Anchovies are one of my favorite Spanish foods and ingredients. I love them every way they are prepared, but I especially love boquerones fritos: crispy and delicious Spanish fried anchovies. This classic recipe is sure to be a favorite in your house, too!
Love Spanish tapas? Don't miss these recipes for boquerones en vinagre and anchovy skewers (gilda).
Introduction
Southern Spain smells of one thing in summer: boquerones fritos. Plates piled with golden fried anchovies emerge from tapas bar kitchens throughout Andalusia, and patrons gobble them down whole with glee. It's one of my favorite things to eat at any time of the year, but I have to say that they're best when you're on a beach, caña in hand, the hot Spanish sun beating down. To me, that's paradise!
Anchovies have been eaten in Spain for thousands of years, and are enjoyed at restaurants in Madrid and out in all directions, year round.
But these aren't the anchovies you've been eating on pizzas. Spanish fried anchovies are bigger, fresher, meatier, and so much tastier than that! Even if you're the type of person who has always hated anchovies, give these boquerones fritos a try.
Ingredients
Wondering what ingredients you need to make a batch of these crispy, golden boquerones fritos? Grab these key ingredients, and you'll be ready to start!
- Anchovies: Here in Spain, we use big, fresh, meaty anchovies that don't taste anything like the strong, salt-cured ones you might be familiar with on your pizza. Buy them, fresh and whole, from the fish market.
- Flour: You'll need some all-purpose flour to bread the anchovies before they're fried.
- Olive Oil: In Spain, we like frying things in good quality, extra virgin olive oil. It's healthy, tasty, and authentic!
- Lemon Wedges: Drizzling the crispy fried anchovies with a little fresh lemon juice brings out their flavor and adds brightness.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to Make Boquerones Fritos
If you’d like to see the full ingredients and instructions, scroll to the bottom of the post for the printable recipe card.
- Clean and fillet the anchovies. Remove the heads and clean out the innards by scraping your thumb along the inside of the fish. Remove the spine, then rinse the anchovies in cold water and pat dry. (image 1)
- Combine the flour and salt in a shallow bowl, then roll each anchovy in the flour mixture. (image 2)
- Heat a half an inch of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, then add a few anchovies and fry them until golden, about 1 minute per side. (image 3)
- Drain the fried anchovies (boquerones fritos) on paper towels. (image 4)
- Season the fried anchovies with sea salt to taste. (image 5)
- Serve with lemon wedges and enjoy immediately! (image 6)
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you absolutely can! Many times, the bones are so small that they will dissolve when cooked. In Spain, we do remove the spine of the anchovies before frying them, but we enjoy eating those separately for their crunch and calcium.
Fried anchovies are one of the best ways to enjoy this small fish! Boquerones fritos (fried anchovies) is a popular appetizer across Spain and other Mediterranean countries. Even if you don't like the strong, salt-cured anchovies you've tried on pizza, you'll love these fresh, crispy ones!
Anchovies have a slightly salty and fishy taste. Their strong umami flavor pairs perfectly with their thin, crispy breading and a drizzle of lemon juice.
Serve
My recipe is for the classic whole fried anchovies you'll find all over Spain. They're simple, golden brown, and served with only salt and lemon. You can plate them up as a tapas dish, an appetizer, or an easy beachside lunch! Serve them with other tapas like pimientos de Padrón, bacon-wrapped dates, or patatas bravas.
Expert Tips
- In Spain, we often keep the anchovy spines intact and eat them for the calcium and crunch. Feel free to do the same if your anchovies are small enough!
- Be sure to pat the anchovies dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This will make them crispier when fried.
Spanish Fried Anchovies - Boquerones Fritos
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh anchovies whole
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
- olive oil for frying
- lemon wedges to serve
Instructions
- Clean and fillet the anchovies. Remove the heads, and then clean out the innards by scraping your thumb along the inside of the fish. Make sure to remove the spine. Rinse the fish in cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
- Combine the flour and salt on a large plate, then roll the anchovies in the flour mixture one at a time, coating evenly on all sides.
- Fill a medium-sized skillet with half an inch of olive oil and place over medium heat. When the oil starts to shine, fry the anchovies a few at a time, being careful not to crowd them in the pan. Get them golden brown on each side, about 1 minute per side.
- Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels.
- Season with sea salt to taste and serve hot, garnished with lemon wedges.
Notes
- In Spain, we often keep the anchovy spines intact and eat them for the calcium and crunch. Feel free to do the same if your anchovies are small enough!
- Be sure to pat the anchovies dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture. This will make them crispier when fried.
Nutrition
Photography by Giulia Verdinelli
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