Anchovies punch far above their weight in cooking. These tiny, intensely flavored fish are rarely eaten whole — instead they're dissolved into sauces, whisked into dressings, melted into soffritto, and used as a background flavoring that builds extraordinary depth without announcing itself. Caesar dressing, puttanesca sauce, bagna càuda, salsa verde, and countless pasta and pizza recipes depend on anchovy's unique combination of saltiness, richness, and savory umami. When anchovies melt into a sauce, they disappear visually but leave an irreplaceable backbone of flavor.
The need for a substitute usually comes from one of three situations: you don't have anchovies on hand, you're cooking for someone who avoids fish or shellfish, or you're preparing a vegan or vegetarian dish. Whatever the reason, the goal is to replicate anchovy's primary contributions — salt, umami, and depth — rather than its exact fishy flavor, which can actually be too forward on its own.
Understanding what anchovies actually do in a dish makes finding a substitute much easier. In most recipes, anchovies are cooked down until completely dissolved, so you're not replacing a textural element so much as a concentrated flavor hit. Any substitute needs to be salty, intensely savory, and ideally rich in glutamates — the compounds responsible for umami.
■Best Substitutes for Anchovies
These substitutes replicate anchovy's salty, umami-rich character across sauces, dressings, and cooked dishes.
| Substitute | Flavor / Texture Match | Swap Ratio |
|---|---|---|
| Capers | Salty, briny punch; slightly different flavor profile but excellent | 1–2 capers per anchovy fillet |
| Sardines | Larger, milder; similar oily fish character; good in cooked dishes | 1 small sardine per 2 anchovy fillets |
| Fish Sauce | Intensely salty and umami; liquid form; disappears into sauces | ½ tsp per anchovy fillet |
| Miso Paste (white or red) | Deep umami, salty; completely vegan; adds savory complexity | ½ tsp per anchovy fillet |
| Soy Sauce | Salty and umami; thinner flavor than anchovy; vegan | ½–1 tsp per anchovy fillet |
| Worcestershire Sauce | Savory, tangy depth; note: most brands contain anchovies | 1 tsp per 2 anchovy fillets |
| Olive Tapenade | Salty, briny, savory; slightly different flavor profile; good in dressings | 1 tsp per anchovy fillet |
■How to Choose the Right Substitute
For Caesar dressing and other dressings where anchovy provides salty, savory backbone, fish sauce is one of the most seamless substitutes. Add it drop by drop — it's very strong — and taste as you go. It provides nearly identical umami without any fishiness. Capers are the other excellent option for dressings; they're already brine-cured and salty, and when minced finely or mashed, they blend into dressings in a similar way. Use 1–2 capers per anchovy fillet you're replacing.
For cooked sauces like puttanesca, bagna càuda, or pasta aglio e olio where anchovies are heated in oil until dissolved, miso paste works exceptionally well as a vegan alternative. White miso is milder and works better in delicate dishes; red miso is more intense and better for bold, robust sauces. Whisk a small amount into warm oil with garlic and aromatics — it melts in beautifully. Soy sauce can serve the same purpose but is thinner and less complex, so you may want to add a touch of other umami boosters like tomato paste alongside it.
For pizza toppings, tapenade, or any application where anchovies appear as identifiable pieces rather than dissolved flavoring, sardines are the closest textural and flavor substitute. They're bolder and larger than anchovies, so use them more sparingly. A small portion of a canned sardine in oil, draped over a pizza or tossed into a salad, delivers a similar salty richness. Just be aware that sardines won't dissolve into sauces the way anchovies do — they need to be in preparations where some fish texture is acceptable.
■Frequently Asked Questions
Can I skip anchovies entirely in Caesar dressing? You can, but the dressing will lack a critical layer of savory depth. Most people who think they don't like anchovies actually love them in Caesar dressing precisely because they can't detect them as "fishy" — they just experience a richer, more complex flavor. If you must omit them entirely, add extra Worcestershire sauce, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of extra Parmesan to compensate.
Does fish sauce taste like anchovies? Fish sauce is often made from anchovies (or other small fish) fermented in salt. It has a similar umami-rich, salty profile, but the flavor is more liquid, less concentrated per volume, and slightly more pungent raw. When cooked into a sauce or whisked into a dressing, it provides almost exactly the same background depth as anchovy fillets.
Is Worcestershire sauce a good anchovy substitute? Most Worcestershire sauce (including Lea & Perrins, the original) already contains anchovies, so it's not strictly anchovy-free. However, if you're simply out of anchovy fillets, Worcestershire sauce provides very similar savory, slightly sweet, tangy depth. Use about 1 teaspoon per 2 anchovy fillets. Vegan Worcestershire sauce is available if you need a fish-free option.
What's the best vegan substitute for anchovies in pasta puttanesca? Miso paste and capers together make an excellent vegan substitute. Use a teaspoon of white miso dissolved in the olive oil at the start of cooking (along with the garlic) and add extra capers to the sauce. The miso provides the savory depth and the capers provide the salty, briny punch. The result is a deeply flavorful, completely vegan puttanesca.
Can I use anchovy paste instead of anchovy fillets? Yes, and it's often more convenient. Anchovy paste is simply ground anchovy fillets in a tube. Use about ½ teaspoon of paste per anchovy fillet. It dissolves even faster than whole fillets and is easier to measure and store.
See also: Food Substitutes Guide | Best Sardines Substitutes | Best Miso Paste Substitutes