17 Easy and Delicious Tuna Recipes (Beyond Classic Tuna Salad)

updated Sep 28, 2023

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a stack of three tuna melt sandwich halves showing melty, gooey cheese and ripe, red tomatoes on a butting board — Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Ola Wadley

Canned tuna is the OG of pantry staples. Just about every one of us probably has a can or two lurking in the cupboard, waiting to be turned into something. Usually that something is mayo-laden tuna salad — it’s a classic tuna recipe that’s totally delicious, but if that’s all you’re doing with it, you’re missing out on lots of potential.

Keep your kitchen stocked with good-quality, environmentally-friendly canned tuna and easy meals are always at your fingertips. Here are 17 tuna recipes that prove just how versatile the fish is.

Tuna Recipes

1 / 17

Upgrade your typical tuna salad sandwich with toasted bread and melty cheese.

2 / 17

Umami Tuna Stir-Fry

The versatile, oil-packed canned tuna makes the weeknight stir-fry extra delicious.

3 / 17

One-Pot Creamy Tuna Noodle Casserole

This one-pot wonder inspired by Tuna Helper has tuna, tender noodles, and peas cooked together in a creamy sauce.

4 / 17

Tuna patties are a fun way to turn a few cans of tuna, vegetables, and herbs into a meal that's both easy and super-satisfying.

5 / 17

Greek-Style Tuna Salad

A light and wholesome Mediterranean-inspired tuna salad that's packed with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, and fresh herbs.

6 / 17

A modern-day tuna casserole that keeps the classic, comforting flavors but loses the can of condensed soup.

7 / 17

"Low-Rent" Tuna Poke Bowl

Poke bowls are typically made with fresh tuna, but this canned tuna version is perfect for an easy pantry meal. Feel free to swap out the brown rice for quinoa, white rice, or even farro, if that’s what you have.

8 / 17

Mediterranean Tuna Noodle Casserole

A fast and fancy French-inspired upgrade on the tuna noodle casserole from Faith Durand's Not Your Mother's Casseroles cookbook.

9 / 17

Tuna & Cucumber Quinoa Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

This protein-packed power bowl brings together quinoa, tuna, cucumbers, and a bunch of fresh vegetables for a salad you can count on to keep you full.

10 / 17

Pan bagna is basically the sandwich version of Nicoise salad — so you know it’s going to be good. It’s best made a couple of hours ahead, so the flavors have time to mix and mingle.

11 / 17

Squash and “Tuna Melt” Casserole

We've captured the classic tuna-melt flavor and paired it with a nutritious summer squash for a dish that's equal parts delicious and healthy for you.

12 / 17

Grown-Up Tuna Noodle Casserole

Instead of canned soup and frozen peas, this casserole uses a quick creamy sauce using a little flour and milk. You cook down cremini mushrooms with garlic, shallots and white wine, and toss in some finely chopped kale (or spinach) for a little color and texture.

13 / 17

Avocado Tuna Salad

Creamy avocado replaces mayo in this tasty tuna salad.

14 / 17

One-Pot Lemon Caper Orzo with Tuna

This one-pot pasta is simple, comforting, bright, and flavorful.

15 / 17

Mediterranean Tuna and White Bean Salad with Pesto Vinaigrette

An easy recipe for an Italian-inspired tuna and white bean salad with fennel, radicchio, and arugula.

16 / 17

While there are certain elements to a traditional Nicoise salad that are non-negotiable (ahem, tuna), a lot can be mixed and matched. Try swapping the tomatoes with roasted red peppers, the green beans with asparagus, or even sweet potatoes for the white potatoes.

17 / 17

Pasta Salad with Roasted Peppers, Tuna, and Oregano Vinaigrette

This pasta salad calls upon another pantry favorite: a jar of roasted red peppers. If you don’t have fresh oregano on hand, feel free to use fresh thyme or parsley — or swap in dried oregano.

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