How to cook canned tuna: 5 tasty ideas

Everyone has it in the pantry and its versatility is such that it allows you to range in every course. We are talking about recipes with canned tuna.

Raise your hand if you have never been saved by a can of tuna . This versatile ingredient is one that does not lack hands in our pantries and, even if you often end up consuming it alone for a quick lunch, there are actually many recipes with canned tuna, all very easy to prepare. Ennobling this box is child’s play and the results you can achieve will leave you truly satisfied. Ready to discover many tasty recipes with tuna?

• Meatloaf
• Pasta
• Mousse
• Stuffed courgettes
• Meatballs

Tunafish balls

Canned tuna in second course recipes is at its best with tuna meatloaf . Baked in the oven and eaten once cold , it is perfect for summer lunches and dinners and it only takes about ten minutes to prepare it.

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 250 g of canned tuna
• 2 eggs
• 50 g of grated cheese
• 30 g of breadcrumbs
• 20 g of Taggiasca olives
• parsley to taste
• Salt to taste
• pepper as needed

After having drained the tuna well, put it in a bowl together with the eggs, cheese, breadcrumbs and chopped parsley with a knife. Season with salt and pepper and enrich everything with coarsely chopped olives. Mix everything well with a fork , adding more breadcrumbs if the mixture is too soft, then give it the classic shape of a meatloaf. Cook it at 200 ° C for 40 minutes and let it cool before consuming.

If you like this idea, we invite you to try the stuffed tuna meatloaf too, a real treat!

Pasta with tuna

The queen of quick recipes with tuna is pasta with tuna . There are really infinite variations , from the white one to the tomato one, passing through the ideal ones to be consumed cold as pasta salads.

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 400 g of spaghetti
• 2 cans of tuna
• 5 anchovy fillets
• capers to taste
• 2 cloves of garlic
• chili pepper to taste
• Salt to taste
• pepper as needed
• lemon zest to taste
• fresh oregano to taste
• parsley to taste
• extra virgin olive oil to taste

First, season plenty of oil with the clove of garlic and the chilli pepper, then melt the anchovies and add the capers. Add the well drained tuna and once the pasta is ready, drain it in a pan, stirring with a few tablespoons of cooking water to make it creamy. Scented with freshly chopped parsley, oregano and grated lemon zest.

The idea of ​​preparing cold tuna pasta is also excellent, perfect for the hottest days or for trips out of town. We really like pasta with tuna and tomato , perfect for any season and excellent to be enjoyed both hot and cold.

Tuna mousse

Among the most refined dishes with tuna and also perfect for special occasions we find the tuna mousse . Spread on bread, croutons or used to stuff vul-au-vent is nothing short of amazing.

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 500 g of tuna in oil
• 200 g of spreadable cheese
• 1 organic lemon
• Salt and Pepper To Taste
• a sprig of thyme (optional)

After draining the tuna, combine it in a blender together with the lemon zest and juice, the spreadable cheese (you can also replace it with ricotta or mascarpone) and the thyme. Season with salt and pepper and blend until you get a smooth mousse. We recommend letting it rest for an hour before serving.

Zucchini stuffed with tuna

To use canned tuna in light recipes, we recommend trying the zucchini stuffed with tuna . Just a few ingredients are enough to prepare them and you will get a respectable second.

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 4 courgettes
• 250 g of canned tuna
• 100 g of soaked stale bread
• 2 eggs
• 35 g of capers in brine
• parsley to taste
• breadcrumbs to taste
• Salt and Pepper To Taste

Blanch the courgettes without the ends for about 8 minutes then drain, cut them in half lengthwise and dig out the pulp. Transfer it to a bowl with the drained tuna, stale bread, eggs and chopped parsley and capers. Adjust the consistency with the breadcrumbs and, after adding salt and pepper, transfer the filling to the zucchini boats. Bake at 180 ° C for 40 minutes and let cool before serving.

Tuna meatballs

Among the other tuna-based recipes that you cannot miss are the delicioustuna meatballs but we must warn you: one leads to another you will not be able to stop eating them!

Ingredients for 4 people:

• 320 g of tuna in oil
• 400 g of potatoes
• 2 eggs
• fresh parsley to taste
• grated bread to taste
• extra virgin olive oil to taste
• Salt to taste
• pepper as needed

First boil the potatoes, peel them and mash them with a fork. Add the drained tuna, the eggs, a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper and the chopped parsley with a knife. Mix well and adjust the consistency of the dough with the breadcrumbs. Shape into balls about the size of a walnut and roll them back into the breadcrumbs. You can bake them in the oven at 200 ° C for 30 minutes or fry them in boiling oil until they are golden brown.

Have you seen how many recipes with canned tuna in oil can be prepared? If you want you can also decide to use natural tuna to have lighter dishes or replace it with salmon fillets in oil. In all cases you will have 5 quick and easy recipes that range from appetizers to main courses through hot or cold first courses. Fantastic isn’t it?

Beyond the recipes you decide to prepare, we advise you to always buy quality tuna, preferably from sustainable fishing so as to be sure to reduce the depopulation of the seas due to intensive fishing as much as possible. We also know very well that these are just some of the recipes to be prepared with this long-life product, what is your favorite?