13 Canned Fish Dishes That Are Easy, Cheap, and Delicious
Perry Santanachote/Thrillist
If the mention of canned fish gives you PTSD flashbacks to your third-grade lunch table when Jimmy would crack a can open, stir in globs of mayo, and coat the entire table in that very pungent odor, then we recommend you find Jimmy's mom and ask for an apology. But it's also time to revisit the canned fish aisle at the grocery store.
Aside from its health benefits (high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids) and price point (super cheap!), canned fish also tastes damn good -- and no, not just in casseroles. The strong taste of these little fish adds a ton of flavor to whatever you've got cooking. I like to think of it as salt... but with protein. Use sardines to flavor your butter, eat battered anchovies like fries, or whip salmon into a fluffy mousse. The possibilities really are endless. Just don't take a can onto a plane. That makes you the adult version of Jimmy.
INGREDIENTS:
DIRECTIONS:
Salmon Pizza Recipe
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 16-inch pizza
Ingredients:
- 1 pound frozen pizza dough, thawed
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup crème fraîche
- 1 (6-ounce) can boneless, skinless wild Alaska salmon, drained
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 500°F. Stretch out dough into a 16-inch round and place on a pizza stone or ungreased baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and crème fraîche until smooth. Spread evenly over crust. Top with remaining ingredients, arranging evenly over pizza.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.
Salmon Pizza Recipe
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 16-inch pizza
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound frozen pizza dough, thawed
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ⅓ cup crème fraîche
- 1 (6-ounce) can boneless, skinless wild Alaska salmon, drained
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
- 4 green onions, chopped
- 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 (5-ounce) can white tuna, drained
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise, plus more for spreading
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion
- 1 teaspoon capers, drained
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- Pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 slice sourdough bread
- 2 thin slices tomato
- 1 slice cheddar cheese
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 500°F. Stretch out dough into a 16-inch round and place on a pizza stone or ungreased baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and crème fraîche until smooth. Spread evenly over crust. Top with remaining ingredients, arranging evenly over pizza.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until cheese is bubbling.
- Heat broiler, with rack in highest position. In a medium bowl, combine tuna, mayonnaise, onion, capers, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; stir until thoroughly combined.
- Place bread on a baking sheet and spread a little mayonnaise on the top. Add the tuna salad and top with tomato slices and cheese. Broil until cheese is melted and bubbling, 3 to 4 minutes.
Anchovy Fries Recipe
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- ½ cup pale ale
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 (2-ounce) tins anchovies
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- Coarse salt
- 1 lime, sliced into 4 wedges
Directions:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together beer and flour until smooth.
- Drain anchovies and pat dry.
- In a heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 350°F.
- Dredge fish in batter to coat completely, dragging lightly against side of bowl to remove excess, and fry until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer anchovies to paper towels to drain.
- Serve with lime.
Anchovy Fries Recipe
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
INGREDIENTS:
- ½ cup pale ale
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 (2-ounce) tins anchovies
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- Coarse salt
- 1 lime, sliced into 4 wedges
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 1 small onion, sliced
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ cup boiling-hot water
- 1 (16-ounce) can wild Alaska pink salmon, skin and bones removed, drained
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1 cup heavy cream
DIRECTIONS:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together beer and flour until smooth.
- Drain anchovies and pat dry.
- In a heavy pot, heat oil over medium-high heat until a deep-fat thermometer registers 350°F.
- Dredge fish in batter to coat completely, dragging lightly against side of bowl to remove excess, and fry until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer anchovies to paper towels to drain.
- Serve with lime.
- Place gelatin, lemon juice, onion, and water in a blender and mix until well combined.
- Add salmon, mayonnaise, dill, and paprika; blend again until smooth.
- Gradually add cream, pulsing as you go, until fully incorporated.
- Pour the mixture into a quart-size mold and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours, or until firm.
- To unmold, dip the mold in warm water and invert it onto a plate.
Bloody Mary Sardines Recipe
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: ½ cup
Ingredients:
- 1 (4-ounce) tin sardines, drained
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- Dash of Tabasco
- Splash of vodka
Directions:
- Crush sardines up with a fork and mix in remaining ingredients.
- Serve with warm toast.
Bloody Mary Sardines Recipe
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: ½ cup
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 (4-ounce) tin sardines, drained
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- Dash of Tabasco
- Splash of vodka
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon chopped anchovies
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup leftover cooked rice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 scallion, chopped
DIRECTIONS:
- Crush sardines up with a fork and mix in remaining ingredients.
- Serve with warm toast.
- Heat oil in wok until shimmering. Fry egg until whites are opaque but yolk is still runny. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- Fry anchovies in wok until crispy. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute. Add rice, vinegar, and soy sauce; stir until all the ingredients are mixed together and rice is warm and soft. Remove from heat, add scallion, and transfer to a warm plate. Top with fried egg.
Salmon Cakes Recipe
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 9 cakes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups frozen tater tots
- 1 (5-ounce) can wild Alaska pink salmon, drained
- ¾ cup bread crumbs
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Juice of half a lemon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Directions:
- In a large bowl, microwave the tater tots for 3 minutes, until warm but not hot. Mash well with a fork or rubber spatula.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Form the mixture into 9 patties, using ¼ cup per patty.
- Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high. Fry patties for about 4 minutes per side, until browned on both sides.
- Serve hot with Sriracha mayo.
Salmon Cakes Recipe
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 9 cakes
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups frozen tater tots
- 1 (5-ounce) can wild Alaska pink salmon, drained
- ¾ cup bread crumbs
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 green onions, chopped
- Juice of half a lemon
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 (4-ounce) can boneless sardines, drained
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 1 tablespoon minced chives
DIRECTIONS:
- In a large bowl, microwave the tater tots for 3 minutes, until warm but not hot. Mash well with a fork or rubber spatula.
- Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Form the mixture into 9 patties, using ¼ cup per patty.
- Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high. Fry patties for about 4 minutes per side, until browned on both sides.
- Serve hot with Sriracha mayo.
- In a medium bowl, mash all ingredients together with a fork.
- Transfer the sardine butter to a sheet of plastic wrap and roll it into a log. Refrigerate for 1 hour to firm up.
- Slice and serve with warm toast.
Mackerel Pâté Recipe
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: ¾ cup
Ingredients:
- 2 cans mackerel fillets in oil, drained
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Dash of lemon juice
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Toast, for serving
Directions:
- Add mackerel, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, and cayenne to a food processor. Pulse until it’s a thick paste, stopping several times to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Taste and add salt and black pepper if necessary.
- Spread the pâté on warm toast.
Mackerel Pâté Recipe
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: ¾ cup
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cans mackerel fillets in oil, drained
- 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Dash of lemon juice
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Toast, for serving
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 3 (5-ounce) cans wild Alaska salmon, drained
- 1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
DIRECTIONS:
- Add mackerel, sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, and cayenne to a food processor. Pulse until it’s a thick paste, stopping several times to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Taste and add salt and black pepper if necessary.
- Spread the pâté on warm toast.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Unfold the pastry sheet and cut into 4 equal squares. Crumble the salmon in the center of the squares. Brush edges of the squares with egg mixture and fold the corners up over the salmon and press to seal. Place pastries seam-side down on baking sheet. Brush tops with egg mixture.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the pastries are puffed and golden brown.
Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 9x13-inch casserole
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
- 6 ounces egg noodles
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 2 (6-ounce) cans wild albacore tuna, drained
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- ⅔ cup milk
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup crushed potato chips
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery pepper, and salt; cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and return noodles to pot (off heat). Add onion-celery mixture, 2 cups of cheddar, tuna, cream of celery, peas, carrots, milk, mayonnaise. Combine well.
- Transfer to casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheddar on top and bake until cheese melts, about 3 minutes.
- Let the casserole cool slightly, finish with potato chips on top, and serve.
Tuna Noodle Casserole Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 9x13-inch casserole
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
- 6 ounces egg noodles
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- 2 (6-ounce) cans wild albacore tuna, drained
- 1 (10.5-ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
- 1 cup frozen peas and carrots
- ⅔ cup milk
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup crushed potato chips
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
- 1 small loaf pumpernickel bread, sliced and toasted
- 1 (4-ounce) can sardines, drained
- 1 jalapeño, sliced thin
- 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery pepper, and salt; cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Cook egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and return noodles to pot (off heat). Add onion-celery mixture, 2 cups of cheddar, tuna, cream of celery, peas, carrots, milk, mayonnaise. Combine well.
- Transfer to casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheddar on top and bake until cheese melts, about 3 minutes.
- Let the casserole cool slightly, finish with potato chips on top, and serve.
- Smash avocado with a fork and spread on pumpernickel slices. Crumble sardines over avocado and top with jalapeño and a squeeze of lime.
Salmon Omelet Recipe
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 serving
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- ¼ cup wild Alaska salmon, drained
- 1 teaspoon capers, drained
- 1 teaspoon chives, minced
- 1 dollop sour cream
DIRECTIONS:
- Crack eggs into a small bowl and beat with a fork until the whites and yolks are thoroughly blended.
- Heat an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat for a few minutes. Add butter and swirl it around in the pan to coat the bottom and sides.
- Once the butter melts, pour eggs into the center of the pan and stir vigorously with a silicone spatula for 5 seconds. As soon as curds begin to form, lift the pan and tilt it around until the excess liquid pours off the top of the curds and into the pan.
- While the eggs are still wet, top with salmon, capers, and chives. Leave it alone until a crust forms along the edge.
- Shake the pan gently to make sure the omelet is loose, then use your spatula to flip one side over the other into a half moon. Transfer to a warm plate and serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream.