How to prepare Anchovies in Vinegar – Spanish Boquerones en Vinagre Recipe

If you are craving for something authentic, Anchovies in Vinegar will surely deliver. It is a simple yet tasty appetizer that is so easy to make! Try our Spanish Boquerones en Vinagre Recipe today.

One of our favorite Spanish Tapas foods that we like to order when we go out for lunch is Boquerones en Vinagre (anchovies in vinegar).

This dish is not only delicious but also very easy to prepare at home with few ingredients. Once you have your anchovies all cleaned, you have to cover them in the marinade, seasoning, and fresh parsley and let them soak for a while.

When it is time to serve, bring out some rustic bread and some nice olive, and you got yourself a true Spanish tapas treat!

Did you know?

The traditional Spanish Boquerones en Vinagre recipe is believed to be more than 3,000 years old!

Are you planning on making your own Spanish Boquerones en Vinagre? Read on for our step-by-step guide on how to make Marinated Anchovies.

Tips for preparing Boquerones en Vinagre

• Cleaning the fresh anchovies efficiently takes a lot of practice, so if this is your first time to do so, know that it will just take a while – but it is definitely doable!
• If you are not keen on doing the cleaning yourself, there are fish markets and grocery stores that sell anchovies that are already cleaned.
• When preparing your Spanish Boquerones en Vinagre Recipe, get ready with a glass baking dish. Do not use a metallic bowl because it will affect the taste of the anchovies.
• This recipe calls for raw fish, so make sure you clean the anchovies well. After placing the anchovies in a glass pan, it is suggested that you freeze the anchovies at the lowest temperature possible in order to make sure they remain clean prior to marinating. Anisakiasis, in particular, is a type of disease that you can get if bacteria propagates in your fresh fish.
• When making your marinade, add more vinegar than lemon juice because the taste of the lemon gets bitter the next day.
• Do not let your Anchovies in Vinegar become dry. Every two days or so, add some olive oil to it.
• Spanish Boquerones en Vinagre typically lasts for up to two weeks when packed well and fed with olive oil from time to time. 
• Anchovies in Vinegar go well with Spanish vermouth! Try this pairing for an authentic tapas bar feel.

Anchovies in Vinegar Ingredients

• 1 pound (or around 1/2 kilogram) of anchovies
• Fresh lemon juice
• White wine or apple cider vinegar
• Sea salt
• Pepper
• Parsley

How to prepare Spanish Boquerones en Vinagre

1. Start by cleaning the anchovies. First, remove the head and then the innards and spine using your thumb. Afterward, rinse the anchovies under cold water. Put them into a bowl and add some sea salt.

2. Lay the anchovies flat, covering the bottom of a glass baking dish. It is important to use a glass dish and not metal to avoid the fish taking on a metallic taste.

3. Cover the anchovies in fresh lemon juice and vinegar. Tip: Add more vinegar than lemon juice because the taste of the lemon gets bitter the next day.

4. Finely chop the parsley and the garlic and sprinkle over the anchovies.

5. Add a second layer of anchovies and repeat the process.

6. Cover the glass dish with plastic wrap and put it in the freezer for at least 4 hours.

7. Top the Boquerones with freshly cut parsley, add a bit of sea salt and serve with rustic bread.

Anchovies in Vinegar Recipe