When it comes to recipes, anchovies can be quite a controversial ingredient. Some people love them, some people hate them, and some people just can’t decide.

My family and I are definitely in the love category. Back when I was growing up, it was a very familiar sight to see little pieces of anchovy fillets scattered on top of pizza slices. Anchovies were also one of the ingredients my dad would always use whenever he made pasta sauce for dinner – that is, on the extremely rare occasions that he actually cooked a meal!

So, here is one of the first dishes I learned how to make for dinner: Anchovy Tomato Pasta Sauce. It has since been tweaked here and there to reach its current final state, but it’s still super easy, quick, and delicious. I like to think of this recipe as the ultimate upgrade to any regular, tomato-based pasta sauce that comes in a jar.

Notes:

• USE the oil from the anchovy tins for sautéing – this is the secret for a deeper depth of flavor, plus you don’t have to worry about discarding the oil.

• Break up the anchovies in your saucepan – sometimes anchovies get a bad rep just because the fillets are eaten whole, but in this recipe, we break them up in order to evenly distribute all the flavor and saltiness.

• If you prefer less anchovy flavor, only use one tin of fillets.

Ingredients:

1-2 tins of anchovies in oil (depending on how much anchovies you want)

1 medium onion, diced

3-5 garlic cloves, minced

1 jar (22-24oz) of tomato pasta sauce of choice (marinara, tomato basil, traditional…)

1 dried bay leaf

1 tsp of capers, drained

Parmesan/chili flakes, to taste (optional)

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan, pour the oil of anchovies; set aside the drained tins of anchovy fillets. Add diced onion and garlic, and sauté over medium heat until soft. 

Add the anchovy fillets, breaking them up in the pan with a spoon. Mix in thoroughly with onions and garlic.

Pour in your jar of pasta sauce. Bring to a boil, and then add in bay leaf, capers, and chili flakes (if using).

Reduce heat to low, let it simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot over pasta and topped with parmesan and chili flakes to taste.