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13 Best Canned Tuna Recipes

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I always have cans of tuna in the pantry as it’s affordable, convenient and protein-packed! Below, I’m sharing 13 Easy Canned Tuna Recipes that you can make for healthy lunch or dinner ideas any day of the week.

Canned Tuna Recipe roundup

Best Canned Tuna Recipes

Nothing beats the cost and convenience of canned tuna for high-protein meals on a budget. It’s an inexpensive, low-carb ingredient I always have stocked in the pantry for last-minute meals. If you’re looking for inspiration, or if you’ve never fully embraced the potential of canned tuna before, I’m here to help you out.

Why Use Canned Tuna?

If canned tuna has been flying under your radar, I’m sure you’re not alone. I swear, canned tuna isn’t just for underground bunkers and noodle casseroles from the 1950s! Canned tuna is:

  • Super convenient. From quick lunches to afternoon snacks, canned tuna makes last-minute meals for busy weeknights a breeze. It’s one of my must-have pantry staples, and after today, you’ll be armed with plenty of recipes to turn cans of tuna into something healthy and delicious.
  • Budget-friendly. Most cans of tuna offer a good bang for your buck. You get loads of protein, minerals, and vitamins per can, and it’s relatively inexpensive. Plus, canned tuna is non-perishable, so you can buy it in bulk, too.
  • Versatile. There’s so much more that you can make with canned tuna, above and beyond your average tuna fish sandwich. Below you’ll find tasty recipes for salads, lettuce wraps, comfort food casseroles, and even ceviche. All made with canned tuna!

13 Healthy Recipes with Canned Tuna

There are so many ways to turn your basic can of tuna into delicious, healthy meals that are anything but basic! I’ve rounded up some of my best tuna recipes below:

An open-faced tuna salad sandwich with avocado, with a forkful of canned tuna in the foreground.
Canned Tuna Ceviche – Transform ordinary canned tuna into a zesty, flavorful lunch with a Latin flair by adding fresh lime juice, cilantro, jalapeño, tomato and avocado in this easy tuna ceviche – so good!

2. Canned Tuna Ceviche

Ceviche always has a sort of fancy ring to it, but this easy homemade ceviche recipe is actually the easiest lunch or snack! It’s made with canned tuna that’s zested up with tomatoes, lime juice, cilantro, chilies, and avocado.

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Tuna Croquettes

3. Tuna Croquettes

Whether you cook them in the oven or in the air fryer, these quick and savory tuna croquettes come out irresistibly crispy and delicious. They’re sort of like tuna patties, packed with protein-rich canned tuna, potato, and dill, and perfect for dipping! Add them to bowls to make them a meal.

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Mayo-less Tuna Pasta Salad

4. Tuna Pasta Salad

Love pasta salad, but not so fond of mayonnaise? This nutritious and easy tuna macaroni salad recipe has covered you. This recipe is filled with leafy green arugula, parmesan, and capers, tossed with whole wheat pasta and canned chunks of tuna in a zesty no-mayo dressing.

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Tuna Egg Salad

5. Tuna Egg Salad

Quick, high-protein meals and lunches don’t get better than this light and satisfying egg salad bulked up with canned tuna and red onion. It’s the best of two classic salads, tasty on its own and just as yummy between two slices of whole wheat!

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Homemade classic tuna noodle casserole, the quintessential American dish made from scratch and under $10 to make, the kids love it!

6. Tuna Noodle Casserole

No canned tuna list would be complete without a classic tuna noodle casserole. Skip the cream of mushroom soup, I’ve lightened mine up with a few simple ingredient swaps. This tuna casserole is a comforting, healthy family meal packed with loads of flavor and nutrition (for under $10!).

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Open Faced Tuna Melt is the ultimate sandwich for all you tuna lovers! Serving them open faced is an easy way to make them healthier and cut the calories.

7. Open-Faced Tuna Melt Sandwich

What can I say? I just love an open-faced sandwich. This tuna melt is one of my favourites! Pile slices of whole wheat high with healthy tuna salad and veggies over a bed of melted cheese, for a fast and easy lunch on busy weekdays.

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Tuna Salad loaded with veggies served in endive leaves makes a quick and easy, low-carb lunch.

8. Tuna Salad Wraps

This tuna salad recipe is made with nutrient-rich broccoli, crunchy celery, and just a touch of light mayo. Spoon it over crisp endive leaves (or even crackers if you’d like) for a refreshing, healthy snack.

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These Tuna Stuffed Deviled Eggs are perfect to pack for lunch or serve as an appetizer!

9. Tuna Salad Deviled Eggs

Add extra protein to your classic deviled eggs recipe! Mix up canned tuna with creamy yolks, onions, and mayo, and then pile your filling into a protein-packed hard-boiled egg. Perfect for on-the-go lunches!

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Chickpea Tuna Salad with Capers is perfect for lunch! Quick and easy for meal prep! Healthy and filling, this mayo-less Tuna Salad is loaded with protein and tastes even better the next day.

10. Chickpea Tuna Salad

This chickpea tuna salad is an all-in-one, healthy lunch idea that’s quick to make and tastes super light and fresh. Chickpeas add hearty fiber to this flavorful tuna salad with capers, kept light with no mayo. If you’re not a chickpea fan, use white beans instead!

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Italian tuna and brown rice salad is wonderful, easy lunch using basic pantry items such as tuna, brown rice, capers and good quality chopped olives plus some frozen mixed vegetables and fresh lemon juice.
I swapped the bread for tomatoes in this quick and easy, low-carb tomato stuffed tuna melts made with tuna salad and melted cheddar. Perfect for lunch and a great way to use up those summer tomatoes!

12. Tomato Tuna Melts

While you’re at it, skip the bread altogether and make a wildly tasty tuna melt stuffed inside a juicy ripe tomato! Transform a fresh and healthy tuna salad into a light, easy lunch topped with melted cheddar cheese.

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This low-calorie, low-carb tuna lettuce wrap with avocado yogurt dressing transforms ordinary canned tuna into a tasty light lunch filled with hearts of palm, tomatoes, carrots and onion.

How Healthy Is Canned Tuna?

Canned tuna has bucketloads of benefits. It’s low in calories and relatively cheap while being high in protein and rich in B-Complex vitamins, Vitamins A and D, and nutrients like omega-3s. Plus, it keeps forever in the pantry (OK, maybe not forever. But some can last for up to 2 years or more!). When shopping for tuna, you can also opt for healthier options, like brands with less salt added, or tuna that’s canned in water instead of oil.

What Is the Best Canned Tuna to Buy?

One of the downsides of canned tuna is sustainability and over-fishing. That, and another concern is mercury levels. Your best bet when buying canned tuna is to choose certified sustainable brands, like Wild Planet. Stick with canned varieties that are low in mercury, like light tuna or skipjack.

More Easy Lunches and Light Meals

Hungry for even more healthy, protein-packed fish recipes and light meal ideas? Definitely check out the recipe finder for more inspiration.

Burmese ‘Khow Suey’ Noodle Soup Recipe (But Make It Vegan)

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This vegan khow suey recipe is a fresh take on a popular Burmese noodle dish that centers around an aromatic coconut soup. However, this is not just any noodle soup, with extra flavor and texture coming from various (sometimes surprising) toppings. It’s these that take this recipe from tasty to a go-to dish in just a few seconds.

Fun toppings that work perfectly here include crushed roasted peanuts, fresh chilli slices, fried noodles, and even crushed tortilla chips. Yes, really. You have to trust us that the crunch, combined with creamy coconut soup, is exactly what your taste buds want.

The traditional version of this dish contains egg noodles and meat. Instead, this vegan khow suey replaces them with vegan noodles and veggies. Mix up your selection by choosing snappy ingredients, like bell peppers, along with others that will soften and absorb the soup’s magical flavor notes. Cauliflower is excellent for this. Also, you can add beans or tofu, which will up the protein in the finished meal.

Comforting, endlessly customizable, and simple to make, vegan khow suey is guaranteed to enter your recipe rotation.

A black ceramic bowl is filled with a vegan khow suey soup recipe and topped with crunchy noodles and other garnishes

Cook Time20 min

Prep Time10 min

Servings2 people

For the coconut curry base
  • 1 can thick coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp chickpea flour
  • 1 inch ginger (chopped)
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1 tsp curry powder (optional)
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 2 stalks lemongrass
  • salt to taste
For the toppings
  • 1/2 cup sauteed vegetables (chopped)
  • Noodles of your choice (add as many as you want)
  • Roasted peanuts (handful)
  • Fresh cilantro (chopped)
  • Green chilli (chopped) (optional)
  • Fried or baked noodles (optional)
  • Crushed tortilla chips (optional)
  • Lemon or lime wedges

  • Heat the oil in a large wok. Add ginger and chickpea flour and stir to combine. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously. Slowly add the vegetable broth and coconut milk and keep stirring to avoid lumps.

  • Add lemongrass, soy sauce, salt and spices and simmer for 20 minutes. Finish with lemon juice and cilantro.

to serve

  • In your serving bowl, arrange your vegetables and cooked noodles. Top with hot coconut broth, then garnish with your chosen toppings.

Top tips for the best vegan khow suey

The toppings suggestions included here are not mandatory and you are free to pick some of your own. However, try to take inspiration from the crunchy elements. Given that the soup body here is creamy and rich, something that contrasts, at least in texture, will improve the overall eating experience.

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This vegan khow suey soup recipe was republished with permission from Yummee With Amee. Find the original recipe here.

Best Chantilly Cake Recipe – How To Make Chantilly Cake

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There are cakes, and then there’s Chantilly cake, a towering layer of cake stuffed with fresh berries and blanketed in whipped cream frosting. The impressive dessert marries the delicious simplicity of a classic yellow cake with the berries and cream combo that makes the shortcakes shine. What’s even sweeter? The all-American dessert has a charming origin story that started in a grocery store bakery.

Where did Chantilly cake come from?
The cake was originally made by Chaya Conrad, who was working as a bakery manager at Whole Foods in New Orleans. She based the dessert off a cake her grandmother once made, and the dessert took off! Conrad now owns Bywater Bakery, but the cake is still sold at Whole Foods locations all over the country. It’s especially popular in the South and is also a TikTok fan favorite.

There is also another Chantilly cake that’s popular in Hawaii, but it’s a chocolate cake with a frosting that’s similar to German chocolate frosting without the coconut.

Why is it called Chantilly cake?
The cake’s name comes from Chantilly cream, a French term for sweetened whipped cream flavored with vanilla or liqueur. To make the frosting for this cake, you fold sweet, fluffy Chantilly cream with a rich, tangy mixture of whipped mascarpone and cream cheese. The Chantilly cream makes the frosting light and fluffy; the cream cheese mixture helps stabilize the frosting and adds tangy cream cheese frosting vibes.

The frosting is the perfect pairing for the tender cake that gets a little extra oomph from a combination of vanilla and almond extracts. The cakes are split into four layers, which ensures that every bite has the perfect ratio of cake, frosting and berries.

Can I make Chantilly cake ahead of time?
Absolutely! One of the best things about this cake (other than eating it) is that it can and should be made ahead. Assemble the cake at least four hours before you plan to serve it or make it the day before and chill it overnight. This resting time gives the flavors time to melt and helps the cake settle, which will make it more delicious and also much easier to slice.

Have you made this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!

Healthy Chocolate Banana Muffins | Ambitious Kitchen

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This incredible muffin recipe comes from the AK archives back in 2017 and reading back on the post was such a fun trip down memory lane. I wrote it right after Tony and I got engaged, and am reposting it now that we are married in a new home with THREE little boys!

Time truly flies, but perfect healthy chocolate banana muffins are still the ultimate treat.

These muffins are a take on my famous Skinny Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins but with a chocolate twist that seriously makes them taste like chocolate cake. I originally made them after receiving the sweetest note from a woman named Sara and her (then) 4-year-old daughter, Reagan. Sara described Reagan as a true little chef and baker who was truly amazing in the kitchen. They had a glorious baking day after finding my banana chocolate chip muffins and emailed me the kindest note and cutest photo.

I whipped up the best-ever chocolate version of those muffins just for Reagan, who is now 10! Whether or not they see this post update, it’s so fun to think back on that memory and the ways that Ambitious Kitchen has touched so many lives over the years.

SO, get a baking day on your calendar, make a batch of these chocolate beauties, and have yourself a wonderful week.

healthy double chocolate banana muffins in a muffin tin

What makes these chocolate banana muffins healthier?

Traditional chocolate banana muffins, while absolutely delicious, are typically made with lots of refined sugar and butter or oil. I lightened these babies up a bit by sweetening them with just 1/4 cup of honey and ripe, mashed bananas so that they’re refined sugar free. You’ll also only need 2 tablespoons of oil because the muffins get extra moisture from protein-packed Greek yogurt! They also have a boost of whole grains thanks to whole wheat pastry flour instead of white flour.

Ingredients in the best healthy chocolate banana muffins

While they are chocolate muffins, they’re made with whole grains, protein packed Greek yogurt, naturally sweetened with honey (or maple syrup) and contain just a hint of chocolate sweetness. I call them perfection. Here’s what you’ll need to make them:

  • Bananas: be sure to use super ripe bananas with lots of brown spots to get the perfect amount of sweetness and banana flavor.
  • Honey: we’re also adding a little honey to boost the sweetness. You can also use pure maple syrup if you like.
  • eggs: you’ll need one egg in this muffin recipe.
  • Oil: a couple tablespoons of olive oil to add moisture.
  • Yogurt: a little yogurt adds additional moisture and a boost of protein. Feel free to use plain or vanilla 2% yogurt or whole milk Greek yogurt.
  • flour: you’ll need whole wheat pastry flour to give the muffins that fluff factor.
  • Cocoa powder: for the ultimate rich chocolate flavour. Be sure to use high quality cocoa powder or cacao powder for the best flavor!
  • Baking staples: don’t forget the vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt.
  • Chocolate chips: gotta have that melty chocolate in every bite. Don’t forget to sprinkle the muffins with some chocolate chips on top, too.

I love to top them with a dollop of peanut butter because everyone knows PB + chocolate = life.

healthy chocolate banana muffins on a wire rack

Optional ingredient swaps

As with all baking recipes, I suggest sticking with the recipe as best as possible to ensure that they come out perfectly every time. Here are a few ingredient swaps I can recommend:

  • For the oil: feel free to use avocado oil, melted & cooled coconut oil, or melted butter or vegan butter in place of the olive oil.
  • For the yogurt: 2% plain Greek yogurt adds the best moisture, but non-fat yogurt or dairy-free yogurt should also work well.
  • For the flour: feel free to use white whole wheat flour or a mix of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour.

Can I make them gluten free?

I’ve only tested these muffins using whole wheat pastry flour or a mix of whole wheat flour and all purpose flour, so I cannot recommend a gluten-free substitute. Feel free to try my Paleo Double Chocolate Tahini Banana Muffins instead!

What about vegans?

I haven’t tested a vegan version of these muffins either, but you could try swapping the egg for 1 flax egg, and using your favorite plain or vanilla dairy free yogurt. Then be sure to use maple syrup instead of the honey as well as dairy free chocolate chips. Let me know in the comments if you try it!

the best healthy chocolate banana muffins on a wire rack

Try a healthy chocolate banana bread

I think these healthy chocolate banana muffins can be made into bread, too! Simply pour the batter into an 8×4 inch loaf pan greased and lined with parchment paper. Bake for 40-55 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Alternatively, try one of these delicious chocolate banana bread recipes:

Storing & freezing tips

  1. Store: store these chocolate banana muffins on the counter in an airtight container for a day, then transfer them to the fridge for up to 4-5 days. The muffins get even fudgier after sitting in an airtight container for a day; they sweeten up a bit and get super soft.
  2. to freeze: place the muffins in an airtight container or reusable bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, you can microwave them for 45 seconds-1 minute or until warm.

healthy chocolate banana muffin with a bite taken out

Our fav muffin-baking tools

Don’t forget to check out all of our favorite kitchen essentials.

More healthy muffin recipes you’ll love

Get all of my muffin recipes here!

If you make these healthy chocolate banana muffins, be sure to leave a comment below and rate the recipe! You can also snap and picture and post it on Instagram using the hashtag #ambitiouskitchen. And of course be sure to follow Ambitious Kitchen on Instagram. xo!

Healthy Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

healthy chocolate banana muffin with a bite taken out

Healthy double chocolate banana muffins made with whole grains and naturally sweetened with honey and ripe bananas. These healthy chocolate banana muffins are perfectly moist and made in one bowl for an easy breakfast or snack! Freezer-friendly and absolutely delicious.

Ingredients

  • 3
    medium ripe bananas, mashed
  • 1/4
    cup
    honey or pure maple syrup
  • 1
    teaspoons
    vanilla extract
  • 1
    large egg
  • 2
    tablespoons
    extra virgin olive oil (can sub melted and cooled coconut oil, avocado oil or butter)
  • 1/2
    cup
    plain or vanilla 2% or whole-milk Greek yogurt
  • 1
    cup
    whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour*
  • 1/2
    cup
    unsweetened cocoa powder or cacao powder (use a high quality cocoa powder)
  • 1
    teaspoons
    baking soda
  • ¼
    teaspoons
    salt
  • 1/2
    cup
    chocolate chips, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling on top

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners and spray with nonstick cooking spray.

  2. In a large bowl add the mashed bananas, honey, vanilla, egg, oil and Greek yogurt. Whisk the wet ingredients together until well combined.

  3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients: whole wheat pastry flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined. Stir in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.

  4. Pour batter into greased muffin cups. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons of chocolate chips on top of muffins. Bake for 23-27 minutes until the tester comes out clean.

Recipe Notes

*You can use a mix of regular whole wheat flour and all purpose, but these are best when made with whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour.

nutrition

Servings: 12 muffins

serving size: 1 muffin

Calories: 180kcal

Fats: 8.1g

Saturated fat: 3.6g

Carbohydrates: 27.8g

Fibers: 4.1g

Sugar: 13.4g

Proteins: 4.6g

Recipe by Monique Volz | Photography by: Sarah Fennel

This post was originally published on January 3rd, 2017, and republished on April 20th, 2023.

Kansas school lunch recipe challenge focuses on local ingredients

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Kyleen Harris, food service director at Manhattan Catholic Schools, serves and explains the locally grown ingredients in each of the three food items that were tested at the school Thursday.

MANHATTAN — Although they could tell the pumpkin bars were “sandier” than they were used to, the Manhattan Catholic Schools students loved them all the same.

The students were going through the lunch line when they noticed a few items they had never seen before, like the pumpkin bars. Another was a mixture of granola that included big bits of wheat that were unlike anything they’d ever had at school lunch before. Ditto for the strange, dark purple applesauce that seemed to have a special ingredient that gave it a tart, if “earthy,” flavor.

more:Kansas high school graduation rates increase. Here’s why the commissioner says it’s not enough

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