Sardines in Olive Oil

Sardines in olive oil from Matosinhos, the Portuguese classic

Nuri sardines in olive oil are whole Portuguese sardines, hand-placed in mild olive oil. Buttery, tender, uncomplicatedly good – the cult classic from Matosinhos and one of our best-selling canned fish products.

Sardines in olive oil are whole sardines from the traditional Nuri cannery in Matosinhos, gently cooked and bedded in the finest olive oil. They taste buttery-tender, mildly salty, and wonderfully clear – the sardine as it should be. If you want to know why good canned fish has long been a cult classic, the best way to start is with this tin.

Buttery, tender, wonderfully uncomplicated

The Nuri sardine tastes mild and buttery, with a delicate hint of salt and a clean, clear fish flavor that tastes of the sea and sun.

The mild olive oil coats every sardine and keeps it juicy and supple. On the palate, the tender meat melts almost by itself, with the oil adding a rounded fruitiness underneath. Nothing is overwhelming, nothing is too much – everything here is just right. This is how Portugal tastes in its most honest form, without any frills. It is precisely this simplicity that makes the sardine in olive oil a favorite on any antipasti platter.

Plain, on bread, in pasta

Sardines in olive oil are served in seconds and go with almost everything, from a quick snack to a refined appetizer plate.

They are at their purest enjoyed straight from the tin with a fork, or on crusty sourdough bread with fleur de sel and a squeeze of lemon. Flaked, they add depth to any pasta with garlic and parsley, or become the star of a salad. For those who like it spicier, choose the spicy version with piri-piri or the fruity sardines in tomato sauce from our Portuguese canned fish collection.

Handcrafted in Matosinhos since 1920

Nuri belongs to Conservas Pinhais, founded in 1920 in the fishing port of Matosinhos – one of the few remaining Portuguese canneries that still packs its sardines by hand to this day.

A single tin requires 37 manual steps, and almost all of them are performed by hand. Experienced women clean, head, and carefully pack each sardine before the olive oil is added. The Nuri brand has existed since 1935, and since 2016, the Austrian Jakob Glatz has been carefully stewarding the traditional company.

Legend has it that the name comes from a love for a Spanish woman named Nuria – love at first sight in the middle of a sales trip for the then-nameless sardines. That is what lived craft tradition tastes like. Much respect.

At room temperature from the tin

The meat and oil are best enjoyed at room temperature, so the tin can be taken out of the refrigerator briefly before opening.

Unopened, the sardines in olive oil keep for years and even become rounder in flavor over time, just as a good preserved product promises. Once opened, they should be covered and kept in the refrigerator, where they still taste wonderful the next day. A small supply on the shelf means a good meal is never far away.

As the bestseller among our canned fish, this tin is the ideal introduction if you want to try your way through Portugal's world of tinned fish. You can find more from the Nuri range with us, from spicy sardines to delicate mackerel.

Net weight 125g – Drained weight 90g