I have made this anchovy salad many times, especially when I find fresh fish at the market. It doesn't require many ingredients and everything is prepared quite quickly. The only thing you need to be a little patient with is the chilling time, but it's worth the wait.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Number of servings: 4
Difficulty: easy
Type: cold salad with fried fish, suitable as an appetizer or a light meal
Ingredients
400-500 g cleaned anchovies
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1-2 green onions
fresh parsley
flour (for coating the anchovies)
frying oil
olive oil
salt
pepper
Preparation method
1. Lightly pat the cleaned anchovies with paper towels if they have excess water. Coat them in flour, ensuring they are evenly covered without clumps or bare spots.
2. Heat oil in a pan (it doesn't need to be deep-fried, but it should be enough to cover the fish at least halfway). Fry the anchovies over medium to high heat, in batches if necessary, until they are lightly browned on both sides. You don't need to keep them for too long, about 2-3 minutes on each side is sufficient. After frying, place the anchovies on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
3. For the salad, chop the red and green peppers into small cubes. Slice the green onions thinly. Finely chop the parsley.
4. Mix the peppers, onions, and parsley with salt and pepper to taste, then add olive oil just enough to bind the salad (not too much, just enough to avoid dryness).
5. In a glass or ceramic dish, place a thin layer of the pepper and onion salad, then a layer of fried anchovies. Continue alternating layers, usually finishing with a layer of vegetables on top.
6. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least one hour, ideally two. This time helps the flavors to meld.
7. You can serve the salad cold, directly from the fridge, as an appetizer or a light main course.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s quick to prepare, inexpensive, and uses simple ingredients. It’s a good option when you want a fish dish that holds up well even the next day. I also like it because it can be prepared in advance and doesn’t keep you long in the kitchen.
Tips and variations
Tips
- After frying, let the anchovies cool before placing them in the salad, so they don’t make the vegetables soggy.
- If you want the anchovies to stay crispier, use a wide dish so they don’t overlap too much.
- Don’t go overboard with the olive oil in the salad, the anchovies are already fried.
Substitutions
- You can use bell peppers of only one color if you don’t have both varieties.
- If you don’t have green onions, red onion finely chopped works too.
Variations
- You can add some finely chopped tomatoes, but the original salad doesn’t contain them.
- For a slightly different taste, replace the parsley with dill, but the result will be quite changed.
Serving ideas
- Serve the salad cold on slices of plain bread.
- It also works as a side dish for plain rice if you want a more substantial meal.
Frequently asked questions
How long can I keep the salad in the fridge?
The salad lasts well for 2-3 days in the fridge, in a covered container. The taste remains good, but the anchovies lose their crispness.
Can I use another type of fish?
The original recipe calls for anchovies, but you can try with other small fish, fried the same way, but the texture will be different.
Can anchovies be fried without flour?
Flour helps achieve a light crust. Without flour, the anchovies may break or stick together, and the taste will be a bit more direct, without that crispy texture.
If I don’t have parsley, can I omit it?
You can skip the parsley, but the salad will be less flavorful. Other greens don’t work as well.
Nutritional values
(estimate for one serving, total of 4 servings)
Calories: 240-300 kcal
Protein: 15-18 g
Fat: 14-18 g
Carbohydrates: 10-12 g
The values are estimates and can vary depending on how much oil the fish absorbs during frying and how much olive oil is added to the salad. It’s a recipe with a decent protein content, moderate in fats, and relatively low in carbohydrates.
Storage and reheating
The salad can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 2-3 days. I do not recommend reheating – it is served cold, straight from the fridge. The anchovies will not be crispy after a day, but the taste remains good. It is not suitable for freezing.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 10-15 minutes
Number of servings: 4
Difficulty: easy
Type: cold salad with fried fish, suitable as an appetizer or a light meal
Ingredients
400-500 g cleaned anchovies
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
1-2 green onions
fresh parsley
flour (for coating the anchovies)
frying oil
olive oil
salt
pepper
Preparation method
1. Lightly pat the cleaned anchovies with paper towels if they have excess water. Coat them in flour, ensuring they are evenly covered without clumps or bare spots.
2. Heat oil in a pan (it doesn't need to be deep-fried, but it should be enough to cover the fish at least halfway). Fry the anchovies over medium to high heat, in batches if necessary, until they are lightly browned on both sides. You don't need to keep them for too long, about 2-3 minutes on each side is sufficient. After frying, place the anchovies on paper towels to absorb excess oil.
3. For the salad, chop the red and green peppers into small cubes. Slice the green onions thinly. Finely chop the parsley.
4. Mix the peppers, onions, and parsley with salt and pepper to taste, then add olive oil just enough to bind the salad (not too much, just enough to avoid dryness).
5. In a glass or ceramic dish, place a thin layer of the pepper and onion salad, then a layer of fried anchovies. Continue alternating layers, usually finishing with a layer of vegetables on top.
6. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least one hour, ideally two. This time helps the flavors to meld.
7. You can serve the salad cold, directly from the fridge, as an appetizer or a light main course.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s quick to prepare, inexpensive, and uses simple ingredients. It’s a good option when you want a fish dish that holds up well even the next day. I also like it because it can be prepared in advance and doesn’t keep you long in the kitchen.
Tips and variations
Tips
- After frying, let the anchovies cool before placing them in the salad, so they don’t make the vegetables soggy.
- If you want the anchovies to stay crispier, use a wide dish so they don’t overlap too much.
- Don’t go overboard with the olive oil in the salad, the anchovies are already fried.
Substitutions
- You can use bell peppers of only one color if you don’t have both varieties.
- If you don’t have green onions, red onion finely chopped works too.
Variations
- You can add some finely chopped tomatoes, but the original salad doesn’t contain them.
- For a slightly different taste, replace the parsley with dill, but the result will be quite changed.
Serving ideas
- Serve the salad cold on slices of plain bread.
- It also works as a side dish for plain rice if you want a more substantial meal.
Frequently asked questions
How long can I keep the salad in the fridge?
The salad lasts well for 2-3 days in the fridge, in a covered container. The taste remains good, but the anchovies lose their crispness.
Can I use another type of fish?
The original recipe calls for anchovies, but you can try with other small fish, fried the same way, but the texture will be different.
Can anchovies be fried without flour?
Flour helps achieve a light crust. Without flour, the anchovies may break or stick together, and the taste will be a bit more direct, without that crispy texture.
If I don’t have parsley, can I omit it?
You can skip the parsley, but the salad will be less flavorful. Other greens don’t work as well.
Nutritional values
(estimate for one serving, total of 4 servings)
Calories: 240-300 kcal
Protein: 15-18 g
Fat: 14-18 g
Carbohydrates: 10-12 g
The values are estimates and can vary depending on how much oil the fish absorbs during frying and how much olive oil is added to the salad. It’s a recipe with a decent protein content, moderate in fats, and relatively low in carbohydrates.
Storage and reheating
The salad can be stored in the fridge, covered, for up to 2-3 days. I do not recommend reheating – it is served cold, straight from the fridge. The anchovies will not be crispy after a day, but the taste remains good. It is not suitable for freezing.