Learn how to prepare canned tuna, so that it tastes good! To start, try these fast, easy and healthy canned tuna recipes for dinner, lunch or even breakfast! Among other things, this collection includes a few variations of tuna salad and an amazing creamy tuna pasta that you can make with leftovers in 20 minutes!
Jump to:
- Canned Tuna Nutrition & Recommendation
- How To Make Canned Tuna Taste Great
- Healthy Breakfast Ideas With Canned Tuna (incl. Tuna Quiche)
- Healthy Tuna Salads & Bowls (incl. Mediterranean Tuna Salad)
- Quick & Easy Dinner Ideas With Tuna (incl. Tuna Pasta and Quesadilla)
Canned Tuna Nutrition & Recommendation
Eating canned tuna is a tricky thing. On the one hand, we’ve got a good amount of protein, omega-3’s, vitamin D for very little calories in canned tuna (you can read more here).
On the other hand, tuna is naturally high in mercury – a heavy metal that can cause serious health issues in humans. This is because tuna eat small fish, which leads to mercury accumulating in the meat. In general, the bigger the tuna (albacore or bigeye), the more mercury it has. (source)
Canned tuna is usually made from smaller types of tuna (light and skipjack), so lower in mercury. Recommendations are to eat no more than 2 servings of light or skipjack tuna per week.
What To Add To Canned Tuna
Canned tuna on its own is not bad, but to me, personally, it can do better. So, combine it with some of the following ingredients and you’re gonna love it.
- lemon
- onion
- garlic
- capers
- mayonnaise
- sour cream or creme fraiche
- wasabi
- spice
- vegetables
- avocado
- eggs
- cream cheese
Now let’s see how to combine these ingredients with canned tuna to make a quick and easy meal for dinner, lunch or even breakfast.
Breakfast Ideas With Canned Tuna
Healthy Tuna Frittata
Servings: 3; Calories: 439, Protein: 40g
This is a delicious tuna frittata recipe made with tuna, broccoli, eggs, olives, onion and peppers. Serve with some avocado and a salad for a high protein low carb version or with some whole grain bread for a more balanced meal. Recipe here.
Crustless Tuna Quiche
Servings: 4; Calories: 125, Protein: 13g
Ever thought eggs with canned tuna would taste good? They do! This crustless tuna quiche recipe is proof. Quick and super tasty, it’s great for any time of the day! Serve with some lettuce salad on the side for dinner or eat on the go for breakfast or lunch. Recipe here.
Breakfast Tuna Wraps
Use whole-grain, gluten free or almond flour tortillas to make these fit your diet! You can add whatever vegetables you have at home to make these filling tuna wraps! Recipe here.
Mediterranean Tuna Pie
Servings: 8; Calories: 152, Protein: 15g
Canned, tuna, eggs and lots of vegetables make it into this delicious meal prep friendly Mediterranean tuna bake. Recipe here.
Canned Tuna Salads & Lunch Bowls
Mediterranean Tuna Chickpea Salad
Servings: 2; Calories: 415, Protein: 27g
This recipe is great with or without tuna! If you’re following the Mediterranean diet, this meal is perfect to put on your meal plan. Recipe here.
Winter Tuna & Rice Salad
Servings: 2; Calories: 431, Protein: 29g
This healthy winter salad recipe is filled with cabbage, canned tuna and rice. Its a gluten free, nutritious and filling salad that you can pack for lunch or eat for dinner. Recipe here.
Meal Prep Tuna Quinoa Salad
Servings: 3; Calories: 413, Protein: 24g
This is a great salad recipe with canned tuna and quinoa if you like to meal prep for the week. It’s filling, super healthy and delicious. Recipe here.
Meal Prep Tuna Chickpea Bowls
Servings: 3-4; Calories: 334, Protein: 21g
I originally made this recipe during the lockdown in 2020 and it’s pretty much: canned food, hummus, avocado and the one vegetable that can survive anything: cabbage. It’s delicious, healthy, and very fast. Recipe here.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Servings: 2; Calories: 407, Protein: 18g
This chopped Mediterranean tuna salad has no mayo or yogurt and is packed with leafy greens, croutons, fresh herbs and croutons! It’s high-protein, high-fiber and rich in minerals and vitamins! Recipe here.
Gluten Free Dairy Free Tuna Salad
Servings: 3; Calories: 317, Protein: 19g
This tasty healthy tuna salad is made gluten-free and dairy-free thanks to the addition of cashews! If you tolerate dairy just fine, you can definitely use sour cream or creme fraiche instead to make this. Recipe here.
Healthy Tuna, Corn And Avocado Salad
Servings: 2; Calories: 318, Protein: 27g
This salad is fresh and flavorful and ready in around 10-15 minues. Use greens, avocado, some corn, canned tuna and fresh herbs to make it! I also like to add some Parmesan – try it! Recipe here.
Quick & Easy Dinners With Canned Tuna
Creamy Tuna Pasta
Servings: 2; Calories: 444, Protein: 30g
This delicious creamy tuna pasta recipe is loaded with vegetables, super easy to make with the things you have in your fridge and absolutely yummy! Perfect comfort meal with a healthy twist. Recipe here.
Spicy Tuna Quesadilla
Servings: 2; Calories: 373, Protein: 21g
I love this tuna quesadilla! It’s made with tomatoes, basil, garlic and cheese and it’s really tasty. Recipe here.
Easy Tuna Pizza
Servings: 2; Calories: 385, Protein: 32g
If you’ve never had tuna pizza before – this is a great recipe to start with! Using tortilla as the base this pizza is quick and easy to make, pretty healthy and perfect for weeknights! Recipe here.
5-Minute Tuna Spread
Servings: 4; Calories: 125, Protein: 10g
Sometimes you only have the patience to mix some canned tuna with 4 other ingredients, spread them over a piece of bread and call it a dinner. This one is it. Recipe here.
10-Minute Tuna Melt Quesadilla With Sriracha Sauce
Servings: 2; Calories: 445, Protein: 35g
To make this tuna melt quesadilla all you need to do is mix the canned tuna with some sriracha sauce, cream cheese, garlic and vegetables, spread it over a tortilla and toast in a pan on both sides. It is pretty amazing and ready in 10 minutes. Serve with some quick salad for a quick and easy dinner.
More Healthy Recipes
Well, I really hope you enjoyed this small, but mighty, collection of healthy canned tuna recipes! I think now you have some new ideas about what to make with those cans, even when you don’t have much at home. Now if you need more healthy recipes for breakfast, lunch or dinner, check these out:
- 12 High-Protein Low-Carb Meals For Weight Loss
- 50 Vegetarian Meal Prep Recipes
- 20 Easy Healthy Chicken Dinner Recipes
Healthy Canned Tuna Recipes
15 easy healthy canned tuna recipes for dinner, lunch or breakfast including quesadillas, pasta and salads!
Ingredients
For The Tuna Quesadilla Melt With Sriracha Sauce
- 2 tbsp cream cheese
- 1 can tuna, drained
- 1 1/2 tsp sriracha sauce
- 1 garlic clove
- 1/2 tsp basil, dried
- 1/2 cup spinach, chopped
- 2/3 cup mozzarella cheese
- 2 tortillas
Instructions
- Mix the cream cheese and sriracha in a bowl. Mix in the tuna, spinach, garlic clove and basil. Taste and add salt or black pepper if needed.
- Spread 1/2 mixture on one half of a tortilla. Top that half with mozzarella cheese and fold.
- Toast the quesadilla on both sides until golden brown. Repeat for the other quesadilla as well. For more information, follow the instructions at www.homemademastery.com
Nutrition Information
Yield 2 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 445Total Fat 19gSaturated Fat 9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 79mgSodium 970mgCarbohydrates 32gFiber 3gSugar 2gProtein 35g
Originally published in December 2020, last updated in May 2026.