Our Best Canned Tuna Recipes Are Easy to Make

Quick, easy, and healthy? Sold! These recipes for canned tuna offer convenient ways to get lunch and dinner on the table fast. Including cheesy casseroles, deli-style salads, and easy sandwiches, these canned tuna recipes are ideal for mixing up your weekday meal routine. Stock up on canned tuna or packets, and you'll be just minutes away from enjoying a meal.

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Chickpea Salad with Tuna

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With a burst of freshness from lemon, parsley, and red pepper, plus a punch of protein by way of tuna and chickpeas, this easy make-ahead salad is one of the best lunches to ever leave our Test Kitchen. (Actually, the healthy canned tuna recipe was so tasty, no leftovers left the premises—only the how-to!) Beyond being full of flavor and nutrition, BHG fans love that this leaves room for some creativity. One says, “I added chopped cucumber and a splash of red wine vinegar, but otherwise kept the recipe as-is. It was perfect for lunch with pita crackers and hummus!”

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Tuna Melts with Olives and Lemon

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Pretend you’re at a diner any day of the week by diving into a platter piled high with chips and one of these high-protein open-faced sandwiches. Briny olives and cornichons and zippy lemon juice perk up the tuna mixture, and a layer of thinly-sliced cheese only makes things better...especially once it melts over every last inch. Since the tuna mixture is mustard based, this is one of the best canned tuna recipes for mayo-haters; there’s not a drop in the ingredient list!

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Fast Nicoise Salad

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Why spend $10+ for a restaurant salad when you can build a way more budget-friendly Nicoise at home in just 20 minutes? That’s what we deliver with this easy canned tuna recipe. The combo platter of pouch tuna and hard-cooked egg gives each satisfying serving 20 grams of protein.

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Gluten Free Asparagus-Tuna Casserole

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This gluten-free casserole is the ideal crowd-pleasing dish to serve in that long stretch when winter transitions into spring. Plenty of hearty potatoes and melted provolone ensure that this canned tuna recipe will warm everyone up, while tuna in garlic oil, lemon zest, and fresh asparagus pieces help this act as a harbinger of warmer weather. The Parmesan-spiked buttery bread crumbs make this one entrée everyone will ask for on repeat—regardless of the season.

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Tuscan Tuna Mac Casserole

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Can't decide between tuna noodle casserole or mac and cheese? No need to choose just one when you can enjoy both in this scrumptious Italian herb-seasoned pasta bake. In addition to two cans of tuna, this casserole features a cup of sliced cremini mushrooms for another hearty, meat-like ingredient.

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Muffin Pan Tuna Melts

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All the melty goodness; no griddle required. For this canned tuna recipe, simply build open-faced tuna sandwiches in muffin cups, then pop them in the oven. Serve two with a fresh salad to make these canned tuna melts a complete meal.

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Tuna and Hummus Wraps

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Ditch the dairy and eggs and crank up the flavor by following one simple trick in this healthy recipe for canned tuna. How? Trade hummus for cheese, sour cream, or mayo. Cucumber-dill flavor chickpea spread (or your favorite variety; garlic would also be great) acts as the “glue” to hold the mix of colorful fresh vegetables and tuna inside a whole-wheat wrap.

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Lemon-Caper Tuna and Noodles with Alfredo

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For a “tasty change of pace” that’s definitely “a keeper,” according to one BHG home cook, add this easy canned tuna recipe to your meal plan this week. When we tested and perfected this dinner idea, we were blown away by how much flavor we could create with just 5 ingredients and a single skillet. The secrets for success: High-impact ingredients that deliver luscious texture or a blast of flavor, including creamy Alfredo sauce, salty capers, and bright lemon. And tuna, of course!

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Tuna with Cheese Biscuits

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The next frigid evening or time you’re in the mood for a “food hug,” this cozy casserole is among the best canned tuna recipes to whip up. Culinary creations don’t come much more comforting than buttery biscuits and creamy tuna casserole, and this easy entrée features both of those in one delicious dish. Canned soup and tuna and boxed biscuit mix make this simple enough for a weeknight, but add a handful of fresh chives and pair it with a side of roasted vegetables and you have the makings of a dinner party-worthy meal.

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White Bean Tuna Salad

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Craving a vacation? One BHG reader raves that this canned tuna recipe tastes surprisingly similar to a dish she enjoyed in Florence, Italy. No long flight—or even extended meal prep is required here, though. This healthy, herb-packed, and super affordable salad can be ready a mere 20 minutes from now. Canned tuna, canned white beans, and a simple homemade red wine vinaigrette make it possible.

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Avocado Ranch Tuna Melts

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Ranch and tuna may seem like an odd couple, but don't knock it until you try it. Creamy avocado (another great source of omega-3, beyond the fish itself) serves as the base to make this a heart-healthy light lunch. Hiding below the ooey-gooey melted cheese, a crisp broccoli slaw lends even more nutrition and makes this a salad and a sandwich all in one healthy canned tuna recipe.

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Tuna and Green Bean Bake

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Calling all kids (and kids at heart)! A handful of cheesy fish-shaped crackers lend a colorful, crunchy finish to this playful green bean casserole featuring canned tuna. Stick to light condensed soup and milk for a healthy canned tuna recipe that’s totally appropriate to serve on the regular; one of our editors devours it weekly.

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Tuna-Noodle Casserole

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This classic tuna noodle casserole would make any grandma proud. Even though it’s made from scratch, it asks for just 30 minutes of hands-on time. The creamy, decadent sauce for this canned tuna recipe is made with 100% recognizable ingredients, including milk, butter, and freshly grated cheese. The simple ingredient list really allows the tuna—a full 3 ounces per person—to shine.

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Curried Tuna Sandwich

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If you love warm, aromatic curry spice, try this updated canned tuna recipe for a globe-trotting salad sandwich. The addition of coleslaw and peanuts adds a nice crunchy bite to the creamy, curry-scented tuna blend. For an easy make-ahead recipe, toss together the tuna mixture in the morning, then refrigerate until lunch (when you can tuck it inside a roll, wrap, or pita).

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Mediterranean Tuna Salad

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Canned seafood comes in oil or water. For this canned tuna recipe, we suggest seeking out tuna in oil since the rest of the restaurant-style salad is so light. The extra fat boosts satisfaction and vitamin absorption. We love to add a breadstick or a slice of warm sourdough on the side for a supremely satisfying lunch that keeps us full for hours.

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Our Best Canned Tuna Recipes Are Easy to Make—And Easy to Love (2024)

Chickpea Salad with Tuna

Tuna Melts with Olives and Lemon

Fast Nicoise Salad

Gluten Free Asparagus-Tuna Casserole

Tuscan Tuna Mac Casserole

Muffin Pan Tuna Melts

Tuna and Hummus Wraps

Lemon-Caper Tuna and Noodles with Alfredo

Tuna with Cheese Biscuits

White Bean Tuna Salad

Avocado Ranch Tuna Melts

Tuna and Green Bean Bake

Tuna-Noodle Casserole

Curried Tuna Sandwich

Mediterranean Tuna Salad