9 Boquerones Recipes That’ll Change How You See Anchovies
Let’s talk about the other anchovies. Not the thin brown fillets packed in oil or salt, but boquerones en vinagre, or simply boquerones (boh-keh-ROH-nehs). While most anchovies are cured in sea salt and packed in oil, these are packed fresh in a vinegar mixture. Also known as marinated white anchovies, the plump specimens are brighter and milder in flavor than their briny brethren, so even if you don’t think you like anchovies, boquerones could be a whole different story. Look for them in the refrigerated seafood section rather than on the shelves.
But the question remains: how should you use them? The tender, meaty texture of these white anchovy fillets, paired with their vinegar-kissed flavor, is best enjoyed straight from the tin—don’t cook them. Instead, do like they do in Spain and pile them on toasts or arrange atop salads. Slide a few onto a sandwich, or simply add a pile of fillets to a snack board. Here are a handful of white anchovy recipes to get you started.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Thu Buser, Prop Styling by Tim Ferro1/9Boquerones With Green Olives and Orange
This next-level Spanish tapa-inspired snack takes less than 15 minutes to make but feels extra fancy. Top tangy boquerones with a generous glug of extra virgin olive oil infused with garlic and orange zest, then add buttery crushed Castelvetrano olives, thinly sliced red onion, and a splash of sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar. Keep the crusty bread nearby to soak up every flavorful drop.
Photograph by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr., Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht, Prop Styling by Sean Dooley2/9Red Pepper–Anchovy Toasts
Peden & Munk5/9Caesar-Style Puntarelle
Puntarelle is a crisp, peppery Italian green related to chicory. Both oil-packed anchovies in the creamy, classic Caesar dressing and a scattering of boquerones on top of the finished salad offset the greens’ mild bitterness.
Photograph by Chris Bernabeo, food styling by Lauren Stanek6/9Kuri Squash With Salsa Verde and Boquerones
To counter the earthy sweetness of roasted winter squash, dress it with a lively Italian salsa verde made with garlic cloves, Calabrian chile paste, and lots of chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley and dill. A handful of boquerones ties it all together.
Ryan Liebe9/9Grilled Tomato Salsa
This quick boquerones recipe is made with tomatoes, garlic, basil, capers, lemon zest, kosher salt, and black pepper has endless uses, so it’s worth doubling the batch. Spoon it over grilled chicken, steak, or fish, tuck it inside a burger, use it to dress roasted vegetables, fold it into soft scrambled eggs, pile it on toast, or even toss it with beans for an easy bean salad.