While we love boutique cans and jars of tuna imported from Italy, Spain and Portugal, their prohibitive pricing makes them feel like a real splurge. This Pacific albacore tuna is caught and canned often within the span of a day, so its freshness rivals the European quality but at a much lower price point. Unlike supermarket tuna, which can be mealy or soggy, CS Fishery's product is wonderfully dense and flaky—you can tell this is tuna meat. The fresh, mild and meaty fish is packed in olive oil and seasoned with Jacobsen sea salt, made from the same waters from which the fish are caught. This is premium American tuna—with a clear supply chain—at a reasonable price.

Founded in 1920, Pinhais is considered one of the best tinned-fish purveyors in Portugal—and we understand why after tasting their sardines packed in olive oil. Based in Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city and the capital of fish canning, Pinahis starts with sardines caught fresh by local fishermen. They are then hand selected, cut, prepared, washed and vapor cooked before being packed in pure, refined extra-virgin olive oil. Mellow and meaty with a bit of salt, these sardines are great added onto crackers, cheeseboards, salads or enjoyed right from the can.

Line caught around the Azores, a carefully managed group of Portuguese islands in the North Atlantic, Tenorio’s Tuna Fillets in Olive Oil are nothing like the canned tuna you’re used to. Tender and moist, this tuna is cut into large pieces before being packed in buttery extra virgin olive oil. Lightly salted with a briny, clean fish flavor, each tender cut is just as good on its own as it is added to a salad or sandwich. Established in 1880, Tenorio sustainably fishes all of their skipjack tuna and is committed to maintaining a healthy ocean wildlife population.

Caught at their peak each spring in the chilly waters of the Cantabrian sea, the flavor and texture of these fillets might convert even the staunchest anchovy hater. Pleasantly plump and meaty, these have an intensely savory flavor and a nearly buttery quality, both in the smooth richness of their flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture. You’re left with an uncommon, lingering umami and faint taste of the ocean. One of our biggest gripes with store-bought anchovy fillets is the mealy, pasty texture they can often take on, so we were pleased that these have a firm, yet richly succulent character to them. These are also boneless.

Olasagasti catches their yellowfin tuna in the Cantabrian Sea, the abundant cold waters off the north coast of Spain. Fresh-tasting and lightly salted, this oil-packed tuna is a far cry from your average mealy supermarket canned tuna. These cans include only the prized ventresca, or tuna belly—an extremely moist and flavorful cut that’s tender with just the right amount of fat. In fact, our kitchen team found the texture of this canned tuna one of the best they’ve tried. Try it in our Niçoise-Style Tuna Sandwiches; Spanish-Style Tuna Salad; Deviled Eggs with Tuna, Olives and Capers; or Snap Pea and Radish Salad with Olive Oil Tuna.

If you think about the typical can of anchovy fillets that you expect to cook with, these are radically different. While many tinned anchovies from supermarkets and even from specialty grocers can be overly salty, oily and fishy, these succulent whole fish taste clean and bright, with an extra boost of flavor that comes from their golden olive oil marinade. Bold, yet not overpowering, the marinade gets an aromatic boost from a whole cayenne pepper and whole clove of garlic, while wine vinegar adds an extra tang that takes it to another level. Yet the fresh flavor of the fish still shines. Olasagasti’s anchovies are caught at their peak every spring and are tender, yet toothsome, yielding a satisfying chew before melting in your mouth. Like other tinned fish, the spine is present and can be removed if you choose, but the canning process makes it brittle and soft enough that it’s completely edible—you won’t notice it.

Also known as “red salmon,” sockeye is much more dense that typical Atlantic salmon, with a richer, deeper salmon flavor. It also has the firmest texture of all Pacific salmon, so it can stand up to use in any dish. We especially love this smoked one, which is sustainably-line caught in the wild waters of Alaska. Packed in thick, coral-red strips, its texture is immaculate—not mushy like other canned fish—and its taste is a blend of the rich fish, a good hit of brine and a sweet, pronounced touch of smoke from a natural wood-smoking process.

Sustainably line-caught in the wild, this salmon is much more deeply flavored that farm-raised Atlantic salmon. Coho is known for its richness and drier texture, which holds up well during the canning process unlike others that go mealy. Plus, it’s much less fishy than other grocery store brands we’ve tried. The taste is delicate—complimented by seasonings like garlic, onion and white pepper that don’t overwhelm the salmon, but rather coax out its natural flavor. A nice kick of salt makes it tasty enough to stand alone atop a cracker, while the succulent chunks of fish can stand up to being incorporated into various dishes as well.

The cleaner, Scandinavian answer to sardines, these brisling are exceptional and a great addition to any pantry. They’re sustainably caught, lightly salted and then packed in a pleasant neutral oil—yielding a balanced taste. We found the fish supremely firm and flavorful. A light blend of allspice and cloves offers a layer of aromatic complexity.