Sardines in Olive Oil

Sardines in olive oil from Portugal, delicate and firm in texture

Sardines in olive oil by Porthos are whole Portuguese sardines, hand-packed in mild olive oil and lightly salted, known in Portuguese as Sardinhas em Azeite. Not crumbling fillets from mass production, but firm, aromatic fish from the Atlantic off Matosinhos.

Sardines in olive oil are the classic among tinned fish from Portugal, and at Porthos, you get them in their finest form: whole sardines, hand-selected, preserved in quality olive oil and only lightly salted. Mild, aromatic, and firm to the bite. Once you have tasted a truly excellent oil-packed sardine, you will understand why the small tin is such a big deal in Portugal—there, the sardine belongs to summer just as much as the sea and long evenings at the harbor.

Mild in oil, firm on the fork

Sardines in olive oil taste of the sea, of salt, and of the fine oil in which they rest. Not an overpowering fish, but a delicate one.

Their meat remains firm, succulent, and savory, the skin shimmers silver, and the olive oil coats each bite gently. The less that interferes, the more clearly you taste the fish—three things, and that’s all you need: sardine, olive oil, a little salt.

It doesn’t fall apart on your fork, but holds together, just as a good sardine should. If you drizzle some of the oil from the tin onto your bread as well, you get the full depth of flavor.

On good bread, with lemon and onion

Bread is their most natural home: a robust slice of sourdough, the fish on top, a splash of lemon, a few onion rings, and your quick lunch is ready.

In their homeland, such tins are part of the petiscos, the little snacks shared with a glass of wine. They are uncomplicated and go well with many things—with a summery green salad, warm oven potatoes, or a glass of Vinho Verde from Portugal.

If you prefer something bolder, reach for their spicy sister, the sardines in spiced oil with piri piri, or the fruity version in tomato sauce. And for those who want to taste the full spectrum of sardines from Portugal, you will find tin after tin in our shop.

Porthos from Matosinhos, for over 100 years

Behind Porthos is the manufactory Conservas Portugal Norte from the port city of Matosinhos, where the Atlantic fish has only a short journey from the cutter to the tin. They are hand-selected, layered, and packed just as they have been for generations.

The tradition dates back to 1912, and the brand owes its name to an old acquaintance: the musketeer Porthos from Alexandre Dumas’ 1844 novel, the strongest and most good-natured of the three friends, as Dumas described him. Until the 1950s, only the lettering was on the tin, then José Estêvão Reis placed the stately musketeer beside it.

He has remained there to this day, and the artistically lithographed tins travel from Matosinhos to the Far East—in Israel, they have been on shelves for over fifty years. When you open one, you get craftsmanship, history, and a piece of the Atlantic all at once—you can find all Porthos canned goods here. This is the taste of Portugal in a tin.

Content 125 g – Drained weight 90 g