Anchovy Sauce Recipe

Name: Quick and Easy Anchovy Sauce
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 (2-ounce) cans anchovies (in olive oil, drained); 2 cloves garlic; 2 sprigs thyme (or 1/4 teaspoon dried); 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar; Black pepper, to taste; 2 cups virgin olive oil

Prep: 5 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Total: 5 mins

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It's incredibly easy to make a delicious anchovy sauce at home. All you need are a few common ingredients, a couple of cans of anchovies, and a blender or food processor. This no-cook recipe, reprinted with permission from "The Joy of Seafood" by Patrice Boely, whips up in just minutes and is a tasty addition to a great variety of foods.

The anchovy sauce here is very similar to anchoïade, which is a popular sauce in Provence, a southern region of France. The primary difference is that the traditional Provençal sauce tends to use white wine vinegar rather than the red variety preferred here.

Drizzling anchovy sauce over salads—either alone or in addition to other dressings—is among the most common ways to enjoy it. Leafy options like a classic Caesar salad are ideal, and it can also work quite well as a dip for veggies. Another favorite for this sauce is to serve it with hard-boiled eggs. It's also very interesting when tossed with cooked spaghetti or a similarly thin pasta. Spice the dish up a bit with some red pepper flakes and diced tomatoes.

Many people enjoy brushing it onto grilled meats such as chicken and pork, or almost any type of fish. For something lighter, spread it on artisan bread, just as you would tapenade.

2 (2-ounce) cans anchovies packed in olive oil, drained
2 cloves garlic
2 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups virgin olive oil

Gather the ingredients.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Combine anchovies, garlic, thyme, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, and pepper in a blender or food processor.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Puree for about 1 minute.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
With the machine running, add the olive oil in a thin stream and process until the mixture is thick and smooth.

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

The sauce will not be as salty or as heavily flavored as the anchovies themselves. However, it does have some noticeable salt and you can reduce this before making the sauce. Soak the anchovies in cold water or milk for at least 15 minutes, or up to an hour, then drain and pat dry. You may also want to reduce the overall amount of salt in your meal.
Always keep in mind that a little anchovy goes a long way. The same rule applies to the sauce, so use it sparingly at first and add more if needed.
Since it does keep so well, anchovy sauce can become an ingredient in other sauces as well. If you find that your sauce needs a little help, simply add 1/8 teaspoon of anchovy sauce. It will boost the intended sauce's natural flavor but is not enough to alter the taste itself. This is a wonderful trick, and it may just be your missing ingredient.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
4092	Calories
444g	Fat
4g	Carbs
34g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories	4092
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 444g	569%
Saturated Fat 62g	311%
Cholesterol 96mg	32%
Sodium 4781mg	208%
Total Carbohydrate 4g	2%
Dietary Fiber 1g	5%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 34g
Vitamin C 5mg	24%
Calcium 305mg	23%
Iron 9mg	48%
Potassium 717mg	15%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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