Tinned Fish Is a Pantry Essential—Here Are 12 Delicious Ways to Use It

Canned tuna is a great pantry staple typically used in sandwiches and casseroles, but it’s not the only tinned seafood you should try. Tinned sardines, mackerel, anchovies, octopus, mussels, and smoked oysters are all delicious and nutritious. They are also increasingly popular and trendy. In fact, the global canned seafood market was estimated to be around $33.6 billion in 2023, with all signs pointing to even more growth over the next decade.

We spoke to fish experts about what's behind the popularity of tinned fish, as well as some of their favorite ways to use it. Ahead, learn about this essential pantry staple and why you will always want to have some on hand.

Why Is Tinned Fish So Popular? 

The surging interest in Portugal as a vacation destination has helped tinned fish become the darling of the pantry—it's where a lot of tinned seafood originates. According to Michael Benevides, owner of the 35-year-old Portugalia Marketplace, the popularity of tinned fish in the U.S. has conversely led to its booming popularity in Portugal. “If you visit Portugal, you’re going to see tinned fish shops, and that plays a role. Maybe people see it initially as souvenirs, but now there are tinned fish restaurants in Portugal," he says. Benevides also points to influencers who are fueling the trend, including the self-proclaimed “Sardinfluencer,” Harrison Weinfeld. 

It's an Easy, Shelf-Stable Food

Tinned seafood might seem like an unlikely candidate for culinary stardom, but it is everywhere these days, including most recently in Times Square, New York, where the first American store by Portuguese artisanal tinned fish brand Comur opened in 2023. Benevides says the trend has really taken off. “Pre-pandemic, we saw it trending with natural wine bars serving tinned fish. That was maybe seven years ago. Of course, it became even more popular during the lockdown because it’s a shelf-stable food. It’s easy to whip up in a meal. That catapulted it. And people are creating boards with it, first adding fish to charcuterie boards and now creating tinned seafood boards.” 

It's Convenient—and Delicious

Anna Hezel, author of Tin to Table, a book devoted to tinned seafood, says, "I think people are realizing what problem-solvers these products can be," she says. Hezel points out that they're convenient, shelf-stable proteins with a ton of health benefits. "And the supply chain of tinned products is, in many cases, quite traceable. On top of all of this, for not a lot of money, you get to eat something that's been made with a lot of precision, care, and tradition."

How to Use Tinned Fish 

If canned beans and tomatoes have a recurring role in your pantry, it's time to add tinned fish. It really is the perfect ingredient to elevate quick snacks and meals.

Here are a few of our favorite ideas.

Appetizers

Hezel says that the convenience and quality of tinned seafood make it a go-to ingredient for entertaining.

Smoked Trout Dip: “I make the smoked trout dip from Tin to Table seriously all the time. It's just tinned trout, cream cheese, creme fraiche, plus some shallot and lemon juice, and you can serve it with crudités, potato chips—whatever you have around.”  (Also, try this with canned smoked salmon.)

Tinned Fish Board: Forget about the charcuterie and set out several types (still in their tins) on your board along with your favorite crackers, crudités, olives, and pickles.

Sardine Crostini: The easiest option is serving just about any tinned fish on toasted baguette slices or crackers as a crostini-like appetizer.

Salads 

White Bean and Mackeral Salad: "For a really easy lunch to pack, I love making a light and bright salad full of tiny white beans, mackerel or sardine fillets, shallots, celery, parsley (and any other odds and ends in the fridge), and lots of lemon or red wine vinegar," says Hezel.

Salad and the Vinaigrette: Sara Hauman, the founder of Tiny Fish Co., also uses tinned seafood in salads. “My favorite tinned fish is swimming in olive oil or a sauce, which lends itself perfectly to being a great base for a vinaigrette," she says. She strains fish from the oil or sauce and flakes for a salad. Then she mixes the reserved sauce or oil with some lemon or vinegar, a pinch of salt, and some optional Dijon mustard, and she is on her way to a "protein-packed salad that is fit for lunch or dinner," she says.

Lemon-Herb Sardine Salad: Try our lemony sardine salad, which uses a simple olive oil-lemon dressing with Dijon mustard, parsley, and tarragon—plus capers and diced celery, which all offer a bright counterpunch to the rich sardines. We like it with toast or crackers.

Rice Bowls and Hand Rolls

Rice Bowls: Hauman may be a chef, but she's looking for convenience too, which is why she recommends using tinned seafood in rice bowls, “As someone who lives by myself, cooking for one is sometimes more difficult than it should be. Having odds and ends in my fridge, pickles, soft-boiled eggs, rice, greens, and of course a pantry stocked with tinned fish is my favorite way to cook a convenient meal for myself with no leftovers.” 

Hand Rolls: Another option is wrapping your favorite canned fish (try trout or salmon) in seaweed, like these Tuna Salad Hand Rolls, which are perfect for those nights when you need an easy (and delicious) dinner fast.

Pasta

Tuna noodle casserole is a classic for a reason—canned fish and pasta are a pairing that just works. Try one (or all) of these:

• Pasta With Preserved Lemon and Anchovies
• No-Cook Tomato-Tuna Sauce With Spaghetti
• Pasta with Fennel, Sardines, and Pine Nuts
  

Tacos 

If you like fish tacos, you’re probably going to love tinned fish tacos. “Don't underestimate how delicious fish tacos can be when made from your favorite tin of fish," says Hauman. If you keep the fixings for tacos on hand and stock up on tinned fish, you'll always be able to put a quick, easy, and satisfying meal together.

If you need a little inspiration, try our Sardine Tacos.