5 Ways to Use Italian Anchovies (That Aren't Fishy)

The Most Misunderstood Ingredient in Your Pantry

If there's one ingredient that divides the room, it's anchovies. Mention them and half the table lights up with excitement while the other half recoils. "Too fishy," they say. "Too salty. Too intense."

Here's the secret that Italian cooks have known for centuries: when used correctly, anchovies don't taste fishy at all. They dissolve completely into sauces, dressings, and dips, leaving behind something far more valuable—a deep, savory richness that makes everything taste more like itself. More complex. More satisfying. More alive.

This is the magic of umami, and anchovies are one of its purest sources. In Italian cooking, they're not a topping—they're a foundation. A secret ingredient that elevates everything it touches without announcing itself.

Once you understand how to use them, you'll wonder how you ever cooked without them.

The Heritage: Recca & Scalia – Sicily's Anchovy Masters

Not all anchovies are created equal. The quality of the fish, the curing method, and the oil they're packed in make an enormous difference—and Sicilian anchovies are widely considered the world's finest.

Agostino Recca – Since 1960 in Sciacca, Sicily
The Recca family has been curing anchovies in the traditional Sicilian way since 1960, in the coastal town of Sciacca—one of Sicily's most important fishing ports. Their anchovies are caught in the Mediterranean, salt-cured for months to develop deep flavor, then hand-filleted and packed in 100% olive oil.

The result is an anchovy that's tender, not tough; flavorful, not overwhelming; and packed in oil that's worth using in your cooking. This is the anchovy that Sicilian grandmothers have been using for generations—the one that makes pasta sauces sing and salad dressings unforgettable.

Scalia – The Colatura Tradition
Scalia takes the anchovy tradition even further with colatura di alici—anchovy sauce. This amber liquid is the byproduct of the salt-curing process, collected drop by drop as the anchovies cure. It's Italy's answer to fish sauce: intensely savory, deeply complex, and used in tiny amounts to add extraordinary depth to any dish.

Both Recca and Scalia represent the pinnacle of Sicilian anchovy craftsmanship—products made with patience, tradition, and an understanding that the best flavors can't be rushed.

The Science of Umami: Why Anchovies Don't Taste Fishy

The "fishy" flavor people associate with anchovies comes from compounds called amines, which develop when fish is fresh or improperly cured. Quality salt-cured anchovies, like Recca and Scalia, undergo a months-long curing process that transforms these compounds into glutamates—the molecules responsible for umami.

Umami is the fifth taste (alongside sweet, salty, sour, and bitter). It's the savory, mouth-coating richness you taste in Parmesan, mushrooms, soy sauce, and yes—properly cured anchovies. When you cook anchovies in olive oil, they literally dissolve, releasing their glutamates into the fat and creating a flavor base that makes everything taste deeper and more satisfying.

This is why Italian cooks add anchovies to tomato sauce, braised meats, and salad dressings—not for fish flavor, but for depth. It's a technique as old as Roman cooking, when garum (fermented fish sauce) was used in virtually every dish.

5 Ways to Use Italian Anchovies

Way 1: Melt Them Into Pasta Sauce

The most transformative use—and the most invisible

How it works: Heat olive oil in a pan, add 3-4 anchovy fillets, and stir over medium heat. Within 2-3 minutes, they'll completely dissolve into the oil, leaving no trace of fish—just a deeply savory, golden oil that makes any pasta sauce extraordinary.

Try it in:

• Simple tomato sauce: Melt anchovies in olive oil with garlic, add canned tomatoes, simmer 15 minutes. The anchovies add depth that makes the tomatoes taste more intensely of themselves.
• Aglio e olio: Add 2 anchovy fillets to the garlic oil. They dissolve completely, adding savory richness to this simple dish.
• Braised vegetables: Melt anchovies into olive oil before adding broccoli, cauliflower, or rapini. The result is deeply savory and satisfying.

What you need:

• Agostino Recca Anchovy Fillets in Olive Oil – 8.11 oz
• Partanna Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 1L Tin

The Italian secret: Use low heat and patience. Anchovies melt best at medium-low heat over 2-3 minutes. High heat makes them seize up instead of dissolving.

Way 2: Build a Better Caesar Dressing

The dressing that made anchovies famous in America

How it works: The original Caesar dressing, created by Caesar Cardini in Tijuana in 1924, was built on anchovies. They provide the savory backbone that makes Caesar dressing so addictive—that umami depth that keeps you coming back for another bite.

The recipe:

• 2-3 anchovy fillets, minced to a paste
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• Salt and black pepper

How to make it:

• Mash anchovies and garlic into a paste with the back of a fork
• Whisk with lemon juice, mustard, and egg yolk
• Slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking to create an emulsion
• Stir in Parmesan, season with salt and pepper
• Toss with romaine, croutons, and extra Parmesan

What you need:

• Recca Anchovy Fillets in 100% Olive Oil 90g Jar (3.17 oz)

The Italian secret: Mince the anchovies into a smooth paste before adding them. This ensures they distribute evenly throughout the dressing without any chunks.

Way 3: Make Authentic Puttanesca

The bold Neapolitan sauce where anchovies are the star

How it works: In puttanesca, anchovies are used in larger quantities and melt into the tomato sauce, creating a bold, briny, deeply savory flavor that's unlike any other pasta sauce. Combined with capers, olives, and tomatoes, it's one of Italy's most assertive and satisfying dishes.

The recipe:

• 4-5 anchovy fillets
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tablespoons capers
• ½ cup black olives, pitted
• 1 can Italian tomatoes (passata or polpa)
• Red pepper flakes, olive oil

How to make it:

• Heat olive oil, melt anchovies with garlic over medium heat (2-3 minutes)
• Add capers, olives, and red pepper flakes—stir 1 minute
• Add tomatoes and simmer 10-12 minutes until thickened
• Toss with spaghetti and fresh parsley

What you need:

• Agostino Recca Anchovy Fillets in Olive Oil – 8.11 oz
• Colavita Capers Packed in Vinegar (4.76 oz)

The Italian secret: Never add Parmesan to puttanesca. Italians never combine cheese with seafood-based sauces—the anchovies provide all the savory richness you need.

Way 4: Create a Savory White Bean Dip

The Italian appetizer that converts anchovy skeptics

How it works: Blended into a white bean dip, anchovies add savory depth without any fishiness. The beans' creaminess softens the anchovies' intensity, creating a dip that's rich, complex, and utterly addictive. Serve it at your next gathering and watch it disappear.

The recipe:

• 1 can cannellini beans, drained
• 3-4 anchovy fillets
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Fresh rosemary, salt and pepper

How to make it:

• Blend beans, anchovies, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice until smooth
• Season with salt and pepper
• Drizzle with olive oil and garnish with fresh rosemary
• Serve with breadsticks, crostini, or raw vegetables

What you need:

• Scalia Anchovy Fillets in Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2.8 oz)
• Sclafani White Kidney Beans (15.50 oz)

The Italian secret: Add a sprig of fresh rosemary to the olive oil and warm gently before drizzling over the dip. The rosemary-infused oil adds an aromatic finish that elevates the whole dish.

Way 5: Top Your Pizza or Focaccia

Where anchovies shine as a topping, not a secret

How it works: On pizza and focaccia, anchovies are used as a topping—visible, intentional, and celebrated. The heat of the oven mellows their intensity while concentrating their savory flavor. Paired with olives, capers, or roasted peppers, they create a pizza that's deeply satisfying and unmistakably Italian.

Classic combinations:

• Pizza Napoletana: Tomato sauce, anchovies, capers, black olives, olive oil (no cheese)
• Focaccia con Acciughe: Dimpled focaccia topped with anchovy fillets and fresh rosemary before baking
• Pizza Bianca: Olive oil base, anchovies, fresh mozzarella, arugula added after baking

How to use them:

• Lay anchovy fillets across the pizza before baking
• They'll curl and intensify in the oven, becoming slightly crispy at the edges
• Use 2-3 fillets per serving—they're powerful, so a little goes a long way

What you need:

• Recca Anchovy Fillets Rolled with Capers in Olive Oil 3.17 oz

The Italian secret: For focaccia, press the anchovy fillets gently into the dimples of the dough before baking. They'll melt slightly into the bread, creating pockets of savory flavor throughout.

Bonus: Colatura di Alici – The Ultimate Anchovy Upgrade

If you want to take your anchovy game to the next level, discover colatura di alici—Italy's liquid gold.

Scalia Colatura di Alici – Italian Anchovy Sauce 100 ml

This amber liquid is collected drop by drop as anchovies cure in salt—a process that takes months. The result is intensely savory, deeply complex, and used in tiny amounts (just a teaspoon or two) to add extraordinary depth to pasta, salad dressings, or roasted vegetables.

How to use colatura:

• Pasta: Toss spaghetti with olive oil, garlic, and a teaspoon of colatura instead of salt
• Salad dressing: Add a few drops to vinaigrette for savory depth
• Roasted vegetables: Drizzle over roasted cauliflower or broccoli before serving
• Dipping sauce: Mix with olive oil, lemon, and herbs for a simple dipping sauce

Anchovy Tips: Getting the Most from Your Jar

• Store properly: Once opened, cover anchovies with olive oil and refrigerate. They'll keep for weeks.
• Use the oil: The oil in the jar is flavored with anchovy essence—use it in dressings or for sautéing.
• Start small: If you're new to anchovies, start with 1-2 fillets and increase as your palate adjusts.
• Rinse salt-packed anchovies: If using salt-packed anchovies, rinse well and soak in water for 20 minutes before using.
• Trust the process: If you can still taste fishiness, cook them longer. Properly melted anchovies have zero fish flavor.

Curated Selections: Our Finest Italian Anchovies

Ready to discover the ingredient that transforms Italian cooking? Here are our finest selections:

• Agostino Recca Anchovy Fillets in Olive Oil – 8.11 oz
• Scalia Anchovy Fillets in Extra Virgin Olive Oil (2.8 oz)
• Scalia Colatura di Alici – Italian Anchovy Sauce 100 ml

New to Pick & Get? Explore our collection of authentic Sicilian and Italian pantry staples and use code 5OFF on your first order. Because the best cooking secrets have been hiding in a small tin—and it's time to discover them.

Buon appetito! May your sauces be deeper, your dressings be bolder, and your cooking be forever transformed by the magic of Italian anchovies.