You’ll be absolutely amazed at how you can turn boring canned tuna into scrumptious entrees. From salads to casseroles to pizza, these dishes are so delicious, you won’t believe they came from a can. Transform canned tuna into show-stopping gourmet dishes with these easy-peasy recipes. Let’s get cooking!
1. Tuna Casserole
Who doesn’t love a classic hearty casserole? This dish features chewy egg noodles in a buttery sauce and a crunchy panko-parmesan topping. In short, it’s downright delicious. It’s comfort food anyone would devour any time, any day. The best part is that you can make it, freeze it, and put it in the oven the next day. It’ll taste just as fantastic as the day you made it.
2. Tuna Salad
Ah, classic tuna salad. It’s light, creamy, and uber-tasty. This is one guilt-free dish you can have again and again.. You won’t even have to break the bank to make this. With just canned tuna, mayonnaise, red onion, celery, you’re done! It’s a money-saving dish that’s sure to satisfy your taste buds and tummy.
3. Tuna Melt
What comes to mind when a recipe says “melt?” Yep: CHEESE. Take any kind of bread, toast it, and slather it with tuna salad. Top with a slice or two of juicy tomatoes and your favorite cheese… tons and tons of it. Pop it in the oven and watch as all the cheese melts into ooey-gooey goodness. Yum!
4. Tuna Patties
Is your kid having a slumber party? This dish is an excellent choice for those picky eaters. Kids love hamburgers, but fish? Not so much. Here’s a solution: turn canned tuna into yummy patties and watch them gobble them up in minutes!
5. Tuna White Bean Salad
This one is a big hit for all the health buffs out there. This salad is high in flavor but low in calories. It’s every weight watcher’s dream! Make your tuna salad extra special with nutty, earthy white beans. Dress it with olive oil and lemon juice, and voila. With this dish, you’ll have a full tummy without feeling guilty.
6. Tuna Stuffed Baked Potatoes
What do you make when all you have left in your pantry are potatoes and canned tuna? This dish, that’s what. Take a potato, hollow out the center, and stuff it with tuna, corn, and sun-dried tomatoes. Top it with cheese and let the oven do its magic. It couldn’t get any easier than that.
7. Tuna Casserole Stuffed Shells
Give tuna casserole an Italian twist with pasta shells! This dish features al dente pasta shells stuffed with a ridiculously rich tuna filling. The secret is cream of mushroom soup. It makes the humble canned tuna extra creamy and oh-so-addictive! Pop it in the oven and in less than 20 minutes, you’ll have a crowd-pleasing weeknight meal.
8. Tuna Pizza
Calling all pizza lovers: this dish will be your new favorite. The great thing about making pizza at home is that you get to choose the toppings. In this recipe, you’ll use canned tuna. It’s spectacular; not to mention, affordable! All you’ll need are store-bought pizza dough, creamy tuna salad, and of course, cheese. Once assembled, let the oven do the rest.
9. Tuna Lettuce Wraps
Creamy tuna salad wrapped in lettuce is a super-satisfying dish that’s guilt-free at the same time. The combo of crunchy lettuce and creamy tuna salad creates a beautiful medley of flavors and textures. You can coat the tuna with dijon mustard or mayo for more flavor, but you can also eat it as is.
10. Tuna Wrap
If you loved the previous recipe, here’s another version of tuna lettuce wraps you’ll surely enjoy. Add more flavor and crunch to your tuna salad by mixing it with raisins, parsley, and walnuts. Let’s take this dish up a notch, shall we? Wrap that bad boy in spinach and flour tortilla and boom, you’ll have a scrumptious and nutritious treat.
11. Tuna Melt Crescent Ring
Level up your tuna melt by baking it in bread. Making a crescent ring is not so easy to do, but it’s worth it! The bread is soft and fluffy, and the tuna stuffing makes it next-level awesome. Tuna stuffing is usually dressed in mayo, but this recipe switches things up with a lemon dill sauce. I love how the tangy flavor complements the briny tuna!
12. Nicoise Salad
You have to love how the French make everything sound so fancy. It may seem intimidating, but Nicoise salad is actually rustic and easy to make. It’s really just a mix of potatoes, beans, olives, tomato, lettuce, olive oil, hard-boiled eggs, and a lemon dressing. Of course, Nicoise salad is made even nicer by tossing in canned tuna. Bon appetit!
13. Tuna Bagels
Here’s a hearty and healthy treat for you, my health-conscious friends! Tuna’s already one of the healthiest proteins, but this combining it with avocados, red onion, cilantro, and a lime vinaigrette makes it even better. Put all that on a bagel and cream cheese, and you’ll have a perfect pre-workout dish.
14. Tuna Chowder
Don’t you just love a creamy and chunky chowder at the end of a long day? I know I do. With this dish, you’ll get chunks of tuna, cheese, corn, potatoes, and an ultra-creamy broth in just one bowl! Nothing says hearty and comfy more than a nice bowl of chowder.
15. Tuna Macaroni Salad
Tuna macaroni salad is a classic dish that’s been a family favorite since I can remember. It’s creamy with a mild tang, giving you a perfect balance of flavors. Since it’s loaded with elbow macaroni, it can easily feed a crowd!
16. Rice Paper Tuna Salad Roll
I love a fresh Vietnamese spring roll, and if all I have in my pantry is canned tuna, then that’s perfectly fine. It’s definitely not your traditional fresh spring roll, but hey, it works! This is another way to eat your tuna salad with a twist. I love the texture of rice paper with tuna! I would eat it in one bite if I could.
17. Tuna Dip
Hosting a brunch tomorrow? Then you’ll absolutely have to whip up this dip! Serve this hors d’oeuvre, and you’ll surely impress your friends! No one has to know that it only takes 4 ingredients and 5 minutes to make. Cream cheese, dijon mustard, lemon, and canned tuna are all you’ll need to make this irresistible dip. It’s so good, you’ll want to eat it on its own!
18. Tuna Stuffed Peppers
Peppers stuffed with tuna may not be a hit with the kids, but the adults will definitely love it. Bell peppers are a perfect vessel to hold tuna salad. The sweetness and crunch wonderfully complement the rich and briny tuna.
19. Tuna Deviled Eggs
Time to take two favorite classics and marry them into one stunning appetizer. Deviled eggs, say hello to tuna salad. It’s a simple mash-up that hits all the right notes. What a genius idea!
20. Tuna Pot Pie
Pot pies are usually stuffed with chicken or beef. This time, tuna gets the spotlight. A flaky and buttery pie crust filled with tuna stuffing and crunchy veggies. How amazing does that sound? Bake, slice, and enjoy!
21. Tuna Lasagna
I’ve made lasagna pretty much since I learned how to cook, and I love how many variations there are. I normally use beef in lasagna, but from time to time, I make it with canned tuna. Why? Because it’s awesome, that’s why. I like to call this my “emergency lasagna recipe.” I make it whenever the family craves lasagna, but all I have is tuna. Fortunately, we all love it.
22. Canned Tuna Pasta
Have nothing left in your pantry but canned tuna and pasta? This dish has your dinner covered. Not only is this dish delicious and affordable, but it also comes together in mere minutes. It’s perfect for lazy evenings. This dish is basically olive oil, garlic, tuna, and pasta. It’s as easy as one, two, three!
23. Lemon Garlic Tuna Cake
Tuna for dessert? No, thank you! Good thing this tuna cake isn’t one. Rather, it’s a savory patty! Seasoned with lemon zest and garlic, this cake is savory, not sweet. It’s also coated with breading for a crispy crust. Paired with a creamy aioli sauce, this dish makes a stunning appetizer.
24. Tuna Stuffed Avocados
Hey there, millennials! I’ll bet you’ll love this dish. I know I do. The concept is simple: fill avocados with tuna. But somehow, it tastes like a hundred bucks! (I’m actually pretty sure there’s a hip restaurant out there offering this dish at that rate.) The combination of creamy and nutty avocado and umami-rich tuna is pure perfection. Not to mention, it’s very nutritious, too!
25. Baked Tuna Meatballs
Move over pork and beef, tuna is the star of these meatballs. They’re flavored with aromatic garlic and onion and baked to golden perfection. The recipe sneaks in a bit of spinach, too, but don’t worry, the kids won’t mind it. The best part is it’s done in 30 minutes. Rachel Ray would be proud.
26. Tuna Empanada
An empanada is a pocket-sized pot pie ideal for a grab-and-go breakfast. It’s usually filled with meats like ground pork and beef, but as you may have guessed, it gets stuffed with canned tuna this time. Everyone will love the savory goodness of these empanadas, so trust me, make a lot.
27. Asian Tuna Melt Nachos
Nachos are a favorite in our household, especially during game nights. I usually top them with pulled pork or ground beef. But once in a while, I’ll change things up and top them with tuna. To make the nachos even healthier, you can skip the mayo entirely. The tuna is loaded with cheese, anyway, so there’s really no need for it.
28. Baked Sweet Potato Tuna Risotto
With a can of tuna and sweet potatoes, you can turn a fancy Italian dish into a rustic dinner. I once thought risotto requires master cooking skills. I never imagined I could make it myself! This simple risotto recipe only takes 15 minutes of hands-on prep and a bunch of pantry staples you probably already have on hand. It’s seriously impossible to mess up! The result is a hearty Italian dish that even Gordon Ramsay won’t say no to. That may be an exaggeration, but you get my point!
29. Canned Tuna Fish Tacos
I can’t get enough of fish tacos. Just one bite and I’m hooked! Get it? 🙂 When you hear fish tacos, you’ll think of deep-fried battered fish, right? This isn’t the case for this recipe, though! It calls for sauteed canned tuna instead, and it tastes just as spectacular. Every single element of these tacos is pure heaven: from the taco shell and the tuna filling to the sour cream and cilantro-onion topping!
30. Tuna Macaroni and Cheese
Mac and cheese is the quintessential American comfort food. If you’re on a diet but can’t get rid of that craving, here’s the perfect solution: tuna and cauliflower. Tuna gives the classic mac and cheese a unique twist. The briny flavor pairs wonderfully with the richness of the dish. Swapping cauliflower for some of the pasta lessens the carbs without sacrificing flavor. Who says healthy food has to be boring? Click on a star to rate it!
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