It’s cool to smell like tuna, folks. Because canned fish is fancy now. It’s trendy. So get with it and stock up on a few cans of the best tinned fish and the best canned seafood.
Over the past few years, canned fish has gone from being a dusty staple in the back of the pantry to a shockingly expensive menu item at top restaurants. Apparently if you call it conservas you can charge $20. Luckily, you don’t have to pay quite that much to enjoy the best canned fish and the best tinned seafood at home. That said, most of the really good stuff does cost a lot more than your basic can of Chicken of the Sea. That’s because companies are sourcing high-quality seafood, packing it in really good oil, and definitely not holding back on design. Most of the best canned seafood we tasted looks so pretty in its packaging that you could display it in a curio case and no one would question you.
Whether you’re looking to start simple with a canned tuna upgrade or are ready to go full smoked oyster, we have the best tinned seafood for you. Here are the top picks from all of our canned seafood rankings.
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- Nuri Sardines in Pure Olive Oil
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We tried a lot of canned sardines for this taste test, but when we tasted these, we just couldn’t stop eating them. “These savory Portuguese sardines are nestled tightly in a tin of delicious, pungent olive oil, which magically permeates every nook and cranny of the small fish,” Sporked contributor Danny Palumbo wrote in his review. You really have to try them and experience the nuanced, mild (in comparison to most other canned sardines) fishy flavor for yourself. Seriously, even sardine beginners should give these a chance.
Read the full ranking of the best canned sardines
Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon
- Ortiz Jarred Anchovies
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Okay, these aren’t technically in a can. They are in a jar. But when it comes to anchovies, it’s all just about the same. These are straight-up decadent. “These come packed in delicious olive oil, which is much more flavorful than the neutral oils some other brands of anchovies come packed in,” Danny wrote in his review. “Olive oil adds a beautiful richness to the anchovy—it doubles down on the umami and ups the flavor considerably.” These aren’t your standard salt-bomb anchovies. They’ll work great in a sauce, but you can put these on bread with really good butter and you’ll be happy, too.
Read the full ranking of the best canned and jarred anchovies
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Amazon
- Fangst Regnbue Ørred
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This canned smoked trout had Sporked editor-in-chief Justine Sterling all in a tizzy. “I can’t stop thinking about this canned smoked trout. It’s just so good,” she wrote in her review. “It’s practically a canned restaurant dish.” The combination of delicate lemon, thyme, and juniper with the tender, smoky fish put this way at the top of the best smoked trout list.
Read the full ranking of the best canned smoked trout
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Polar Salmon Fillets
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According to our canned salmon taste tester, this stuff is so dang good it made him want to scream—only the best tinned fish can elicit that kind of reaction. Unlike a lot of canned salmon, which can be pretty dry and flaky, Polar canned salmon fillets are extremely rich and silky, buttery and fatty. Really, this stuff almost tastes like it was poached in butter. Making an Emily Mariko salmon bowl has never been easier.
Read the full ranking of the best canned salmon
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Amazon
- Geisha Fancy Smoked Oysters in Sunflower Oil
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Grab a toothpick and get to snacking on these canned smoked oysters. They’re not too big (canned oysters really shouldn’t take more than one bite to eat) and they have a delicious smoky finish. Pair them with a full charcuterie board spread or simply place one on a saltine.
Read the full ranking of the best canned smoked oysters
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- American Tuna with Sea Salt
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You can feel pretty good about eating American Tuna—it’s pole-caught, sustainable, and packed in the Pacific Northwest. Nice. It also tastes great. It’s extremely tuna-y but in the best way possible. “It’s a really fresh, excellent product that fully embodies the canned tuna ethos,” Danny wrote in his review. It will elevate any tuna sandwich or salad.
Read the full ranking of the best canned tuna
Credit: Ryan Martin / Instacart
- Cole’s Select Snow Crab Wild Caught
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If you’re not trying to spend the next few hours with a mallet and a little fork picking apart crab carcasses, the best canned crab comes in clutch. This canned crab meat from Cole’s is a cut above the rest. It contains leg, claw, and body meat, and you can actually distinguish them from one another. If you regularly crave crab bisque and crab linguine, but you don’t have the energy for cracking shells, this is the best canned seafood to have in the pantry.
Read the full ranking of the best canned crab meat
Credit: Merc / World Market
- Fishwife x Fly By Jing Smoked Salmon in Chili Crisp
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When it comes to the tinned fish trend, no brand is more closely associated with its whole aesthetic than Fishwife, the cool girl canned seafood brand. When we sat down to taste everything currently available in their ever-expanding lineup of products, this collab with Fly by Jing (aka the cool girl chili crisp brand) was our overall favorite. It’s sweet, spicy, and a little smoky, and the fish itself is very high quality and silky. This stuff is ready to just dump on a bowl of white rice.
Read the full ranking of the best Fishwife tinned fish
Credit: Merc / Fishwife
- Trader Joe’s Smoked Trout in Canola Oil
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Trader Joe’s keeps up with the trends, so it’s no wonder they have a big selection of tinned fish. The best tinned fish in their lineup? This smoked trout, which already has a cult following online. Now we know why. It’s firm but flaky, smoky, and savory, and it leaves a fatty, oceanic flavor lingering on your palate in the best way possible. This is gonna make your aunt’s trout dip recipe even better.
Read the full ranking of the best Trader Joe’s tinned fish
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- Bar Harbor Chopped Clams
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Whether you’re making homemade clam chowder or turning a leftover slice of pizza into clam pizza, good canned clams are essential. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Bar Harbor, maker of our favorite clam chowder, also sells the best canned clams. These are briny, chunky, and wonderfully tender, with just the right amount of chew. The best canned seafood might not always make sense on a seacuterie board, but this is an essential pantry staple for seafood lovers all the same.
Read the full ranking of the best canned clams
Credit: Merc / Amazon
Where can I buy STATESMAN HERRING in tomato sauce??? Very good!!