25 Terrific Tuna Recipes, From Casual to Elegant (2024)

Tuna is a wonderful foundation for a host of tasty appetizers, sandwiches, salads, and entrées. At its simplest, jarred or canned tuna is a great pantry staple that lends itself to easy-to-pull-together dishes like tuna melts and Spanish-style pasta salad. Succulent tuna steaks are perfect for searing; sushi-grade steaks make for excellent raw preparations such as tartare and tiradito. Whether you're looking for a new lunch idea or planning a party menu, you're sure to find a winning recipe within this collection of delicious tuna dishes.

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Italian Tuna Salad

25 Terrific Tuna Recipes, From Casual to Elegant (1)

This bright, balanced Roman-style tuna salad combines oil-packed jarred tuna, sun-dried tomatoes, red onions, juicy Castelvetrano olives, and celery, all tossed in a lemony honey-mustard dressing. This recipe is a perfect example of how a handful of pantry ingredients can become a meal that sings. It all comes together in 20 minutes.

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02of 25

Tuna Tartare with Ginger Oil, Wasabe, and Sesame Seeds

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For his elegant, ultraflavorful tuna tartare, chef Eric Ripert infuses oil with ginger, then combines it with diced sushi-grade tuna, cilantro, jalapeño, wasabi, sesame seeds, scallion, and lemon juice. It's topped with tomato, more lemon juice and cilantro, and an extra drizzle of ginger oil, then served with potato chips.

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03of 25

Tuna Tiradito with Ají Amarillo Leche de Tigre

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Tiradito is a raw fish preparation that features sashimi-style cuts topped with an acidic, flavorful sauce right before serving. It’s a style of ceviche that’s arisen thanks to the presence of Japanese immigrants in Peru, who have influenced Peruvian cuisine over the centuries. In this version, raw sashimi-grade tuna is draped in a sauce of lemon juice, orange juice, chiles, and ají amarillo chiles.

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04of 25

Tuna-Avocado Ceviche with Salsa Macha

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Salsa macha stops you in your tracks as soon as you taste it. It's olive oil. It's toasted smoky chiles. It's toasted nuts and seeds. It's fried garlic. The sum of all these delicious parts is a crunchy salsa that tastes amazing on pretty much anything it touches. When you add a couple of spoonfuls to cubed raw fish, salsa macha is a game changer that transforms an everyday ceviche into an extraordinary dish.

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05of 25

Seared Tuna with Soy and Red Chiles

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Soy sauce, sesame oil, scallion, garlic, and dried chiles are combined with chicken stock to make an intense and delicious sauce for the seared tuna. Sautéed spinach or broccoli rabe tossed with a touch of soy sauce and a sprinkling of sesame seeds would be a delicious accompaniment.

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Tuna Croquettes

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These irresistibly crispy bites transform a grazing board into a hearty supper; a drizzle of honey takes them over the top. Begin frying the breaded croquettes immediately after removing them from the freezer to help them hold their shape.

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Tuna Melts with Pickled Chicories

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Pickled chicories amp up this tuna melt, a lunchtime classic, and are a great use for leftover mixed chicories. The pickles can add a pop of tangy sweetness to salads or be served as a condiment with grilled or roasted meats.

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08of 25

​​Spanish-Style Pasta Salad with Tuna and Marinated Tomatoes

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Spanish pantry staples like mildly spicy and sweet piparra peppers and tangy sherry vinegar bring bold flavor to this hearty pasta salad from 2015 F&W Best New Chef Katie Button. "I love this pasta salad because it incorporates fresh summer ingredients, like tomatoes and herbs, with staples I already have on hand in the pantry," she says. "It's a perfect low-cook dish that you can make ahead in large batches and eat all week; it keeps getting better with time."

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09of 25

Seared Tuna Tiradito

25 Terrific Tuna Recipes, From Casual to Elegant (9)

Chef Stephanie Izard channels her love of Peruvian cuisine to deliver inspired takes on traditional ceviche and tiradito. At Cabra, Izard dresses raw sushi-grade tuna steak with a creamy Kewpie mayonnaise-laced sauce, thinned with lime and orange juices and studded with spicy serrano chiles. For a twist, try giving the tuna a quick sear in a screaming-hot skillet to add another layer of complexity to the dish.

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10of 25

Poached Tuna with Kumquats and Jalapeño

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This incredibly quick and easy dish from New Orleans chef Donald Link'sDown Southcookbook features tuna steaks poached until rare in a bright, buttery sauce that's infused with tangy lime and kumquats, spicy jalapeños, and fresh mint.

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11of 25

Sorghum and Albacore Tuna Salad with Preserved Lemon

25 Terrific Tuna Recipes, From Casual to Elegant (11)

Sorghum adds a pleasantly chewy bite to this simple salad from Roxana Jullapat, the co-owner and baker of Los Angeles restaurant Friends & Family. If you're going to use sorghum grains as a salad base, she advises, presoak the sorghum for at least 8 hours to get the best texture, wash the grains before cooking to remove extra starch, and cook them with abundant water, like pasta.

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12of 25

Tuna Burgers with Ginger-Lemon Mayonnaise

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Cilantro, ginger, and soy sauce are mixed with sushi-grade tuna for these bright, fresh fish burgers from grill expert Steven Raichlen. Use sushi-quality tuna for these burgers, so you can serve them medium rare. The cucumber salad and the ginger-lemon mayonnaise keep the flavors in this burger light.

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Sesame-Crusted Tuna with Ginger Cream

25 Terrific Tuna Recipes, From Casual to Elegant (13)

Hosea Rosenberg created this quickly seared tuna recipe in 2001, when he was head chef at Boulder's Dandelion restaurant. It immediately became his dad's favorite dish. He spikes the ginger cream with spicy sriracha.

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Spicy Tuna Sushi "Biscotti"

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At Sushi Note in Sherman Oaks, California, chef Kiminobu Saito offers wine-friendly bites like sushi biscotti, crispy thin cakes of fried sushi rice with toppings like spicy tuna or miso-basted eggplant.

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Seared Tuna Steaks with Citrusy Soy Sauce

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A former Greek philosophy professor, Abe Schoener of The Scholium Project in Suisun Valley, California, has a cult following for his experimental methods. One of Schoener's famous wines is The Prince in His Caves, a Sauvignon Blanc he ferments on its skins, then ages in oak. Former wine director John Locke thinks the luscious, funky wine is best with funky flavors, like in the citrusy soy sauce here.

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Mustard-Seared Tuna with Shallot Cream

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When he was cooking at Ten Minutes by Tractor, Australian chef Stuart Bell's French-inflected dishes showcased the Mornington winery's stellar Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs. Here, Dijon mustard gives a nod to Burgundy, while the eggplant-olive relish references Provence.

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Atún Encebollado (Tuna Smothered in Onions)

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Despite its 3,000-year history of catching wild bluefin tuna, Spain’s tuna culture has largely been limited to canned and salted tuna products. This luscious dish, a staple of southern Spain, is one of the exceptions.

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Empanadillas Gallegas

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Chef Katie Button's handheld versions of empanada Gallega, the large savory pie from Galicia, Spain, are stuffed with tuna, hard-boiled eggs, and chopped olives.

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Fresh Tuna and Butter Lettuce Wraps with Yuzu Ponzu

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This recipe by star chef Emeril Lagasse is from the 2007 Food & Wine Classic in Aspen.

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Creamy Tuna Noodle Cazuela

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Jarred piquillo peppers and imported canned tuna from Spain add an Iberian twist to the classic American tuna casserole, making it more elegant but keeping it as simple and quick as the original.

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Seared Tuna with Chimichurri Sauce and Greens

25 Terrific Tuna Recipes, From Casual to Elegant (21)

Here, chef Eric Ripert serves this thinly sliced tuna alongside mounds of mesclun, both dressed with chimichurri sauce.

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Tuna Tacos with Onions

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Chef Aarón Sanchez makes a quick, vinegary, super-crunchy red onion pickle to accompany his fresh tuna tacos. It's lovely with the warm, soft tortillas. To bump up the flavors of the tacos even more, he adds a dash of hot sauce and a healthy squirt of fresh lime juice.

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Grilled Tuna with Fried Manchego

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Chef Jose Garces serves seared tuna alongside deep-fried cheese croquettes. For this easy version, we skip the croquettes and instead just bread and pan-fry small slices of Manchego cheese until crisp on the outside and oozing on the inside.

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Fresh Tuna Salad with Avocado

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Nan McEvoy created this salad after falling in love with the incredible olive oil-poached tuna prepared by her friend Paul Bertolli, the former chef at Oliveto's in nearby Oakland. McEvoy uses albacore tuna here, but any fresh tuna will do. In addition to spooning the salad into avocado halves, she also uses it as a sandwich filling and a topping for crostini.

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Butter Bean, Tuna, and Celery Salad

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Big, creamy butter beans give a tuna and celery salad terrific heartiness. The salad would also be delicious spooned over slices of warm grilled country bread.

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25 Terrific Tuna Recipes, From Casual to Elegant (2024)

FAQs

How does Gordon Ramsay cook tuna? ›

just brush each piece of tuna with egg whites before you add the sesame seeds. add a few tablespoons of oil to a pan over medium heat. let that pan get hot. add the tuna, let it cook for a minute and flip and then cook for 1min more.

What is the most delicious tuna species? ›

Bluefin tuna are considered the most valuable because they can store a lot of fat in their musculature, and this means greater flavor and texture.

Why should you not eat canned tuna every day? ›

Certain types of tuna are high in mercury, which can have harmful effects on health in high amounts or in certain populations. For most healthy adults, it's recommended to consume at least 2 servings of fish per week, which can include tuna.

Should I rinse canned tuna before using? ›

In dishes where you aim for a fresh, clean taste, like in salads or light pasta dishes, rinsing tuna can help achieve the desired flaky texture and light flavor profile. It removes the oil or brine that might otherwise weigh down the dish or clash with delicate dressings and ingredients.

Why is Italian canned tuna so good? ›

How long it marinates plays a big role in the overall flavor, and Italian tuna makers know this. They marinate the tuna for up to two months before it's ready for distribution. Not only is this far longer than other canning methods, but it also helps the flavors to absorb effectively and lead to a greater tasting tuna.

Why doesn't canned tuna need to be cooked? ›

Once the cans are filled and sealed, they also undergo processing, which the USDA explains is the method by which commercially canned goods are heated to 250 degrees Fahrenheit to destroy harmful microorganisms. From there, the vacuum seal prevents new bacteria from forming.

Why is restaurant tuna salad so good? ›

The highest-quality tuna is bought fresh from the market or fishmonger, so some restaurants process and cook fresh tuna before incorporating it into the tuna salad. Although time-consuming and expensive, many chefs prefer this approach.

How old is a 500 pound bluefin tuna? ›

In a survey that included specimens up to 2.55 m (8.4 ft) in length and 247 kg (545 lb) in weight, none was believed to be older than 15 years. However, very large specimens may be up to 50 years old.

What is the most expensive tuna to eat? ›

The bluefin tuna stands out as the most valuable among all tuna species. However, it is worth noting that other types of tuna, such as the yellowfin and bigeye tuna, also have the potential to command high prices in the market.

Which tuna is most expensive? ›

The most expensive bluefin tuna sold for $3.1 million in 2019, This statistic refers to the highest recorded price paid for a single bluefin tuna in the year 2019, which amounted to an astonishing $3.1 million. Bluefin tuna is a highly prized and sought-after fish, particularly in the sushi market.

How to jazz up tuna? ›

Quick tips: Feel free to use a spicy mayonnaise for an extra kick. To offset any heat, swap out soy sauce for ponzu or add lime juice to allow the citrus to cut through. If you want to get real fancy, top the tuna with specialty items like chili oil, kimchi, or melted cheese.

What spices complement tuna? ›

Organic Paprika (Sweet or Smoked): For a subtle warmth and color, excellent in rubs. Use smoked paprika for a more grilled flavor. Organic Black Malabar Pepper: A classic pairing for a simple seared tuna steak. Organic coriander Powder: Offers a lemony, floral note, excellent for an exotic twist.

How to spice up tuna fish? ›

Start by doctoring up a can of tuna with mayonnaise, lemon, and cilantro—think spicy tuna with the spice on the side. Then add rice and crunchy seasoned carrots and cucumber for the perfect balance of flavor and texture. Serve with your favorite condiments such as soy and hot chili sauce.

What can I mix with a can of tuna? ›

  • Tuna Cakes: Add Eggs, Herbs & Breadcrumbs. Antonis Achilleos. ...
  • One-Pot Pasta: Add Pasta, Olives & Lemon. Joy Howard. ...
  • Tuna Melt: Add Greek Yogurt, Veggies, Cheese & Bread. Joy Howard. ...
  • Niçoise Salad: Add Potatoes, Hard-Boiled Eggs, Green Beans & Dressing. ...
  • Tuna Salad Spread: Add Avocado, Greek Yogurt, Herbs & Spices.
Aug 19, 2022

What seasoning is good with tuna? ›

Organic Dill Weed: Adds a fresh, tangy kick, perfect for tuna salads. Organic Garlic Powder: A universal flavor enhancer for a savory touch. Organic Paprika (Sweet or Smoked): For a subtle warmth and color, excellent in rubs. Use smoked paprika for a more grilled flavor.

What sauce goes good on canned tuna? ›

Bon Appétit says that almost any spreadable condiment will transform a can of tuna. Mayonnaise, harissa, yuzu kosho, and Dijon mustard are examples. They also label preserved pickles, relishes, capers, chopped jalapeños, and chili flakes as excellent additions. Anything sweet, spicy, or fragrant is a good addition.

How do you elevate a tuna sandwich? ›

Add crunchy, tangy, pickle-y things to your tuna salad

Onions and celery are popular (and good) additions that add texture, but they're not the only options. Choosing something that adds crunch but also brings a hit of tangy, pickle-y flavor is my favorite way to punch up a tuna melt.

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