How Many Anchovies in a Can?

Anchovies now come packed in various ways, including in jars. A jar of anchovies can be of varying sizes and weights. However, most people are familiar with anchovies in a can. A typical can of anchovies is 2 ounces. You may also need ingredient conversions for anchovy paste if you are substituting it for canned or fillets. Here are the typical yields so you can find out how many anchovies a 2-oz can contains, as well as other variations.

Typical Anchovy Yield for Ingredient Conversion

Depending on how your recipe lists the amount of anchovies to use, these conversations can help you figure out how much to buy or use when substituting one form of anchovies for another.

Form	Quantity	Fillet Equivalent
Standard Tin	2 oz (50g)	10–12 Fillets
Anchovy Paste	1 tsp	2 Fillets
Salt-Packed	1 fish	2 Fillets

Form	Quantity	Fillet Equivalent
Standard Tin	2 oz (50g)	10–12 Fillets
Anchovy Paste	1 tsp	2 Fillets
Salt-Packed	1 fish	2 Fillets

🐟 The Weird Mystery of Fish Texture Ever wonder why an anchovy fillet practically dissolves in a pan while a steak stays tough? It’s all about the myotomes. Fish have a unique “W-shaped” muscle structure and significantly less collagen than land animals, which is why they offer that signature flaky snap—or in the case of anchovies, the ability to “melt” into a sauce. Read the deep dive: Why Does Fish Flesh Have a Softer Texture Than Beef or Chicken?

Why Does the Number of Anchovies in a Can Vary?

It can be frustrating that there is not a concrete answer about how many anchovies you can expect in a can. However, before they are canned, anchovies are graded by size. Smaller fish are packed together and can end up in a can with up to 12 fillets. Premium brands like Agostino Recca might have fewer, heartier fillets.

What are Anchovies?

Anchovies are fish of the family Engraulidae, which is comprised of about 140 species. Found in all the world’s warm oceans, they are small fish commonly known as ‘forage’ fish since they are eaten by larger fish, sea birds, and mammals.

These fish have long been used for various culinary purposes. There are several commercial species but the most famous for cooking is Engraulis encrasicolus, better known as the Mediterranean or European anchovy. They are found in the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and the warmer waters off the East Atlantic coasts.

Why and How are Anchovies Used?

Originally, anchovies were salted and sold from barrels but today they are jarred or canned. They are used to give dishes a distinctive salty flavor.

Just as soy sauce and and fish sauce provide the essential umami flavor in Asian foods, anchovies can be thought of as the umami flavor of the Mediterranean, providing a savory and briny depth to dishes.

Usually in small quantities, anchovies are added to pizzas, pasta, and many other dishes. They are an important ingredient in the dressing for Caesar salad and are a part of Worcestershire sauce and many other fish sauces, as well as French remoulade.

Anchovies can be used anywhere a salty umami or savory flavor is desired and as long as small enough amounts are used, there should not be any noticeable fishiness. However, some are more sensitive to the flavor than others and may scoff at the additions of this strongly flavored preserved fish.