Dried anchovies are a familiar ingredient in Vietnamese kitchens thanks to their easy preservation, affordable price, and versatility in various delicious dishes. However, many people still wonder what to cook with dried anchovies to make them flavorful without being too salty or fishy. In this article, Ola Squid will summarize the most popular dried anchovy dishes, from braised, salads, and stir-fries to light soups, along with detailed instructions that are easy to apply for daily family meals.
What to cook with dried anchovies?
Thanks to their natural saltiness, slightly chewy texture, and characteristic aroma, dried anchovy dishes are very easy to combine with various ingredients. Dried anchovies can be used as a savory dish with rice, a salad to prevent palate fatigue, or even a light soup. Below is a list of delicious dried anchovy dishes you can refer to:
Dried anchovy cucumber salad
Dried anchovy cucumber salad is a rustic, easy-to-make dish, perfect for hot days or when you want to change the flavor of your meal. The light saltiness of the dried anchovies combined with the cool, crunchy cucumber helps the dish remain balanced and not greasy.
Ingredients:
- Dried anchovies: 100 g
- Cucumbers: 3 fruits
- Shallots: 2 bulbs
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Chili: 1 fruit (to taste)
- Fish sauce: 1.5 tablespoons
- Sugar: 1 tablespoon
- Lime juice: 1 tablespoon
- Cooking oil

Instructions:
- Rinse dried anchovies quickly with water, drain, and lightly fry until golden.
- Wash cucumbers, halve, remove seeds, and slice thinly.
- Sauté minced garlic and shallots, add anchovies, toss well, then turn off the heat.
- Mix fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and chili to make the dressing.
- Mix cucumbers with anchovies, pour the dressing over, and toss gently.
- Serve immediately while cool; can be eaten with rice or as an appetizer.
Braised dried anchovies with pork
Braised dried anchovies with pork is a popular “rice-consuming” savory dish in many families. The slightly fatty pork belly helps balance the saltiness of the anchovies, creating a rich, easy-to-eat braised dish. If you are looking for what to cook with dried anchovies for a family meal, this is a very safe choice.
Ingredients:
- Dried anchovies: 150 g
- Pork belly: 200 g
- Shallots: 2 bulbs
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Fish sauce: 2 tablespoons
- Sugar: 1.5 tablespoons
- Ground pepper
- Cooking oil

Instructions:
- Rinse anchovies quickly, drain.
- Cut pork belly into small bite-sized pieces.
- Sauté minced garlic and shallots, add pork and stir-fry until firm.
- Add anchovies, toss well, and season with fish sauce and sugar.
- Simmer over low heat until the liquid thickens and coats the fish and meat.
- Sprinkle pepper, turn off the heat, and serve hot with white rice.
Chili garlic braised dried anchovies
Among dried anchovy dishes, chili garlic braised anchovies always rank in the top for being easy to make and rice-consuming. The mild heat of the chili and the aroma of garlic enhance the dish, preventing it from being fishy or too salty.
Ingredients:
- Dried anchovies: 150 g
- Garlic: 4 cloves
- Chili: 2 fruits
- Fish sauce: 1.5 tablespoons
- Sugar: 1 tablespoon
- Cooking oil

Instructions:
- Rinse anchovies quickly, drain, then fry until crispy.
- Sauté minced garlic and chili.
- Mix fish sauce and sugar, add to the pan.
- Add anchovies and toss quickly to coat with seasoning.
- Simmer on low heat for 2–3 minutes, then turn off the heat.
- Serve hot with rice or white porridge.
See more: How to make delicious, flavorful, and attractive chili garlic braised squid
Spicy braised dried anchovies
If you like bold, pungent flavors, then spicy braised dried anchovies is a must-try. This dish is usually served as a savory side with rice or as an accompaniment in a simple meal. This is also a familiar answer to the question of what to cook with dried anchovies.
Ingredients:
- Dried anchovies: 150 g
- Chili powder or satay: 1-2 teaspoons
- Minced garlic: 1 tablespoon
- Fish sauce: 1.5 tablespoons
- Sugar: 1 tablespoon
- Cooking oil
Instructions:
- Fry anchovies until golden and crispy, set aside.
- Sauté minced garlic, then add chili powder or satay.
- Add fish sauce and sugar, stir well.
- Add anchovies and toss quickly.
- Simmer until the sauce thickens and the fish is well-infused.
- Serve hot; the spicy-salty flavor is very rice-appetizing.

Dried anchovy green mango salad
Dried anchovy green mango salad is a familiar dish on hot days, highly favored for its balanced sweet and sour taste, making it easy to eat and not greasy. The tartness of the green mango helps neutralize the saltiness of the fish, making the dish more harmonious. This is an ideal choice if you are looking for what to cook with dried anchovies to refresh your family meal.
Ingredients:
- Dried anchovies: 120 g
- Green mango: 1 large fruit (about 300 g)
- Shallots: 2 bulbs
- Chili: 1–2 fruits
- Fish sauce: 1.5 tablespoons
- Sugar: 1–1.5 tablespoons
- Lime juice: 1 tablespoon
- Cooking oil

Instructions:
- Rinse dried anchovies quickly to reduce saltiness, drain.
- Fry anchovies with a little oil until golden and crispy, then let cool.
- Peel the green mango and shred it into bite-sized strips.
- Fry sliced shallots with oil until golden and crispy.
- Prepare the dressing with fish sauce, sugar, lime, and minced chili.
- Mix the mango with anchovies, pour the dressing over, and add fried shallots.
- Toss gently and adjust to taste.
- Serve immediately while the mango is still crunchy.
Check out now: How to make a spicy, sour, and crispy dried squid green mango salad snack, super attractive
Braised dried anchovies with pork fat cracklings
Among dried anchovy dishes, braised anchovies with pork fat cracklings is a rich, fatty, and extremely rice-consuming dish. The crunchy, fatty cracklings combined with slightly salty anchovies create a rustic but very appetizing dish, especially suitable for rural meals.
Ingredients:
- Dried anchovies: 150 g
- Pork fat: 200 g
- Shallots: 2 bulbs
- Garlic: 2 cloves
- Fish sauce: 1.5 tablespoons
- Sugar: 1–1.5 tablespoons
- Ground pepper

Instructions:
- Dice the pork fat, render it into cracklings and lard.
- Rinse anchovies quickly, drain.
- Sauté minced shallots and garlic with 1 tablespoon of lard.
- Add anchovies and stir-fry until firm.
- Season with fish sauce and sugar, simmer on low heat.
- When the sauce thickens, add the cracklings and toss well.
- Sprinkle pepper, turn off the heat.
- Serve hot with white rice or porridge; it’s delicious.
Sweet and sour braised dried anchovies
Sweet and sour braised dried anchovies is a familiar dish with a light tartness, mild sweetness, and balanced saltiness, making it very rice-consuming. The anchovies are braised until dry and well-infused with spices, suitable for white rice or porridge.
Ingredients:
- Dried anchovies: 200 g
- Tamarind or vinegar: 1–2 tablespoons
- Sugar: 1–1.5 tablespoons
- Fish sauce: 1 tablespoon
- Garlic: 2 minced cloves
- Chili: 1 fruit (optional)
- Cooking oil

Instructions for sweet and sour dried anchovies:
- Rinse dried anchovies quickly, drain; you can lightly fry them for extra crispiness.
- Sauté minced garlic and chili with oil, then stir in sugar, fish sauce, and tamarind (or vinegar).
- Add anchovies and simmer on low heat until the sauce thickens and coats the fish.
- Turn off the heat, sprinkle with some sesame seeds, let cool slightly, and serve with hot rice.
Ginger sesame coated dried anchovies
Ginger sesame coated dried anchovies is a sweet and savory snack with a warm ginger aroma, perfect as a side dish or kept in a jar for long-term use. Among dried anchovy dishes, this is favored by many families because it’s easy to preserve and not greasy.
Ingredients:
- Dried anchovies: 150 g
- Fresh ginger: 30 g
- White sesame (vừng): 2 tablespoons
- Fish sauce: 1 tablespoon
- Sugar: 2 tablespoons
- Cooking oil

Instructions:
- Rinse anchovies, drain, and fry until golden and crispy.
- Peel and finely shred the ginger.
- Toast white sesame seeds until fragrant and golden.
- Sauté ginger with a little oil until fragrant.
- Add sugar and fish sauce to the pan, cook on low heat until thickened.
- Add anchovies and toss well to coat with the sauce.
- Finally, sprinkle with white sesame, toss quickly, and turn off the heat.
- Let cool and store in an airtight jar for gradual use.
Stir-fried dried anchovies with star fruit
If you like natural sourness, stir-fried dried anchovies with star fruit is a great option. The gentle tartness of the star fruit helps balance the saltiness of the fish, making the dish light and easy to eat, especially suitable when you don’t know what to cook with dried anchovies on hot days.
Ingredients:
- Dried anchovies: 120 g
- Sour star fruit: 2 fruits
- Shallots: 2 bulbs
- Chili: 1 fruit
- Cooking oil, fish sauce

Instructions:
- Lightly fry anchovies until crispy.
- Wash and slice star fruit thinly.
- Sauté minced shallots until fragrant.
- Add star fruit and stir-fry quickly.
- Add anchovies and toss well.
- Season lightly with fish sauce if needed.
- Turn off the heat when the star fruit is just cooked through.
- Serve hot with white rice for a complete flavor.
Stir-fried dried anchovies with pineapple
Stir-fried dried anchovies with pineapple (thơm) has a distinct sweet and sour flavor, making it easy to eat and rice-appetizing. This is one of the dried anchovy dishes suitable for people who do not like overly salty meals.
Ingredients:
- Dried anchovies: 120 g
- Pineapple: 200 g
- Shallots: 2 bulbs
- Sugar: 1 teaspoon
- Fish sauce: 1 tablespoon
Instructions:
- Fry anchovies until crispy, set aside.
- Peel and slice pineapple into bite-sized pieces.
- Sauté minced shallots, then add pineapple to stir-fry.
- Season with sugar and fish sauce.
- Add anchovies and toss gently.
- Stir quickly then turn off the heat.
- This dish is delicious whether served hot or cold.

>>Check now: How to cook aromatic and delicious stir-fried dried squid with pineapple
Dried anchovy sour soup
Dried anchovy sour soup is a rustic, easy-to-cook dish with a refreshing tart flavor that helps lighten the meal. The savory dried anchovies combined with sour soup vegetables create a harmonious flavor, perfect for serving with hot rice.
Ingredients:
- Dried anchovies: 100-150 g
- Sour tamarind or dracontomelon: 2-3 tablespoons
- Tomatoes: 2 fruits
- Shallots: 1 bulb
- Rice paddy herb, taro stems or bean sprouts
- Salt, fish sauce, cooking oil

Instructions:
- Rinse dried anchovies quickly to reduce saltiness, drain.
- Sauté minced shallots with oil, then add tomatoes and stir until soft.
- Add water and tamarind (or dracontomelon), bring to a boil, then add the dried anchovies and cook for 5-7 minutes.
- Season with salt and fish sauce to taste, add herbs/vegetables, turn off the heat and serve hot.
Nutrition from dried anchovies
Dried anchovies are a familiar food, rich in nutrition and convenient for daily meals. This type of fish provides many important nutrients for health:
- High Protein: Helps build muscles, maintain energy, and recover the body.
- Abundant Calcium: Supports strong bones and teeth, suitable for children and the elderly.
- Omega-3: Good for heart health, supports the brain, and reduces bad cholesterol.
- Vitamin B12: Helps strengthen the nervous system and supports the blood-forming process.
- Minerals (iron, zinc): Enhance resistance and support metabolism.
Using dried anchovies in moderate amounts will help family meals become more delicious and nutritious.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How many calories are in dried anchovies?
In 100g of dried anchovies, there are about 250-300 calories, depending on the dryness and processing method. Dried anchovies are rich in protein, calcium, and healthy fats, providing energy for the body. However, due to the fairly high calorie and salt content, they should be consumed in moderation, especially for those on a diet or controlling their weight.
How long can dried anchovies be stored?
The storage time for dried anchovies depends on the storage conditions. If kept in a dry, cool place, they can be used for about 3-6 months. When stored in the refrigerator’s cool compartment or vacuum-sealed, dried anchovies can maintain quality for 9-12 months. It is necessary to avoid mold, direct sunlight, and check the smell before use.
We hope this article has helped you fully answer the questions What to cook with dried anchovies, What can dried anchovies be used for and suggested many dried anchovy dishes that are easy to make and apply. With simple ingredients, affordable prices, and familiar flavors, dried anchovies deserve a regular spot in the Vietnamese kitchen. Don’t forget to visit the website olasquid.com to see more delicious seafood recipes and convenient products for your daily meals, such as our premium whole dried squid.

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