10 Creative Ways To Use Canned Tuna Everyone Should Try

Ah, the humble can of tuna. What a lifesaver it is. It comes in handy the day before a grocery shop when there's nothing left in the cabinet. It's cheap, it's packed with protein, and it's got a mild flavor that most people like. It's the workhorse of the pantry and deserves way more love than it gets. Unfortunately, all people seem to use it for these days is tuna salad or tuna casserole. We think it's high time for a makeover.

It's also super healthy. The gym bros are on to something with their love for the stuff. Let's look at the stats. One can of tuna is only 220 calories with a whopping 41grams of protein. It's also super high in B vitamins and selenium. It has around 20% of your recommended iron and vitamin D needs. And it's a fantastic source of omega-3, that amazing nutrient that keeps our brains running smoothly.

But unlike the gym bros, who eat it straight out of the can like barbarians, we've found some creative ways to use it. We've got a whole range of recipes for you to try, from elevated dishes like charcuterie and crostini that will impress your guests, to cozy comfort food like corn bread, tuna melt, and a protein-packed mac and cheese. You're going to find a new appreciation for that dusty can at the back of your shelf.

When did tinned fish become the chicest thing in our pantries? Our TikTok feeds are overflowing with those elegant tins of mackerel and sardines — the bougie ones from quaint fishing villages in Europe, with that gorgeous vintage packaging. And we are here for it. One of our favorite ways to enjoy a can of tuna is with other fancy tinned fish on a charcuterie board, or seacuterie if you will. It feels elevated and healthy, packed with those strong flavors we love, plus we'll take any excuse to graze.

Pair it with salmon, clams, mussels and oysters, or mackerel and sardines. Get a nice selection of lots of different fish to try, and have a few of them flavored with things like chili or lemon. Look for tuna from Spain or Portugal as it's some of the best around. The Iberian Peninsula has a long history of canning fish, and they do it well. They can it while it's super fresh with a good-quality oil. Also, a lot of commercial canned tuna comes from the loin of the fish, whereas premium varieties of Iberian tuna are often made with the fatty belly. It's packed carefully by hand to preserve its texture. If you love tuna, you have to try this kind once in your life.

Load up your board with cheese, crackers, and crusty bread. Add pickles, olives, and plenty of lemon wedges. Fresh tomato slices make a perfect pairing with tinned fish when they're in season. Want to take things up a notch? Toss on some oysters and caviar.

Conchiglie means seashell in Italian, and it's one of our favorite pasta shapes. Those curves are incredible at catching every bit of sauce. This shell-shaped pasta comes in three sizes. The smallest, conchigliette, works beautifully in soups. The medium-size conchiglie pairs perfectly with thick sauces. And the jumbo version, conchiglioni, is ideal for stuffing.

Our version offers two ways to use the jumbo shells with tuna. The first is baked. Mix your tuna with some sautéed veggies and some sauce. Cream cheese, tomato, alfredo, béchamel, and pesto all work great. Stuff the mixture into your cooked shells, pour over some more sauce, top with parmesan and breadcrumbs, and pop it in the oven. The second version is perfect for quick lunches. Cook your shells in a large pot so they don't stick together. Let them cool, then stuff with tuna salad. Serve alongside crisp lettuce with a drizzle of olive oil, lemon, salt, and pepper.

We love slapping a fancy name on something to give ourselves the feeling of sophistication. Enter crostini, which is basically fancy toast. The perfect appetizer for parties, picnics, or summer alfresco lunches. And tuna makes an absolutely perfect topping.

For our take on crostini, we've combined tuna with lemon juice, olive oil, and finely diced shallots. To elevate things, we've paired it with a lemony cheese spread that mixes mascarpone, feta, and lemon juice together, which is then topped with your tuna. Another version swaps the cheese for lemon garlic aioli. Get creative with your additions — you could go for capers for a delicious briny kick, or fresh herbs to brighten everything up.

These stand perfectly on their own, but they also work wonderfully alongside other dishes. Try them with a fresh mixed greens salad or build out a full antipasti spread with grilled vegetables like zucchini and bell peppers, marinated olives, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, and your favorite Italian cured meats.

Some people suffer from a very serious condition called "mayphobia" — an extreme repulsion to the thought and taste of mayonnaise. Okay, fine, that's not a clinical term. But mayo really does give some people the ick. Or maybe you don't mind tuna and mayo, but you've made that combo a thousand times and want something different to carry your tuna. We've got you covered. Enter cream cheese. The high fat content works beautifully with the lean protein of tuna, creating that same rich, satisfying texture without any of the mayo flavor. The combination isn't as weird as it might sound at first. The Philadelphia sushi roll has been a sushi bar staple for years, pairing cream cheese with fish to great success. If it works there, why not with tuna?

If you're missing the tanginess of mayonnaise and want a healthier option, Greek yogurt is your answer. It's got a similar mix of creaminess and tang without all the fat. Greek yogurt packs significantly more protein, too, making it perfect for anyone watching their calories or trying to hit their protein goals. You can level things up by mixing in a bit of Dijon mustard, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Customize to your heart's delight. Fold in diced celery for crunch, red onion for bite, or capers for brininess. Fresh herbs like dill brighten everything up. From there, pile it onto toast, stuff it into a croissant, scoop it onto crackers, or mix it with pasta. Use it in wraps, lettuce cups, or hollowed tomatoes. The possibilities are endless.

The anglophiles among you will know all about a baked potato. It's practically a cultural institution in the U.K. As beloved as a cup of tea. It makes a hearty lunch or a quick, easy weekday dinner that can be rustled up with minimal effort, using ingredients from the pantry. This is the epitome of British comfort food. There are two types of topping that usually go with it, "cheesy beans" and "tuna mayo". Cheesy beans consist of a can of Batchelors baked beans warmed up in a pot, spread over a baked potato that's been cut open, and then topped with a good helping of sharp cheddar cheese so that it melts into the hot beans. For the tuna mayo version, the name says it all; a can of tuna, a generous squirt of mayo, maybe some sweetcorn if you are feeling fancy, and, as they say over there — bish bash bosh — you're done.

These are super easy to make. Wash your potato if it needs it and then dry thoroughly, even leaving it out to dry a little longer if you can. Then prick it all over with a fork, put on a drizzle of olive oil, and brush it all around the potato with your hands. Finally, a sprinkle of salt. All these steps are going to give us a wonderfully crispy skin. Then place in the middle of the oven on a rack and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for an hour and 45 minutes to two hours, depending on the size. Top with some tuna mixed with mayo, a bit of salt and pepper, and enjoy. 

Sushi bakes have been having a viral moment; they are all over our For You page. We love them because they're one of the easiest, healthiest dinners to rustle up when you've got zero time and maximum hunger. What is a sushi bake? Think deconstructed sushi meets casserole, all scooped up on nori snacks.

For our version of the canned tuna sushi bake, start by mixing cooked rice (sushi rice is ideal, but any short grain works) with vinegar, sesame oil, and sugar. Press the rice into a baking tray and shower it with furikake, that magical seaweed and sesame blend. Now for the good stuff: a thick layer of tuna mixed with mayonnaise and sriracha. Tuna packed in water works best here, giving you a firmer, chunkier texture. Top with another hit of furikake, slide it in the oven for 15 minutes, and you're done. How easy is that?

Serve up with some of those delicious, toasted seaweed snacks. You can all dig in communally and take a big spoonful of sushi bake, plop it on the seaweed, and pop it in your mouth. Heaven. There are a million ways to customize this, too. Think fish roe, shiitakes, unagi sauce, fresh mango, basically whatever you already love on your sushi, throw it on here. Serve with a cucumber salad or kimchi to balance everything out, and you've got a weeknight winner that might just become a regular in your dinner rotation.

There is an urban legend about the origin of the tuna melt. The story goes that it was created by pure accident. Back in 1960, a cook at a Woolworth's lunch counter in Charleston, South Carolina, accidentally dropped tuna salad onto a grilled cheese he was making. The unexpected combination turned out to be surprisingly delicious, and an American classic was born.

For our take on the classic tuna melt, we're swapping regular bread for cornbread, which adds a subtle sweetness that goes surprisingly well with the tuna. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and lay out your cornbread slices. Pile on a generous layer of tuna salad. Top with quality cheese — a nice sharp cheddar works great, though gruyere or fontina would be delicious too. Slide it under the broiler and watch until the cheese gets bubbly and golden. Alternatively, you can make these on the stovetop in a covered pan.

You can take this in all sorts of directions with toppings. Jalapeños are a no-brainer since they're already a classic cornbread pairing. The spicy kick balances the creamy tuna and melted cheese perfectly. Pickles bring essential tanginess and crunch. Don't skip them if you have a jar in the fridge. Finish everything with a drizzle of chili crisp for crunchy heat, your favorite hot sauce, or extra mayo if you want to lean into the creaminess.

Mac and cheese is delicious, no question. But all those carbs and cheese can leave you feeling pretty sluggish afterward. Add a little protein, though, and suddenly you've got a much more balanced meal you can enjoy guilt-free. We've got two ways you can make this happen. Option one: drain a can of tuna and fold it into your finished mac and cheese. Strange pairing? Maybe. But it works. Tuna is mild enough that it melts right into the creamy sauce.

The second method is a tuna casserole and mac and cheese fusion. Traditional tuna casserole combines canned tuna, cream of mushroom soup, egg noodles, seasonings, and a crunchy topping. For this recipe, start with a box of mac and cheese, mix the cream of mushroom soup into the cheese sauce along with the milk. Use the noodles from the box, fold in your tuna, and finish with that classic crunchy topping.

There are a million ways to customize it. Sneak in some fiber with veggies like broccoli or spinach. Frozen works perfectly fine to keep this quick and easy. Add a little heat with crushed red pepper flakes or hot sauce. Then get creative with the crunchy topping. Think buttery crackers, cornflakes, panko breadcrumbs, or even crushed potato chips.

You've probably seen those low-carb pizza crust recipes making the rounds online. Cauliflower crust has basically become the poster child for carb-free pizza alternatives. But we're here to introduce you to something different: tuna crust pizza. Yeah, you read that right. Before you make that face, hear us out. It's significantly higher in protein than cauliflower crust, holds together beautifully, and it actually tastes good.

To make this, grab a can of tuna, a cup of almond flour, a cup of grated cheese, an egg, two teaspoons of Italian seasoning, plus salt and pepper. Mix everything together until it forms a cohesive dough, then shape it into a ball. Roll it out between two pieces of parchment paper, aiming for about a quarter inch in thickness. Peel off the top piece of parchment and poke holes all over the crust with a fork to prevent bubbling. Bake for around 20 minutes until it's golden and firm. Flip it over carefully, add your favorite toppings, and bake for another 15 minutes until the cheese melts and everything gets bubbly.

The tuna flavor blends seamlessly into the crust, becoming more of a savory base than anything distinctly fishy. Top it with a rich tomato sauce, pile on more cheese, and add whatever toppings make your pizza dreams come true. Pizza night is absolutely still possible for the low-carbers out there. And if you're not watching carbs but just want something lighter that won't leave you in a food coma, this recipe is for you. You get all the satisfaction of pizza without the heavy, sluggish feeling that usually follows.

Pan-seared cutlets swimming in a zesty, buttery sauce loaded with capers and fresh lemon. That's the formula for this delicious classic Italian American dish. When this dish first landed in America during the 1930s, veal was actually the go-to choice. Chicken came later, proving that the protein has always been pretty flexible in this recipe. The star of the show is the tangy, briny sauce. And as it happens, it pairs really well with canned tuna.

This version is way easier than the original, with practically no cleanup. Just drain your canned tuna and toss it with the classic piccata ingredients for an instant meal. The sauce comes together fast. Fresh lemon juice meets briny capers and chopped parsley, all brought together with melted butter. It's a dish that goes from pantry to plate in a fraction of the time. Pile it onto crusty toast, toss it with pasta for a quick dinner, or mix it into a cold salad when the weather gets warm. Those bright, tangy flavors transform canned tuna into something that tastes way more impressive than the effort that goes into this dish.