The Best Tinned Fish, According to Professional Chefs

Tinned fish has always had a reputation for being a quick, easy-to-prepare protein for salads, sandwiches, and beyond. Just open the tin and you’re a few steps away from a deli-quality sandwich or a pantry puttanesca pasta. But today, there are hundreds of tinned fish on the market to choose from — lemony oil-packed tuna, sardines with a spicy tomato sauce, tender mussels, and so much more. 

Some tinned fish is so delicious that chefs serve it straight from the tin with crusty bread or crackers. “To me, great tinned fish is about purity, craft, and the way something humble can feel luxurious,” says Angelo Sosa, executive chef of Tía Carmen in Indian Wells, California. “It’s pure magic.” Whether you want to impress guests with a sophisticated appetizer or prepare yourself a satisfying yet effortless lunch, here are 10 tinned fish that professional chefs highly recommend. 

Conservas Ortiz Bonito del Norte 

One of Sosa’s absolute favorites is Conservas Ortiz’ Bonito del Norte, a Spanish white tuna packed in olive oil. “There’s something incredibly soulful about it. The texture is silky — almost confit-like — and the flavor is clean, yet deeply savory. It reminds me of the kind of ingredient that doesn’t need manipulation. It just needs respect.”

Fishwife Smoked Rainbow Trout with Red Chimichurri

Among the chefs we spoke to, the Los Angeles-based tinned fish company Fishwife was recommended more than any other brand. “The thoughtfulness they use for their tins really shows up in the end product,” says Bob Bennett, head chef of Zingerman’s Roadhouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan. 

Napa Valley restaurateur Chris Kostow even partnered with Fishwife for the release of its Smoked Trout with Red Chimichurri — he featured the zippy, marinated fish in a wrap at Loveski Deli. “My wife and business partner, Martina, had been a fan for quite some time,” he says. “Not only is it a top-tier product, but she also felt connected to the brand given it’s also female-founded.”

Chef Michael Hackman of Aioli Sourdough Bakery and Cafe in West Palm Beach, Florida, loves every last one of Fishwife’s products. One of his favorite appetizers is grilled sourdough topped with the Mussels with Sweet Pepper and Garlic. “The seasoned oil soaks into the open crumb of the bread, then I finish it with a little lemon zest and enjoy it with a glass of wine,” he says.

Portomar Octopus in Olive Oil

Jeffrey Williams, executive chef of Willowsong in Washington, D.C., strives to try at least four new tinned fish every month, but nothing has topped Portomar’s olive oil-marinated octopus from the Galician coast of Spain. “The flavor of the tender octopus with olive oil is great,” he says. Williams often combines it with smoked paprika, lemon, and a little Kewpie mayonnaise, and serves it on a toasted baguette.

Pearl River Bridge Fried Dace with Salted Black Beans

“There are so many great tinned fish on the market right now,” says chef Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin. She often browses the many options at San Antonio’s Pullman Market — just 10 minutes away from her new bar, Jue Let. One of the few tins that she regularly purchases is fried dace with salted black beans from Pearl River Bridge, a Chinese brand that was founded in 1958. Dace, an earthy river fish from the Pearl River region of Guangzhou, is fried before it’s preserved with savory fermented black beans. Hwa Dobbertin likes serving it with a hot bowl of rice. “Dress it up with scallion, sesame oil, and chile crisp, and dinner is done.”

Minnow Mussels in Escabeche

Jackie Carnesi, executive chef of Kellogg’s Diner in Brooklyn, New York, keeps her pantry stocked with Mussels in Escabeche from Minnow, a tinned fish company founded by New York City restaurateurs Nialls Fallon, Nick Perkins, and Leah Campbell. Sourced from Spain’s Galician coast, the mussels are lightly fried, then packed with vinegar, olive oil, bay leaves, and warm spices. “While they’re a great appetizer when hosting guests, more often than not, they’re my go-to when I need a quick, light snack,” says Carnesi. She’ll throw them on a saltine cracker with a dollop of Kewpie mayo and whatever pickled vegetables she has in the refrigerator.

King Oscar Sardines in Olive Oil

“I love sardines, and my go-to is King Oscar’s sardines in olive oil,” says Roshara Sanders, 2024 F&W Game Changer and culinary ambassador of Red Rooster Harlem. The salty, Norwegian fish with Club crackers are a nostalgic pairing to Sanders, as she ate them while serving in the U.S. Army in Afghanistan. “I would trade people sunflower seeds, candy, or anything I could to get a can of sardines and crackers during my deployment.”

Da Morgada Portuguese Mackerel in Olive Oil

“If you’re still somewhere on your tinned fish journey and you have never had tinned mackerel, the taste is somewhere between the sweetness of tuna and the richness of sardines, with all of the tender meatiness you’d expect from both,” says Rodger Bowser, head chef and managing partner of Zingerman’s Delicatessen in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He swears that very few tins of mackerel top the quality of Da Morgada’s, which is wild-caught and packed simply with olive oil.

José Gourmet Mackerel Fillets in Olive Oil

Mackerel is a favorite for chef Mark O’Leary, executive chef of Darling in Cambridge, Massachusetts, as well. He goes for a tin from Jose Gourmet, a Portuguese food purveyor. “It’s rich without being heavy, and it has this clean, almost buttery texture that works in so many different dishes,” he says. “Sometimes I mash it with a little lemon and cracked pepper for a quick spread and other times, I just eat it straight from the tin with good bread. It’s one of those ingredients that reminds you how much flavor can come from something so humble.”

Nuri Portuguese Sardines in Spiced Tomato Sauce

Nuri was founded in Matosinhos, Portugal in 1920, and the company has continued its sustainable tinning practices ever since. “I visited the factory and watched the artisans at work, creating the highest quality products,” says Anthony Gonçalves, owner of Kanopi in White Plains, New York. “The Sardines in Spiced Tomato Sauce are a standout.” Gonçalves recommends drizzling the leftover piri piri-spiced oil on steamed potatoes.

Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore Tuna                        

“I have a soft spot for Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore Tuna,” says Rafiq Salim, co-owner of Rolo’s and Radio Bakery in New York City. “Is there better quality out there? Yes, absolutely. But it’s what my mom made tuna salad with, so it’s a sentimental choice.” Salim uses high-quality tinned tuna in the tuna sandwich at Radio Bakery, but at home, it’s Bumble Bee all the way.