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Fishwife tinned fish is my favorite brand of canned fish for snacking, and this tinned fish board is packed with it! When I say “tinned fish,” I don’t just mean the canned tuna you use to make tuna salad. If you’ve been on Tin-Tok, you know that tinned fish encompasses a huge range of fish–from smoked oysters, to mackerel, to classic sardines. So I made a board to showcase all my favorites! PS- I used this The Starter Pack from Fishwife for this board.

For more seafood ideas, try my Seafood Charcuterie Board and Fish Taco Board. Tinned fish would also be a great addition to my Antipasto Board, Spanish Tapas Board, and Mediterranean Mezze Board.

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History of Tinned Fish & the Tinned Fish Trend

The true origins of tinned fish go all the way back to the early 19th century when Frenchman Nicolas Alppert started experimenting with preserving fish in glass jars as a way to feed French footsoldiers during the Napoleonic Wars. This revolutionized food preservation, but the trouble was that glass is incredibly fragile. 

Soon, British inventor Peter Durand came up with his own method of preservation using a tin can. Joseph Colin applied the technique to sardines, which were plentiful in Coastal France, and by 1836 there was a large-scale sardine canning factory in Nantes, France. Around the same time, Portugal started canning their own abundant stock of sardines. 

Sardine canning then made its way across the pond to the U.S. and the first state-side sardine cannery opened in Eastport, Maine in 1875. It then spread west to Monterey, California. Despite its long shelf life and affordability, tinned sardine sales declined in the 20th century likely due to overfishing. 

While tinned fish has remained a staple in many European and Mediterranean diets, it’s having an American renaissance due, in large part, to Tin-Tok (yes, that’s tinned fish on TikTok). But tinned fish is also incredibly versatile and good for you! It goes far beyond sardines, with tons of different kinds of fish and flavors. 

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Tinned Fish Health Benefits

Tinned fish is considered nutritious because it’s full of protein, omega-3 fatty acids, and essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, vitamin B12, choline, iron, zinc and iodine. Be sure to always read the labels for specifics: depending on the type of fish, it will have different nutritional values. However, any fish that contains bones provides calcium.

Since we’re supposed to eat fish on a weekly basis, according to most nutritionists, tinned fish is a super easy way to achieve those health benefits! Especially if you struggle to find and/or cook fresh fish. 

Choosing the Best Tinned Fish

Varieties: All tinned fish is cooked before or during the canning process, making it edible straight from the can! Some are even smoked for extra flavor. Here are the most common kinds of fish you’ll find in a tin (but there are a lot more to explore!):

• Tuna (of course!)
• Salmon
• Anchovies
• Sardines
• Mackerel
• Herring
• Oysters
• Mussels
• Trout

Flavors: The flavor profiles are endless–spicy, acidic, smoky, and everything in between. What I’m saying is, the world is your tinned oyster! You can also shop geographically: While most tinned fish is packed in oil, you can find subtle differences between the regions. 

In Spain and Portugal, you’ll find lots of spices and tomato sauce! In France, the emphasis is on the different kinds of oil and how long the fish is aged. Mediterranean tinned fish is herbaceous and citrus-forward.

Sustainability: When shopping, look for MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) or Dolphin Safe and the terms “pole-caught”, “pole-and-line-caught”, “troll-caught”, “FAD-free”, “free school”, or “school-caught.”

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Tinned Fish Board Ingredients

Fish

• Fish Wife slow-smoked mackerel with chili flakes
• Fish Wife sardines with hot pepper
• Fish Wife little sardines in olive oil
• Fish Wife albacore tuna in olive oil
• Fish Wife smoked salmon
• Fish Wife smoked salmon with Sichuan chili crisp
• PS- all of the above are included in the Fishwife Starter Pack

Cheese

• Brie wedge
• Gouda, sliced into triangles
• Aged cheddar, sliced

Carbs

• Saltines
• Potato Chips

Produce

• Radishes
• Lemon wedges

Accoutrements

• Castelvetrano olives
• Cornichons
• Pickled red onions
• Hard-boiled eggs, halved

Directions

• Place the tinned fish in an L-shape on a rimmed sheet pan to anchor the “board”.
• Add the brie to the center of the sheet, then add the gouda and cheddar slices to the top two corners of the sheet.
• Add the crackers to one side of the sheet. Place the pickled red onions, cornichons, and olives in separate small bowls or ramekins. Arrange the ramekins around the crackers, cheese, and tinned fish on one side of the sheet. Add a handful of the chips around the brie.
• Fill in the open spaces on the sheet with the hard-boiled eggs, radishes, lemon wedges, and more chips. 

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What To Pair with Tinned Fish

Cheese

Generally speaking, tinned fish goes best with mild, soft cheeses like brie, goat cheese, and feta. I also like the nutty flavors of gouda and manchego. Check out this article for some more specific tinned fish and cheese pairings.

Wine

• Dry sparkling wine: more intense flavors, like smoked oysters
• Rosés: meatier fish like salmon
• Crisp whites: lighter fish like sardines and trout
• Light to medium-bodied reds: most smoked fish, like mackerel

You can find more on wine and cheese pairing in my Wine 101 post! 

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Show Me Your Tinned Fish

I hope this post inspires you to create delicious tinned fish boards. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the beautiful spreads and snacks you create from my tips. If you make something inspired by this post, please tag me at @ainttooproudtomeg so I can see and share! 

And, If you liked this recipe, please rate and review.