Tasty tuna recipes and ideas for healthy salads and main courses
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Tuna recipes come in two main varieties. The first type is based on fresh fish and the second type use canned tuna. We have selected some really delicious ideas with both fresh and canned tuna which you can serve to your guests and family.
Tuna is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids and offers a lot of health benefits as it provides vitamins, minerals and organic compounds like antioxidants and proteins. In addition, there is no highly saturated fat or sodium in fish. It also has impressive levels of selenium, phosphorus, iron, magnesium and potassium. As for vitamins, it contains a large amount of vitamin B12 as well as B6. Canned tuna is a convenient and affordable way to eat healthy food.
Tuna recipes – salads and spreads
Salads and spreads are among the most popular dishes when you want to make a quick and tasty snack for a festive table. To prepare such a dish is easy, and you can use a variety of products. Salads usually contain vegetables while spreads are based on one or two main ingredients and a combining sauce. Find some excellent tuna recipes for salads and spreads.
Tuna and avocado salad
Ingredients:
2 cans (4.5 ounce each) Tuna in extra virgin olive oil, not drained
¼ cup red onion, diced
8 pitted green olives, chopped
8 sundried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained, and chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more for serving
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large ripe avocados
Directions:
Place the tuna in a medium mixing bowl. Add the red onion, olives, tomatoes, parsley, and lime juice and stir gently to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Halve and pit the avocados. Scoop the tuna mixture into the pitted avocado halves. Garnish with fresh parsley. Squeeze some lime juice and serve immediately.
Nicoise Style Tuna Salad Recipe
Ingredients:
500 g mini potatoes, boiled
2 eggs
200 g frozen fine green beans
200 g cherry tomatoes, halved
40 g pitted black olives
2 x 160g tins tuna, drained
For the dressing:
2 tbsp horseradish sauce
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Method:
Boil the eggs for 6 minutes in a small pan of boiling water and transfer them into a bowl of cold water for 2 minutes before peeling and quartering.
Leave the boiled water in the pan. Use the same water to boil the beans for 3 minutes or until cooked but still crunchy.
Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a large bowl, season and set aside.
Drain the beans and add to the horseradish dressing. Add the tomatoes and olives. Toss to coat.
Divide the beans, tomatoes and olives between 4 plates. Top with the tuna, potatoes and eggs.
Drizzle over the dressing left in the bowl.
Grind extra black pepper and serve.
Mediterranean style Tuna Salad
Ingredients:
5 oz olive oil packed tuna, drained
1 tbsp fresh chopped basil
1/2 stalk celery, minced
1 finely chopped scallion, green part only
2 tbsp lemon juice, or more to taste
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions:
Pour the tuna in a small bowl. Use a fork to break the chunks into small pieces.
Add the basil, celery, scallions and lemon juice to the bowl.
Stir all the ingredients together until well mixed.
Add 1-2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Low carb tuna salad
Ingredients:
2 12 oz Cans Tuna
3-4 Celery Stalks, diced
1/3 Cup Shallot, diced
1 1/4 Cup Olive Oil Mayo
1 Tbsp Celery Seeds
2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tsp Salt
Instructions:
Drain the tuna and add to a large bowl.
Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix well.
Taste, adjust seasonings and taste again.
Serve cold.
Tuna Spread Recipe
Ingredients:
2 cans of tuna in olive oil
3 anchovy fillets
½ stick unsalted butter
1 handful capers
½ tsp garlic powder
handful chopped parsley
1 cup mayonnaise
freshly grounded black pepper and cayenne, to taste
Directions:
Drain tuna and roughly chop anchovy fillets
Add all ingredients, except parsley, into a blender and pulse at medium speed for about 2 minutes.
Add chopped parsley to garnish and stir well.
Transfer to a bowl and serve or refrigerate in a jar.
Asian Style Tuna Salad with Honey Miso Dressing
Ingredients:
Salad:
2 4.5 ounce cans Tuna
3 Cups Baby Arugula
2 Avocados, pitted and cubed or sliced
1 Cup Seedless Cucumber, sliced
4 Scallions, sliced
1 Jalapeno, seeded and chopped
Fresh Cilantro, chopped, to taste
4 Cups Black Rice cooked according to package directions
2 Tbsp Sesame Seeds
Salt and Ground Black Pepper
Dressing:
3 Tbsp White Miso Paste
3 Tbsp Rice Vinegar
1 ½ Tbsp Ginger, grated
¼ Cup Honey
2 tsp Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp vegetable Oil
Instructions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the ingredients for the dressing – miso, vinegar, ginger, honey, sesame oil and pinch of salt. Taste and add salt and pepper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, gently toss together the lettuce, avocado, cucumber, scallions, jalapeno and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper.
Arrange the black rice in the bottom of serving plate. Arrange the salad on top of the rice. Add tuna on top of the salad.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with dressing.
Tuna recipes – delicious main course ideas
Tuna is an excellent choice for light meals and can be served as a main course not only during week days but on weekends as well. Tuna recipes include searing, grilling, roasting and whichever cooking method you choose, you will certainly have a delicious and flavorful meal.
Tuna steak with bean salad
Ingredients:
150 g green beans
400 g cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
¼red onion, thinly sliced
a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tsp vegetable oil
2tuna steaks
1 handful of rocket
a few leaves mint, torn
a few leaves flat-leaf parsley, torn
Dressing:
1preserved lemon, pulp removed and discarded, skin finely chopped
½lemon, zested and juiced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to, taste
Method:
Boil the green beans in a large pan of salted water for 1-2 minutes, drain and transfer to a bowl with ice-cold water.
Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the cannellini beans, onion and cherry tomatoes.
Cut the green beans in half, add to the bowl and toss well.
Heat a griddle or frying pan to hot, rub the oil into the tuna steaks and season generously with salt and pepper.
When the pan is hot, cook the tuna steaks for 30 seconds on each side.
Toss the rocket, mint and parsley with the salad, serve, and top with the tuna steaks.
Seared tuna recipe – healthy food ideas
Ingredients:
750 g Tuna fillets
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp coriander, chopped
For topping:
1 Tbsp Brown sugar
2 Tbsp Tamarind paste
1 Tbsp Grated ginger
1 cup Coriander, chopped
1 cup Toasted peanuts, chopped
1 Lime zest and juice
½ Chili, finely chopped
1 pinch of salt
For the sauce:
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tsp soy sauce
Directions:
Rub the tuna with oil. Season a sheet of baking paper and spread coriander. Roll tuna on the sheet of paper.
Heat a hotplate to high. Sear the tuna on all sides for 30 seconds.
Remove and cool completely. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Prepare the topping – combine the sugar, tamarind, ginger, coriander, peanuts, lime, chili and salt.
Combine the mayonnaise and soy sauce.
Slice the tuna thinly and serve with topping and a dollop of soy mayonnaise.
Tuna steaks with peperonata recipe
Ingredients:
2 red peppers, seeded and halved
1 yellow pepper, seeded and halved
1 orange pepper, seeded and halved
4 fresh tuna steaks
2 tbsp olive oil
100 g kalamata olives, pitted
2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
1 tsp red wine vinegar
2 tbsp fresh basil, chopped
50g rocket
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Method:
Arrange the peppers, cut-side down, on a baking tray. Grill or griddle on a high heat for 10 minutes, turn them over and cook for a further 5 minutes. Transfer into a bowl, cover with clingfilm and leave to steam for 5 minutes. Peel the pepper and cut into strips.
Heat a griddle pan. Season the tuna and drizzle with the oil. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side.
Meanwhile, make the peperonata by combining the peppers, olives, capers, vinegar, basil and seasoning in a large bowl. Add the rocket and toss well.
Divide between 4 serving plates and top each with a tuna steak.
Serve with a wedge of lemon.
Tuna pasta bake recipe
Ingredients:
350 g penne pasta
150 g broccoli, cut into small florets
125 g frozen sweet corn
40 g butter
40 g plain flour
600 ml milk
100 g Cheddar, grated
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 x 160g cans tuna chunks, drained
120 g cherry tomatoes, halved
100 g Parmesan, finely grated
Method:
Preheat the grill to medium high.
Cook the pasta following pack instructions, adding the broccoli and sweet corn to the pan for the last 3 minutes of cooking or until the broccoli is just tender.
Drain well, reserving 100 ml of the cooking water, and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan and stir in the flour. Keep stirring until a smooth paste. Cook for 1 min, then gradually whisk in the milk.
Keep whisking until you make a thick white sauce. Cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and thickened slightly. Add a little of the Cheddar cheese and the mustard. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the cooked pasta, broccoli, sweet corn and tuna to the white sauce and stir well. If the sauce is too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water. Stir and add the cherry tomatoes.
Transfer into a large baking dish and smooth the surface. Scatter with the remaining grated Cheddar and the Parmesan.
Top with the remaining cherry tomatoes and grill for 5-6 minutes until the cheese on top is golden and melted.
Serve immediately.
Roasted Tuna Steaks and Potatoes
Ingredients:
4 tuna fillets
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon salt, divided
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon dried oregano, divided
½ teaspoon dried thyme, divided
¼ teaspoon dried basil, divided
1 teaspoon garlic powder, divided
1 ½ pounds baby red potatoes, halved
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
additional lemon slices for garnish
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 450 ˚F degrees. Combine 4 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1/4 teaspoon oregano, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon basil, and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder in a large bag.
Put the tuna fillets in the bag, seal it and massage the fillets lightly.
Combine potatoes and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large bowl. Toss to coat. Add the remaining herbs and stir to combine.
Arrange potatoes on a greased sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes.
Add tuna fillets to the pan, sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the potatoes and return to the oven for 6 minutes.
Flip the tuna fillets and cook for another 6 minutes.
Serve hot.
Tuna Tostadas with Black Bean-Mango Salsa
Ingredients:
Zest of 1 lime
Juice of 1½ limes
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 large garlic clove, grated or finely minced
1 package Tuna, defrosted
8 small corn tortillas
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
For the Mango-Black Bean Salsa:
1 ripe mango, diced small
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
Juice of 1 lime
1 shallot, minced
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt
For the Avocado Mash:
2 ripe avocados
Juice of ½ lime
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400˚F.
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients for the salsa and season with salt to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
In a bowl, whisk the lime zest and juice, cumin, chili powder, garlic, and 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil until well combined. Place the tuna fillets in the marinade. Marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes, turning the fillets over once halfway through.
Lightly brush the tortillas on both sides with extra virgin olive oil and place them on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt. Bake for 6 minutes, turn and bake for another 5-8 minutes until lightly brown and crisp. Set aside.
Scoop the flesh of the avocados into a bowl. Add the lime juice and a pinch of salt and mash until smooth. Season with black pepper.
Preheat a lightly oiled grill pan over medium heat. Remove the fish from the marinade and pat it dry. Season the fillets on both sides with salt and black pepper.
Place the fish in the hot pan and cook for 2½ minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to a cutting board and flake into small pieces with a fork.
Assemble the tostadas. Spread each tortilla with a generous amount of avocado mash. Top with flaked tuna and mango-black bean salsa. Garnish with extra cilantro and sliced radishes.
Serve with lime wedges.