If you have a few cans of tuna sitting in your pantry, you can make an easy, delicious meal! Canned tuna is inexpensive, packed with protein, and requires almost no prep! It can help you create everything from a quick lunch to comforting pasta dish!
If you’re standing in front of your pantry wondering, “What can I make with canned tuna?”, I’ve got you covered!
1. Crispy Tuna Croquettes
One of my favorite ways to turn a simple can of tuna into a hearty dinner is with Easy Tuna Croquettes.
These crispy Southern-style tuna patties combine canned tuna with breadcrumbs, seasonings, onion, milk, egg, and a little lime. The mixture is shaped into patties and fried until golden brown.
They take about 25 minutes from start to finish and are especially good served with rice, a green vegetable, or a fresh salad. You can also make them in the air fryer for a lighter option.
2. Creamy Tuna Skillet
For a comforting one-pan dinner, try our Creamy Tuna Skillet.
This recipe combines pasta, tuna, garlic, tomatoes, basil, Parmesan, and creamy mushroom soup in one skillet. It’s rich, cheesy, filling, and perfect for a busy night when you don’t want a pile of dishes afterward.
3. Classic Tuna Salad
Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best.
For an easy tuna salad, drain a can of tuna and mix it with mayonnaise, a little relish, salt, and pepper. Add diced celery or onion if you like some crunch.
Serve it on bread, toast, crackers, lettuce leaves, or even stuffed into a tomato or avocado.
It’s an especially easy option for lunch when you need something filling without turning on the oven.
4. Tuna Melts
Turn tuna salad into a warm, cheesy meal with a tuna melt.
Make your favorite tuna salad, spread it onto bread, and top it with cheddar or another favorite cheese. Place it under the broiler or in a toaster oven until the cheese melts and the edges of the bread become crisp.
For extra flavor, add sliced tomato, pickle slices, or a sprinkle of garlic powder.
5. Tuna Pasta Salad
Our Ultimate Fresh Tuna Pasta Salad is another great way to use canned tuna.
This 20-minute recipe combines tuna with pasta, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan for a flavorful lunch or side dish. It’s particularly handy for summer meals, picnics, and packed lunches.
6. Tuna Quesadillas
Have tortillas and cheese? You can make tuna quesadillas.
Mix drained tuna with a little mayonnaise and your favorite seasonings. Spread the mixture over a tortilla, sprinkle generously with shredded cheese, fold it in half, and cook in a skillet until golden and crispy on both sides.
Cut into wedges and serve!
7. Tuna-Stuffed Baked Potatoes
A baked potato can become a complete meal with a little canned tuna.
Bake or microwave a potato until tender, then split it open and fluff the inside with a fork. Mix tuna with mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and shredded cheese, then spoon it over the potato.
Pop it back into the oven for a few minutes until everything is hot and the cheese is melted.
8. Tuna Rice Bowls
For an easy pantry dinner, combine tuna with cooked rice and whatever vegetables you have available.
Try adding cucumber, shredded carrots, corn, avocado, or green onions. Top it with a drizzle of mayonnaise mixed with a little hot sauce, or use your favorite Asian-inspired sauce.
It’s an easy way to turn inexpensive pantry staples into a filling meal!
9. Tuna Mac and Cheese
Give boxed or homemade mac and cheese a protein boost by stirring in drained canned tuna.
For extra flavor, add peas, broccoli, or a handful of shredded cheddar. You can eat it straight from the pot or transfer it to a baking dish, sprinkle breadcrumbs and cheese over the top, and bake until bubbly.
10. Tuna-Stuffed Avocado
Looking for a lighter lunch? Make tuna-stuffed avocado.
Mix tuna with mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and a little diced celery or onion. Spoon the mixture into avocado halves and serve immediately.
It’s quick, filling, and requires almost no cooking.
11. Tuna Salad Wraps
Take your favorite tuna salad and turn it into a portable lunch.
Spread tuna salad onto a tortilla and add lettuce, tomato, cucumber, shredded cheese, or spinach. Roll it tightly and slice it in half.
For a low-carb option, skip the tortilla and use large lettuce leaves instead.
12. Crispy Tuna Cakes
Tuna cakes are similar to croquettes but can be made with whatever ingredients you have available.
Mix drained tuna with an egg, breadcrumbs, mayonnaise, and seasonings. Add diced onion, celery, parsley, or shredded cheese if desired. Form into small patties and pan-fry until golden brown.
They’re delicious with a simple salad and a dipping sauce.
13. Tuna Tomato Melts
For an easy low-effort meal, spoon tuna salad into tomato halves, sprinkle with shredded cheese, and broil until the cheese is bubbly.
You can also use halved bell peppers instead of tomatoes. It’s a great way to use vegetables that need to be eaten while turning canned tuna into something that feels a little more substantial.
14. Tuna Stuffed Pasta Shells
For a heartier dinner, combine tuna with ricotta or cottage cheese, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and a little garlic. Stuff the mixture into cooked jumbo pasta shells, cover with marinara sauce and mozzarella, and bake until hot and bubbly.
This takes a little more effort than tuna salad, but it’s a fun way to turn pantry tuna into a family dinner.
15. Tuna and Crackers
And finally, don’t underestimate the easiest option!
Mix drained tuna with mayonnaise, relish, mustard, salt, and pepper. Serve it with your favorite crackers, sliced vegetables, pickles, and fruit.
It’s perfect for a quick lunch, afternoon snack, or those nights when you really don’t feel like cooking.
Which Canned Tuna Recipe Will You Try?
Canned tuna doesn’t have to mean boring sandwiches. With just a few inexpensive ingredients, you can turn a can of tuna into crispy croquettes, creamy pasta, tuna melts, quesadillas, rice bowls, salads, wraps, and more.
If you’re looking for a place to start, I’d recommend our Easy Tuna Croquettes for dinner or the Ultimate Fresh Tuna Pasta Salad for a quick lunch. And when you want something warm and comforting, our Creamy Tuna Skillet is a family favorite.
So the next time you find yourself staring at a can of tuna in the pantry, don’t wonder what you’re going to eat. You’ve got plenty of delicious options!
