) medium-grain rice
   • 2½ cups (600 ml) hot water or light stock
   • Salt
   • 2 tbsp chopped cilantro or parsley

   How to make it

   1. Warm 2 tbsp of the tin's oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook 6 to 8 minutes until soft and golden.
   2. Add the garlic and bay leaf for 1 minute, then the tomatoes. Simmer 5 minutes until thick.
   3. Stir in the rice for 1 minute, then the hot water and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer.
   4. Cook uncovered at a gentle simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, stirring now and then, until the rice is tender and still loose. Add a splash of water if it gets thick.
   5. Lay the sardines on top, cover and leave off the heat for 3 minutes to warm them.
   6. Spoon into bowls with the herbs and the rest of the oil.

   Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Conserveira de Lisboa (Tricana)'s.

   Open this tin, and its card to share →

10. No.10Photo: Portugalia Marketplace

    Tuna and mackerel · Portugal

    Mackerel Fillets in Spiced Olive Oil with Pickles

    From Minerva (A Poveira) · Póvoa de Varzim, Portugal

    In spiced olive oil●○A little heat

    Minerva has been the label of A Poveira, a cannery in the fishing town of Póvoa de Varzim north of Porto, since 1942. These mackerel fillets come in chili oil with carrot and cucumber pickle.

    Mackerel is the underrated tin: rich, meaty and cheap. The pickles do the work a squeeze of lemon would.

    Eat it withRye toastPotato saladHard-boiled eggs

    Order from Portugalia Marketplace ↗

    Minerva (A Poveira) doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Portugalia Marketplace, a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Mackerel rillettes on toast

    10 min · 4 toasts · Mashed with butter and crème fraîche, mackerel turns into a spread you'd pay for in a wine bar.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Minerva spiced mackerel with pickles
    • 2 tbsp soft butter
    • 2 tbsp crème fraîche or sour cream
    • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • 1 small shallot, very finely chopped
    • 1 tbsp chopped chives
    • Black pepper
    • 4 slices rye or baguette, toasted

    How to make it

    1. Drain the mackerel, keeping the oil and the pickles. Finely chop the pickles.
    2. In a bowl, mash the mackerel with a fork until flaky, then beat in the butter, crème fraîche, mustard and lemon juice until creamy but not smooth.
    3. Stir in the shallot, chopped pickles, chives and plenty of pepper. Loosen with a teaspoon of the oil if it's stiff.
    4. Spread thickly on the toast. It keeps 3 days in the fridge, covered.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Minerva (A Poveira)'s.

    Open this tin, and its card to share →

11. No.11Photo: RTG

    Tuna and mackerel · Portugal

    Tuna Fillets in Olive Oil and Azorean Pepper

    From Santa Catarina · São Jorge, Azores

    Pole and line, in olive oil●○A little heat

    A small cannery in Calheta on São Jorge, an island in the middle of the Atlantic. The tuna is caught by pole and line and packed by hand; demand often runs ahead of what they can make.

    Mid-Atlantic tuna with a bit of the islands' red pepper. Buy two when you see it.

    Eat it withRice saladBoiled eggs and olivesCrusty bread

    Order from RTG ↗

    Santa Catarina doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to RTG, a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Tuna rice salad with peppers and olives

    25 min · 3 servings · Rice dressed while warm drinks up the vinaigrette; the tuna goes in last in big pieces.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Santa Catarina tuna with Azorean pepper
    • ¾ cup (150 g) long-grain rice
    • Salt
    • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
    • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
    • 1 roasted red pepper from a jar, diced
    • ⅓ cup pitted black olives, halved
    • 1 celery stalk, diced
    • 2 hard-boiled eggs, quartered
    • ¼ cup chopped parsley

    How to make it

    1. Cook the rice in plenty of salted boiling water like pasta, 12 to 14 minutes, until tender. Drain well.
    2. Whisk the vinegar, mustard, a pinch of salt and 3 tbsp of the tin's oil (top up with olive oil).
    3. Toss the warm rice with half the dressing and spread it out to cool for 10 minutes.
    4. Fold in the pepper, olives, celery and parsley, then the tuna in large flakes.
    5. Top with the eggs and the rest of the dressing. Good at room temperature.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Santa Catarina's.

    Open this tin, and its card to share →

12. No.12Photo: igourmet

    Tuna and mackerel · Spain

    Bonito del Norte in Olive Oil

    From Conservas Ortiz · Ondarroa, Basque Country

    In olive oilNot spicy

    A Basque family cannery working since the 1890s. Bonito del Norte is white albacore caught one by one with rod and line in the Bay of Biscay in summer, packed with olive oil and salt and nothing else.

    The tin Spanish cooks keep in the cupboard for when friends turn up. Silky, mild and serious.

    Eat it withPiquillo peppersTomato and onionToast and aioli

    Order from igourmet ↗

    Conservas Ortiz doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to igourmet, a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Bonito and piquillo pepper toast

    10 min · 4 toasts · The pintxo you'll find on every bar in San Sebastián: sweet roasted pepper, rich tuna, a little garlic.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Ortiz bonito del norte (3.95 oz / 112 g)
    • 4 slices baguette, cut on the angle
    • 1 garlic clove, halved
    • 4 piquillo peppers from a jar, drained
    • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
    • 1 tsp sherry vinegar
    • 4 good olives or anchovy-stuffed olives
    • Flaky salt

    How to make it

    1. Toast the bread until crisp and rub one side with the garlic.
    2. Stir the mayonnaise with the sherry vinegar.
    3. Spread a little on each toast and lay a piquillo pepper on top, opened out.
    4. Lift the bonito out in big pieces and set them on the peppers. Drizzle with a little of the tin's oil.
    5. Spear an olive on each with a toothpick and finish with flaky salt.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Conservas Ortiz's.

    Open this tin, and its card to share →

13. No.13Photo: FishNook

    Anchovies and small fish · Spain

    Garfish in Olive Oil, Gold Line

    From Ramón Peña · Cambados, Galicia

    In olive oilNot spicy$16.49 a tin

    A Galician cannery in Cambados, on the Rías Baixas, that started as a small family business in 1920 and now makes more than 50 tins with no artificial ingredients. The Gold Line is its top range.

    Garfish is the sardine's firmer, flakier cousin, and almost nobody else tins it. A real find.

    Eat it withSalsa verdeToastA glass of albariño

    Order from FishNook ↗

    Ramón Peña doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to FishNook, a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Garfish on toast with salsa verde

    10 min · 2 servings · A sharp herb sauce lifts the mild, firm fish.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Ramón Peña garfish in olive oil
    • ½ cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
    • 1 tbsp capers, chopped
    • 1 small garlic clove, grated
    • 1 tsp red wine vinegar
    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • Salt and pepper
    • 2 slices country bread, toasted

    How to make it

    1. Mix the parsley, capers, garlic, vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. It should be loose and sharp.
    2. Toast the bread until crisp.
    3. Lay the garfish fillets on the toast and drizzle with a little of the tin's oil.
    4. Spoon the salsa verde over and serve.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Ramón Peña's.

    Open this tin, and its card to share →

14. No.14Photo: FishNook

    Mussels, cockles and clams · Spain

    Octopus in Olive Oil

    From Conservas de Cambados · Cambados, Galicia

    In olive oilNot spicy$13.99 a tin

    From the Galician fishing town of Cambados, where octopus is practically a religion. The octopus is gently steamed and packed in olive oil with a pinch of salt.

    Tender octopus without the hours of cooking. Paprika and potatoes, and you're in Galicia.

    Eat it withBoiled potatoes and paprikaToastWhite wine

    Order from FishNook ↗

    Conservas de Cambados doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to FishNook, a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Quick pulpo a la gallega

    25 min · 2 servings · Octopus over hot potatoes with smoked paprika and good oil: the Galician classic, with the slow part already done.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Conservas de Cambados octopus in olive oil
    • 2 medium waxy potatoes (about 12 oz / 340 g)
    • Salt
    • 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
    • Pinch of hot paprika
    • Flaky salt
    • Good olive oil

    How to make it

    1. Put the potatoes, unpeeled, in a pot of cold well-salted water. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until a knife slides in easily.
    2. Drain, cool a minute, peel and slice into ½-inch rounds. Lay them on a warm plate.
    3. Warm the tin, unopened, in a bowl of hot tap water for 5 minutes so the octopus is warm, not cold.
    4. Arrange the octopus on the potatoes and spoon the tin's oil over.
    5. Dust with both paprikas, add flaky salt and another drizzle of olive oil. Eat with toothpicks.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Conservas de Cambados's.

    Open this tin, and its card to share →

15. No.15Photo: Caputo's

    Smoked · Spain

    Chargrilled Sardine Tails

    From Güeyu Mar · Playa de Vega, Asturias

    Chargrilled, in olive oilNot spicy$24 a tin

    Chef Abel Álvarez grills seafood over holm-oak embers at his restaurant on the beach in Asturias, then tins it. Sardine tails grilled over coals and packed in extra virgin olive oil.

    The tin that tastes like the grill. It costs like a cocktail, and it's worth it.

    Eat it withWhite beansToast and tomatoRoasted peppers

    Order from Caputo's ↗

    Güeyu Mar doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Caputo's, a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Smoky sardine and white bean toast

    15 min · 2 servings · Creamy beans and a little lemon let the char come through.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Güeyu Mar chargrilled sardine tails
    • 1 can (15 oz) white beans, drained and rinsed
    • 1 garlic clove, grated
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 2 tbsp olive oil
    • Salt
    • 2 thick slices sourdough
    • Chopped parsley
    • Pinch of red pepper flakes

    How to make it

    1. Warm the beans in a small pan with the garlic, olive oil and 2 tbsp water over medium-low for 4 minutes. Mash about half with a fork so it turns creamy.
    2. Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt.
    3. Toast the bread well.
    4. Spoon the beans onto the toast and lay the sardine tails on top. Drizzle with the tin's oil.
    5. Finish with parsley and pepper flakes.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Güeyu Mar's.

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16. No.16Photo: Caputo's

    Mussels, cockles and clams · Spain

    Cockles 30/40, Premium Line

    From Espinaler · Vilassar de Mar, Catalonia

    In brineNot spicy

    A Catalan tavern and cannery known for the vermouth hour: a tin of cockles, potato chips and a splash of Espinaler's own vinegar-and-paprika sauce. 30 to 40 cockles to the tin is the big, plump size.

    Briny, sweet and the reason Spain eats tins before lunch. Pour vermouth.

    Eat it withPotato chipsRed vermouth on iceOlives

    Order from Caputo's ↗

    Espinaler doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Caputo's, a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    The vermut plate: cockles with the house sauce

    5 min · 2 to 4 as a snack · Our take on the Catalan sauce: vinegar, paprika and a little heat, splashed over the cockles at the table.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Espinaler cockles in brine
    • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
    • 1 tbsp water
    • ½ tsp sweet paprika
    • Pinch of cayenne
    • Pinch of black pepper
    • Pinch of sugar
    • Thick-cut potato chips
    • Green olives

    How to make it

    1. Shake the vinegar, water, both peppers, paprika and sugar in a small jar until the sugar dissolves.
    2. Drain the cockles (or not: the brine is good) and tip them into a small dish.
    3. Splash a spoonful of the sauce over.
    4. Serve with chips, olives and toothpicks, and keep the sauce on the table for more.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Espinaler's.

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17. No.17Photo: Little Spain

    Mussels, cockles and clams · Spain

    Razor Clams (packed for José Andrés Foods)

    From Los Peperetes · Galicia

    In brineNot spicy

    Galician razor clams packed by hand at the Los Peperetes cannery, sold in the U.S. under José Andrés's label at his Mercado Little Spain.

    Long, sweet and clean, like the sea in a very good mood. Treat them gently.

    Eat it withGarlic and parsleyLinguineLemon

    Order from Little Spain ↗

    Los Peperetes doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Little Spain, a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Razor clam linguine with garlic and white wine

    20 min · 2 servings · Linguine alle vongole from the cupboard. The brine and wine make the sauce; the clams go in at the end.

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    You need

    • 1 tin razor clams in brine (about 4 oz / 120 g)
    • 6 oz (170 g) linguine
    • Salt
    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
    • ¼ cup dry white wine
    • 1 tbsp butter
    • 3 tbsp chopped parsley
    • Lemon zest

    How to make it

    1. Drain the clams over a bowl and keep the brine. Cut each clam into 2 or 3 pieces.
    2. Cook the linguine in salted water until 2 minutes short of al dente. Save ½ cup of water.
    3. Warm the oil with the garlic and pepper flakes over medium-low for 2 minutes until pale gold. Add the wine and the clam brine and simmer 2 minutes.
    4. Add the pasta and finish cooking it in the pan, tossing, for 2 minutes. Add pasta water if it gets dry.
    5. Off the heat, add the clams, butter, parsley and lemon zest. Toss and serve straight away.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Los Peperetes's.

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18. No.18Photo: Mercado Central NYC

    Anchovies and small fish · Spain

    Cantabrian Anchovy Fillets in Extra Virgin Olive Oil

    From Don Bocarte · Santoña, Cantabria

    Cured, in olive oilNot spicy$16 a tin

    From Santoña, the Cantabrian town famous for anchovies. Big fillets cured and cleaned by hand, six or seven to a small tin. Keep it in the fridge.

    This is what anchovies are supposed to taste like: meaty and sweet, not a salt bomb.

    Eat it withButtered toastTomatoesA Gilda with olives and guindilla peppers

    Order from Mercado Central NYC ↗

    Don Bocarte doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Mercado Central NYC, a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Anchovy, butter and tomato toast

    5 min · 2 toasts · Cold butter and good anchovies is the whole recipe. The tomato is there for juice.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Don Bocarte anchovy fillets
    • 2 slices good bread
    • 2 tbsp cold salted butter
    • 1 ripe tomato, halved
    • Black pepper
    • A few chives or parsley leaves

    How to make it

    1. Toast the bread until crisp.
    2. Rub the cut tomato over the hot toast so it soaks in, then discard the skin.
    3. Shave the cold butter thinly over the toast.
    4. Lay 3 anchovies on each. Finish with pepper and herbs. Eat right away, before the butter melts.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Don Bocarte's.

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19. No.19Photo: RTG

    Mussels, cockles and clams · Spain

    Selección 1920 Mussels in Escabeche

    From Real Conservera Española · Galicia

    Fried, in escabecheNot spicy

    Galician mussels fried in olive oil and then marinated in escabeche, the vinegar-and-paprika pickle Spain has used for centuries. Selección 1920 is the premium line; the cannery says serve them chilled.

    Tangy, rich and addictive. Chill the tin 10 minutes before you open it.

    Eat it withPotato chipsRiceA cold beer

    Order from RTG ↗

    Real Conservera Española doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to RTG, a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Escabeche mussel rice

    20 min · 2 servings · The escabeche is the dressing: its vinegar and paprika season plain rice in one move.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Real Conservera mussels in escabeche
    • 1 cup (190 g) cooked rice, warm
    • ½ small red onion, finely diced
    • ½ cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
    • 2 tbsp chopped parsley
    • 1 tsp sherry vinegar
    • Salt
    • Lemon wedges

    How to make it

    1. Spoon the warm rice into a bowl.
    2. Pour the escabeche from the tin over the rice and stir so every grain is coated. Add the sherry vinegar and a pinch of salt; taste.
    3. Fold in the onion, tomatoes and parsley.
    4. Set the mussels on top and serve warm or at room temperature, with lemon.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Real Conservera Española's.

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20. No.20Photo: The Tinned Fish Market (UK)

    Sardines and sprats · France and Italy

    Two-Chilli Sardines with Lemon

    From La Belle-Iloise · Quiberon, Brittany

    In olive oil with chili●●Spicy

    A Breton cannery founded by Georges Hilliet in 1932 by the fishing port of Quiberon. It still sells mostly through its own shops in French seaside towns, in tins with their famous painted labels.

    French sardines with real chili and lemon. The tin to bring back from Brittany, or order from London.

    Eat it withBaguette and butterRadishesMuscadet

    Order from The Tinned Fish Market (UK) ↗

    La Belle-Iloise doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to The Tinned Fish Market (UK), a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Sardine rillettes, the Breton way

    10 min · 1 small bowl (4 toasts) · Mashed with butter and cream cheese, sardines become the spread every Breton bar serves with a glass of Muscadet.

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    You need

    • 1 tin La Belle-Iloise two-chilli sardines
    • 2 tbsp soft salted butter
    • 2 tbsp cream cheese
    • 1 tsp lemon juice
    • 1 small shallot, very finely chopped
    • 1 tbsp chopped chives
    • Black pepper
    • Baguette, sliced and toasted

    How to make it

    1. Lift out the sardines, keeping the oil and chilies. Remove the backbone if you like (it's soft and edible).
    2. Mash the sardines with the butter, cream cheese and lemon juice until coarse and creamy.
    3. Chop one of the chilies from the tin very finely and stir it in with the shallot and chives. Season with pepper.
    4. Pack into a small bowl and drizzle with a spoonful of the tin's oil. Serve with the toasts.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't La Belle-Iloise's.

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21. No.21Photo: Lucciola NYC

    Anchovies and small fish · France and Italy

    Anchovy Fillets in Secret Spicy Sauce

    From Rizzoli Emanuelli · Parma, Italy

    In spicy sauce●●Spicy$8.99 a tin

    Italy's oldest anchovy producer, in Parma. The golden tin of anchovies in a spicy tomato sauce is a family recipe they've never published.

    Every Italian aunt has a golden tin of these. Spicy, saucy, perfect on hot bread.

    Eat it withSpaghettiHot bread and butterStracciatella

    Order from Lucciola NYC ↗

    Rizzoli Emanuelli doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Lucciola NYC, a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Spaghetti with spicy anchovies and breadcrumbs

    20 min · 2 servings · The anchovies melt into a sauce; toasted breadcrumbs, the poor man's parmesan, add crunch.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Rizzoli anchovies in spicy sauce (about 3 oz / 90 g)
    • 6 oz (170 g) spaghetti
    • Salt
    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • ⅓ cup (25 g) coarse breadcrumbs
    • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
    • Zest of ½ lemon
    • 3 tbsp chopped parsley

    How to make it

    1. Toast the breadcrumbs in 1 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan over medium heat, stirring, until golden, 3 to 4 minutes. Tip out and wipe the pan.
    2. Cook the spaghetti in lightly salted water (the anchovies are salty) until al dente; save 1 cup of water.
    3. Warm the rest of the oil with the garlic over medium-low for 2 minutes. Add the anchovies and their sauce and stir until they melt, about 2 minutes.
    4. Add the pasta and ½ cup of water and toss until glossy.
    5. Off the heat, add lemon zest and parsley. Serve topped with the breadcrumbs.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Rizzoli Emanuelli's.

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22. No.22Photo: Market Hall Foods

    Sardines and sprats · Nordic

    Brisling No. 1: Smoked Baltic Sprats with Heather & Chamomile

    From Fangst · Copenhagen, Denmark

    Smoked, in rapeseed oilNot spicy$10.95 a tin

    A small Copenhagen company bringing back Nordic tinned fish. Baltic sprats lightly smoked with heather and chamomile and packed in cold-pressed rapeseed oil.

    Floral, smoky and delicate. The prettiest tin on this list and maybe the most surprising.

    Eat it withDark ryeBoiled eggsAquavit or a cold pilsner

    Order from Market Hall Foods ↗

    Fangst doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Market Hall Foods, a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Smørrebrød with smoked sprats, egg and dill

    15 min · 2 open sandwiches · Danish open sandwich rules: dense rye, a lot of butter, egg, and the fish on top.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Fangst smoked sprats
    • 2 slices dense dark rye
    • 2 tbsp salted butter, soft
    • 2 eggs
    • 2 radishes, thinly sliced
    • ¼ red onion, thinly sliced
    • Dill sprigs
    • Lemon wedge
    • Black pepper

    How to make it

    1. Lower the eggs into boiling water and cook 8 minutes for a just-set yolk. Cool in cold water and peel.
    2. Butter the rye all the way to the edges, thickly.
    3. Slice the eggs and lay them over the bread.
    4. Arrange the sprats on top, then radish, onion and dill.
    5. Squeeze over a little lemon and grind on pepper. Eat with a knife and fork.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Fangst's.

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23. No.23Photo: Spanish Club (Ireland)

    Sardines and sprats · Spain

    Small Sardines in Olive Oil (Sardinillas), 10/12

    From Paco Lafuente · Vilanova de Arousa, Galicia

    In olive oilNot spicy€6.45 a tin

    A family cannery in Vilanova de Arousa on the Galician coast, known for sardinillas: tiny sardines, ten to twelve to a tin, so small they melt. They even sell vintage-dated tins.

    Tiny, silky sardines you eat whole. Galicia's best-kept small fish.

    Eat it withPan con tomateCrackersAlbariño

    Order from Spanish Club (Ireland) ↗

    Paco Lafuente doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Spanish Club (Ireland), a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Sardinillas on pan con tomate

    10 min · 2 servings · Catalan tomato bread, Galician sardines. The tomato is grated so it soaks into the toast.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Paco Lafuente sardinillas
    • 2 slices ciabatta or country bread
    • 1 ripe tomato, halved
    • 1 garlic clove, halved
    • Good olive oil
    • Flaky salt

    How to make it

    1. Toast the bread until crisp and golden.
    2. Rub the cut garlic over the hot toast, then grate the tomato onto it (or rub the cut tomato hard over the bread) so it soaks in.
    3. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with flaky salt.
    4. Lay the sardinillas on top, whole, and spoon over a little of the tin's oil.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Paco Lafuente's.

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24. No.24Photo: Brindisa (UK)

    Anchovies and small fish · Spain

    Beech-Smoked Anchovies

    From Conservas Nardín · Zumaia, Basque Country

    Smoked, in oilNot spicy£9.75 a tin

    A small family business in a Basque fishing port near San Sebastián that cures and preserves fish from the Cantabrian Sea. These anchovies are smoked over beech.

    Not salty like a cured anchovy: soft, smoky and gentle. A tin for people who say they hate anchovies.

    Eat it withPotato saladRoasted peppersGrilled bread

    Order from Brindisa (UK) ↗

    Conservas Nardín doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Brindisa (UK), a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Smoked anchovy, potato and egg salad

    25 min · 2 servings · Warm potatoes take up the dressing; the anchovies go on last so they stay whole.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Nardín smoked anchovies
    • 12 oz (340 g) small waxy potatoes
    • Salt
    • 2 eggs
    • 1 tbsp sherry vinegar
    • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
    • 3 tbsp olive oil
    • 1 small shallot, sliced
    • 2 tbsp chopped chives or parsley

    How to make it

    1. Cover the potatoes with cold salted water, bring to a boil and simmer 12 to 15 minutes until tender. Add the eggs for the last 8 minutes.
    2. Whisk the vinegar, mustard, olive oil, shallot and a pinch of salt.
    3. Drain the potatoes, halve them while warm and toss with the dressing. Cool the eggs in cold water, peel and quarter.
    4. Pile the potatoes and eggs on a plate and lay the anchovies over the top.
    5. Spoon over a little of the tin's oil and finish with herbs.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Conservas Nardín's.

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25. No.25Photo: Specialty Food Source

    Sardines and sprats · Portugal

    Sardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Lemon (case of 12)

    From Bela-Olhão · Olhão, Algarve

    In olive oilNot spicy

    From Olhão, the fishing town on Portugal's Algarve coast. Wild sardines, plain or flavored with cayenne, lemon or tomato, sold here by the case of 12, which is how you'll want them.

    An everyday sardine to stock up on. Lemony and mild, made for weeknight pasta.

    Eat it withOrzoArugula and lemonToast

    Order from Specialty Food Source ↗

    Bela-Olhão doesn't sell this tin direct here, so the button goes to Specialty Food Source, a shop that carries it.

    Chef's quick recipe

    Lemony sardine orzo with arugula

    20 min · 2 servings · Orzo cooked like pasta, tossed with the lemon oil from the tin, and peppery arugula wilted in at the end.

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    You need

    • 1 tin Bela-Olhão sardines in olive oil and lemon (4.23 oz / 120 g)
    • ¾ cup (150 g) orzo
    • Salt
    • 1 garlic clove, grated
    • Zest and juice of ½ lemon
    • 2 big handfuls arugula
    • 2 tbsp grated parmesan (optional)
    • Black pepper

    How to make it

    1. Cook the orzo in salted boiling water for 8 to 9 minutes until tender. Save ¼ cup of water and drain.
    2. Return the orzo to the pot with the tin's oil, the garlic, lemon zest and juice, and a splash of the water. Stir over low heat for 1 minute.
    3. Fold in the arugula until it just wilts.
    4. Add the sardines in big pieces, then the parmesan and plenty of pepper. Stir once and serve.

    Chef's own recipe, in our words, built around the tin. It isn't Bela-Olhão's.

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How we picked

One tin per cannery, all of them independent or family-run, from Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Denmark, Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Sardines and sprats, tuna and mackerel, shellfish, smoked fish and anchovies, mild to spicy. Where a cannery doesn't sell to the U.S. itself, Order goes to a shop that carries the tin, and says which. Every order page was checked on November 5, 2026; prices are shown only where that shop listed one, and they change. Photos are the shops' own.

More lists like this

Nobody on this list paid to be here, and Order goes straight to the shop (we count the taps, that's all). The recipes are Chef's own, in our words, and say so.