Got Canned Tuna? 5 Recipes to Make for Dinner!

Hi, friends! Today we are talking TUNA. (Sorry, husband, not fresh tuna like you find on sushi). Canned tuna. The queen of Quick Easy Affordable Dinners! This is a land you want to visit, trust me.

When we lived in Korea there were just rows and rows of canned tuna (and canned spam) on the shelves of the grocery stores. It’s a big ingredient there. And we had it a decent amount growing up in the Midwest, too!

We are entering summer and thus the land of flexibility and survival. Most of these recipes are easy to prep ahead of time, so let’s take advantage of that.

In case you aren’t quite as familiar with canned tuna recipes, or are hoping to branch out a bit… this post is for you! I’ve gathered 5 tuna recipes that we make regularly in our home. And *most* of us enjoy! 😉

P.S. This title refers to dinner recipes, but of course you can have them for lunch (or even breakfast if you’re feeling it) too.

Okay, here we go:

1. Tuna Salad Sandwiches

First off, we are starting with Captain Obvious over here, because sometimes the best solutions are the simplest. I love tuna sandwiches both hot and cold: toasted in the oven, open-faced with cheese on top (pepperjack?!) OR cold on sandwich bread with lettuce & tomato.

In case you’ve not had the pleasure of making tuna salad before (or don’t care for what you HAVE made), here are some quick tips:

1. drain liquid from can of tuna well
2. add the tuna to small bowl & fluff with a fork
3. add a somewhat large scoop of mayo, enough to moisten and hold it together. Stir & check as you go- you can always add more, but you can’t take it back out!
4. add optional flavors: a spoonful of dijon mustard and/or sweet pickle relish
5. salt & pepper to taste

2. Tuna Casserole

Second up: Tuna Casserole! I remember a book in elementary school calling this dish “Tuna Noodle Casseroodle” and frankly that’s much more fun to say.

This is another classic tuna recipe I’m sure you’ve heard of & made & had served to you. Especially if you are my age or older! It’s been around for several decades, and for good reason. It’s pure cheesy creamy goodness, with some great flavor too.

My mom’s recipe is pretty similar to this one found on Spend with Pennies. The only thing it doesn’t list on that recipe is some chopped green olives, and I think they really make it. (I feel a need to add that I despised this addition as a child and my mom would lovingly leave half the dish olive-free…but now I can’t get enough of them in here!)

3. Tuna Patties aka Tuna Cakes

Third on our list is TUNA PATTIES. Don’t worry, this is a savory dish. I know saying “tuna cake” could conjure up all sorts of nightmarish ideas about fishy birthday cake or something.

If you are anything like me, you may be well into your adult years before you lay eyes on a tuna patty. Or even know that they exist. These are basically the cousin of the crab cake. I mean, they aren’t quite as decadent and luxurious as those…but they are every bit as flavorful! And a zillion times less expensive (approximately).

There are several recipes we rotate between for these, depending on what ingredients we have on hand. Some have a big burst of lemon included, but all require some binding ingredients such as eggs + bread crumbs. Dried or fresh herbs (often parsley) are a plus!

A few tuna patty recipes to try:

• Easy Tuna Patties– from Allrecipes.com; lemon juice and parmesan cheese are key ingredients here
• Tuna Patties– Healthy Recipes Blog adds flavor to these tuna patties with dijon, mayo, and parsley
• Curried Tuna Patties– I haven’t tried this highly-rated recipe from The Big Man’s World yet, but I love curried anything so this is going on my meal rotation ASAP.

4. Creamed Tuna + Toast

Next up, creamed tuna & toast comes together quickly and you only need a few very basic ingredients on hand: milk, butter, bread, tuna, flour. This is a good meal to make if you don’t feel like going to the grocery store. In fact, one of the first recipes that comes up online is called “Hard Times Creamed Tuna.” Humble ingredients reign supreme here.

You start by making a roux: Melt butter, flour in a pan over medium heat…then add the milk. Stir until thickened, add salt & pepper and the tuna until warmed through.

Spoon over buttered toast (I like honey wheat bread best here!). We serve peas on the side. Easy & filling!

Food.com’s 5-star rated Creamed Tuna on Toast is a great recipe to try out!

5. Tuna Ring with Cheese Sauce

Last but not least, TUNA RING! This is a recipe that may not be as widely-known… but is so delicious. My mom often made this growing up, and we all loved it. There are 3 major components:

1. make a simple dough using Bisquick + water
2. mix up a tuna/onion/seasoning mixture, spread it over the dough, then roll it up and shape into a ring. Bake in the oven!
3. Create a homemade cheese sauce you pour over the tuna ring after it’s baked

It’s flavorful comfort food at its finest!

You can find a very similar recipe for Tuna Ring with Cheese Sauce online HERE.

That’s a wrap on canned tuna recipes!

Wait- a wrap! That’s another great idea for canned tuna! 😉

Readers, I would LOVE to hear from you in the comments.

Are any of these tuna recipes on rotation in your homes? What dishes did I miss? Tell me what YOU love to do with glorious canned tuna in YOUR kitchen!!

Need more dinner inspiration?

We’ve got a post for that! Be sure to check out:

Cover Image by (Joenomias) Menno de Jong from Pixabay