Both anchovies and capers are preserved, intensely savoury ingredients. Their salty, briny notes reinforce each other and form the puttanesca triumvirate with tomatoes.
anchovies
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Small, oily, salt-cured fish (Engraulis encrasicolus) — with an intense, fermented umami flavor from high free glutamate content, developed by proteolytic enzy…
48 pairings
Featured in French kitchen and Italian pantry.
Editorial
Flavor profile
Salt-packed anchovies and oil-packed anchovy fillets are the two standard forms. Salt-packed anchovies (whole, packed in salt in tins or jars) must be rinsed and filleted before use, but have the most complex, developed flavor from the longer curing. Oil-packed fillets (pre-cleaned, in olive or vegetable oil) are more convenient. The umami mechanism: curing concentrates free glutamates through protein breakdown — anchovy paste and canned fillets have among the highest free glutamate concentrations of any ingredient (1200–1600 mg/100g, comparable to parmesan), explaining the dramatic depth they add to preparations. Dissolving anchovies: adding anchovy fillets to olive oil or butter over low heat and stirring until they dissolve (melt away completely at about 140°F/60°C) is the technique for incorporating anchovy into sauces and dressings invisibly — no fishiness, only savory depth. Classic uses: Caesar salad dressing, puttanesca sauce, bagna cauda, vitello tonnato, pizza (sparingly), tapenade, and as a flavor base for braised lamb and roasted vegetables.
Pairings
Flavor relationships
Core pairings
capers
garlic
lemon, juice
olive oil
parsley, flat-leaf
pasta
tomatoes
capers
Both anchovies and capers are preserved, intensely savoury ingredients. Their salty, briny notes reinforce each other and form the puttanesca triumvirate with tomatoes.
garlic
Garlic and anchovy are the soul of Italian aglio e olio and puttanesca sauce. The anchovy's glutamate-rich umami amplifies garlic's sulfurous savouriness without tasting fishy.
lemon, juice
Lemon's acidity cuts through anchovy's richness and saltiness, brightening the flavour and making it more approachable—essential in Caesar dressing and bagna cauda.
olive oil
Olive oil is the classic medium for anchovy: it dissolves the cured fish's fat-soluble flavour compounds and softens its intensity, creating the basis for tapenade and agliata.
parsley, flat-leaf
Flat-leaf parsley adds freshness and a green, peppery lift that cleans up anchovy's salt and umami, finishing the sauce instead of competing with it.
pasta
Pasta is anchovy's ideal canvas: the starch clings to the oil while the fish dissolves into the sauce, creating the glossy, savoury coating that defines pantry pasta dishes.
tomatoes
Anchovy's glutamates supercharge tomato's natural umami, making every tomato sauce deeper and meatier even when you can't taste the fish itself—the secret ingredient in many great ragùs.
Garlic and anchovy are the soul of Italian aglio e olio and puttanesca sauce. The anchovy's glutamate-rich umami amplifies garlic's sulfurous savouriness without tasting fishy.
lemon, juice
Lemon's acidity cuts through anchovy's richness and saltiness, brightening the flavour and making it more approachable—essential in Caesar dressing and bagna cauda.
Olive oil is the classic medium for anchovy: it dissolves the cured fish's fat-soluble flavour compounds and softens its intensity, creating the basis for tapenade and agliata.
parsley, flat-leaf
Flat-leaf parsley adds freshness and a green, peppery lift that cleans up anchovy's salt and umami, finishing the sauce instead of competing with it.
Pasta is anchovy's ideal canvas: the starch clings to the oil while the fish dissolves into the sauce, creating the glossy, savoury coating that defines pantry pasta dishes.
Anchovy's glutamates supercharge tomato's natural umami, making every tomato sauce deeper and meatier even when you can't taste the fish itself—the secret ingredient in many great ragùs.
Pairs well with
almonds
basil
beans, green
bell peppers
carrots
cauliflower
celery
cheese, manchego
cheese, mozzarella
cheese, parmesan
chives
eggs, hard-boiled
fennel
lobster
mayonnaise
mustard
nectarines
olives
onions
orange, zest
pepper, black
pepper, white
peppers, piquillo
pizza
potatoes
puttanesca sauce
red pepper flakes
romaine lettuce
rosemary
salads
salmon
salt, kosher
salt, sea
shallots
sherry, px
tapenade
thyme
tuna
vinegar, champagne
vinegar, red wine
vinegar, sherry
almonds
Almonds balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
basil
Basil gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
beans, green
Green beans gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
bell peppers
Bell peppers gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
carrots
Carrots gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
cauliflower
Cauliflower gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
celery
Celery gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
cheese, manchego
Manchego softens anchovies' intensity with fat, helping their salt and umami blend into dressings or sauces.
cheese, mozzarella
Mozzarella softens anchovies' intensity with fat, helping their salt and umami blend into dressings or sauces.
cheese, parmesan
Parmesan softens anchovies' intensity with fat, helping their salt and umami blend into dressings or sauces.
chives
Chives gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
eggs, hard-boiled
Eggs, hard-boiled carries anchovies' fat-soluble flavor and mellows their saltiness into a glossy sauce base.
fennel
Fennel gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
lobster
Lobster echoes anchovies' marine character while the cured fish adds concentrated seasoning and depth.
mayonnaise
Mayonnaise softens anchovies' intensity with fat, helping their salt and umami blend into dressings or sauces.
mustard
Mustard cuts anchovies' salt and richness, making their umami taste brighter rather than heavy.
nectarines
Nectarines balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
olives
Olives balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
onions
Onions gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
orange, zest
Orange zest balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
pepper, black
Black pepper gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
pepper, white
White pepper gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
peppers, piquillo
Peppers, piquillo gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
pizza
Pizza gives anchovies a neutral base that absorbs their savory oil and spreads the flavor evenly.
potatoes
Potatoes gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
puttanesca sauce
Puttanesca sauce balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
red pepper flakes
Red pepper flakes gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
romaine lettuce
Romaine lettuce gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
rosemary
Rosemary gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
salads
Salads gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
salmon
Salmon echoes anchovies' marine character while the cured fish adds concentrated seasoning and depth.
salt, kosher
Kosher salt balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
salt, sea
Sea salt balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
shallots
Shallots balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
sherry, px
Sherry, px balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
tapenade
Tapenade balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
thyme
Thyme gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
tuna
Tuna echoes anchovies' marine character while the cured fish adds concentrated seasoning and depth.
vinegar, champagne
Vinegar, champagne balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
vinegar, red wine
Red wine vinegar balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
vinegar, sherry
Sherry vinegar balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
Almonds balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
Basil gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
Green beans gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
Bell peppers gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
Carrots gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
Cauliflower gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
Celery gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
Manchego softens anchovies' intensity with fat, helping their salt and umami blend into dressings or sauces.
Mozzarella softens anchovies' intensity with fat, helping their salt and umami blend into dressings or sauces.
Parmesan softens anchovies' intensity with fat, helping their salt and umami blend into dressings or sauces.
Chives gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
Eggs, hard-boiled carries anchovies' fat-soluble flavor and mellows their saltiness into a glossy sauce base.
Fennel gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
Lobster echoes anchovies' marine character while the cured fish adds concentrated seasoning and depth.
mayonnaise
Mayonnaise softens anchovies' intensity with fat, helping their salt and umami blend into dressings or sauces.
Mustard cuts anchovies' salt and richness, making their umami taste brighter rather than heavy.
Nectarines balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
Olives balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
Onions gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
orange, zest
Orange zest balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
Black pepper gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
White pepper gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
peppers, piquillo
Peppers, piquillo gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
pizza
Pizza gives anchovies a neutral base that absorbs their savory oil and spreads the flavor evenly.
Potatoes gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
puttanesca sauce
Puttanesca sauce balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
red pepper flakes
Red pepper flakes gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
romaine lettuce
Romaine lettuce gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
Rosemary gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
salads
Salads gains savory depth from anchovies, which make the vegetable taste meatier without taking over.
Salmon echoes anchovies' marine character while the cured fish adds concentrated seasoning and depth.
Kosher salt balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
salt, sea
Sea salt balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
Shallots balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
sherry, px
Sherry, px balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
tapenade
Tapenade balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
Thyme gives anchovies aromatic lift, turning their deep umami into a sauce base instead of a salty ambush.
Tuna echoes anchovies' marine character while the cured fish adds concentrated seasoning and depth.
Vinegar, champagne balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
Red wine vinegar balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.
Sherry vinegar balances anchovies by giving their salt and umami a useful role instead of letting them shout at the room.