Tinned Fish Board Ideas: How to Build a Seacuterie Board
If your For You Page has been full of glistening tins of sardines, olive oil and crusty bread lately, you're not imagining it. The tinned fish board — or "seacuterie board," as it's been nicknamed online — has become one of the biggest food trends in the UK, turning humble tins of conservas into something worthy of a dinner party centrepiece.
The best part? You don't need to be a chef, and you don't need fresh seafood. A great tinned fish board comes together in minutes, using premium tins from Portugal, Spain and beyond — the kind that are meant to be opened at the table, not hidden in a sandwich.
Here's exactly how to build one.
What Is a Tinned Fish Board?
A tinned fish board takes the idea of a classic charcuterie board and swaps cured meats for high-quality tinned seafood — sardines, octopus, mackerel, anchovies and seafood pâtés — served straight from the tin alongside bread, pickles, and something fresh to cut through the richness.
It's casual, it's visual, and it's built around premium conservas rather than everyday supermarket tins, which is exactly why the trend has taken off with people who care about where their food comes from.
The Essentials: What to Put on a Tinned Fish Board
You don't need dozens of ingredients — just a good mix of textures and flavours:
3–4 tins as the centrepiece. Choose a mix of styles: something in olive oil (Portuguese sardines in olive oil are the classic starting point), something spiced (spiced tinned mackerel or sardines in a brava/tomato sauce), and something a little more adventurous like tinned octopus or a smoked mussel tin.
Good bread or crackers. A crusty sourdough or simple crackers are perfect for scooping up the oil.
Something acidic. Pickles, capers, olives, or a few wedges of lemon brighten up the richness of the fish.
Something creamy. Soft butter, a mild cheese, or a swipe of seafood pâté (try a mackerel or codfish pâté) adds contrast.
Fresh herbs or garnish. Parsley, dill, or thinly sliced spring onion finishes the board off.
How to Assemble It: Step by Step
Start with the board. Wood or slate both work — anything with enough surface area to spread things out.
Add your bread and crackers first, spacing them around the edges.
Place your bowls of pickles, olives and lemon wedges in the gaps.
Open your tins last, right before serving, and place them directly onto the board — the tin itself is part of the presentation.
Fill any remaining gaps with herbs, a drizzle of extra olive oil, or a few cherry tomatoes.
Serve immediately while everything is at its best.
Three Tinned Fish Board Themes to Try
The Portuguese Classic Build your board around traditional Portuguese sardines in olive oil, a codfish pâté, and crusty bread. Simple, timeless, and the trend's true origin point.
The Spanish Tapas Board Centre this one on tinned octopus, a good bonito del norte tuna, and some Spanish anchovies, served with crackers and a squeeze of lemon — closer to a tapas spread than a traditional board.
Tin Fish Date Night Smaller portions, a shared board for two, and a mix of one familiar tin (sardines in olive oil) with one more adventurous choice (spicy octopus or a smoked mussel tin) to try together. Pair with a chilled glass of white wine or a crisp vermouth.
What to Drink With It
Tinned fish loves acidity, so a crisp white wine (Vinho Verde or Albariño are natural pairings given the origins of most of these tins), a dry vermouth, or even a cold beer all work well alongside a board like this.
Try It Yourself
You don't need a special occasion to put one of these together — just a few good tins and 10 minutes. If you want to try it without hunting down individual brands, our Discovery Box andStarter Box are built to give you a ready-made mix of sardines, mackerel and more, perfect for your first tinned fish board.
Shop our full range of Portuguese and Spanish tinned fish, or browse our gift boxes if you're building a board for someone else.
