14 Best Recipes for Cooking with Canned Tuna
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Canned tuna is a versatile and convenient ingredient that can be used to create a variety of delicious and healthy dishes. Here are the 14 best recipes for cooking with canned tuna.
Canned tuna is great because you can always have some in the pantry on hand and it’s mild in flavor. It’s so versatile, that you can always think of new ways to use it, so no one gets bored. It’s great for lunch, dinner, or snacks. And I love easy dinner ideas, don’t you? After 29 years plus of feeding my family and other people’s kids, I can attest to the great versatility and appeal of canned tuna.
Here are a few tuna tips to help you get acquainted. We like white Albacore tuna. It’s milder in flavor and meatier. We also prefer water-packed over oil-packed. But you can try both and see which one you prefer. In my family, my mom and aunt both have die-hard opinions on this for good reasons, so you choose what works for you. Personally, I like the way my momma does it.
Cooking with canned tuna makes the list of some of our dirt-cheap meals for daycare too. It’s one of the least expensive proteins I can buy in Oklahoma, so I do it. (Daycare ladies have to stay on budget)
Let’s talk about some of the delicious ways to turn a simple can of tuna into a feast for the whole family. (Or a gaggle of children)
These tuna recipes use cans of tuna and simple ingredients such as lemon juice, olive oil, red onion, crunchy vegetables, kalamata olives, tomato sauce, and more to make the perfect recipe from pasta dishes to tuna salad sandwiches all with the humble can of tuna!
There are so many different ways tuna can be used with just a little bit of your favorite things, it’s a great option for an easy lunch or dinner tonight. Prepare your taste buds for a quick meal with loads of protein that is perfect at the end of a long day. A good way to end on a high note!
1. Tuna Salad
- Mix all ingredients together and serve on a bed of lettuce, in a sandwich, or with crackers.
2. Tuna Pasta Salad
- Cook pasta and cool. Mix with tuna, vegetables, and dressing ingredients. Chill before serving.
3. Tuna Casserole
- Mix tuna, cooked noodles, peas, soup, and milk. Top with cheese and maybe breadcrumbs. Bake until bubbly and golden.
4. Tuna Melt
- Mix tuna salad ingredients. Spread on bread, top with cheese, and grill until bread is toasted and cheese is melted.
5. Tuna Patties
- Mix all ingredients, form into patties, and fry in a skillet until golden brown. They can be used like hamburger patties or eaten alone as a fritter.
6. Salad with Tuna
- Mix all ingredients together and serve chilled.
7. Tuna Pot Pie
- Mix tuna with sauce and veggies and place in a pie shell. Top with cornbread, biscuits, or pie crust and bake.
8. Tuna Macaroni and Cheese
- Cook pasta and toss make a cheese sauce. Mix in veggies and tuna and toss.
9. Tuna Sushi Rolls
- Mix tuna with a bit of mayonnaise. Spread rice on nori, add tuna and veggies, roll, and slice.
10. Tuna Quesadillas
- Spread tuna and cheese on a tortilla, top with another tortilla, and cook until cheese is melted and tortillas are crispy.
11. Tuna Nicoise Salad
- Arrange ingredients on a plate and drizzle with vinaigrette.
12. Tuna Avocado Salad
- Mix all ingredients together and serve as a dip or on lettuce leaves.
13. Tuna Wraps
- Mix tuna with seasoning and mayonnaise. Spread on tortillas, add lettuce, and roll up.
14. Tuna Potato Cakes
- Mix ingredients, form into cakes, and fry until golden brown.
These recipes showcase the versatility of canned tuna, making it easy to create a variety of meals that are both delicious and nutritious.
