The Best Tinned Fish Recipes To Use Food's Surprisingly Hottest Trend
We all know that fish has a lot of health benefits — omega-3, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron among many others. But fresh seafood isn't always available...or affordable. Luckily, the tired days of inflation-priced freshly packaged fish seems to be a downward trend, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, but we still have a long way to go. Aside from its pure convenience, that’s why so many home cooks recently turned to tinned fish.
Tuna, anchovies, sardines, and salmon are all wonderful examples of inexpensive canned proteins that are actually extremely delicious and versatile. Like you would the mundane chicken or beef, you could throw it into pasta, salads, sandwiches, or your favorite lunchtime bowls. The possibilities are endless — so we picked out nine top-notch tinned fish recipes that you can try right after your next grocery run.Tuna Pasta with Capers
Image via Vikalinka
Pasta is basically a clean slate for any and all ingredients—which is what makes it perfect for tinned fish, like tuna. This tuna pasta with capers recipe includes only seven ingredients and approximately seven minutes of your time (give or take). Pro tip: do not skip the anchovies! They actually add an abundance of flavor and are included in some of your lunchtime favorites, such as a Caesar salad. (via Vikalinka)
Filipino Pancit Canton With Sardines
Image via Woman Scribbles
If you needed a way to use canned sardines, this is it. Sardines lend a mild fishy taste (lesser than anchovies), and this Filipino pancit canton with sardines recipe is as flavorful as it sounds. Pancit canton is a type of Lo Mein noodle that pairs nicely with a soy or oyster sauce, just like this recipe calls for. Writer’s note: several of these ingredients can be found in the Oriental aisle of the grocery store. (via Woman Scribbles)
Creamy Tuna Carbonara
Image via The Fast Recipe
Don’t know what to do with a new ingredient? Add pasta and cheese—it’ll likely taste amazing. This creamy tuna carbonara recipe puts a slight twist on the classic Italian meal, with a short cooking time. For this plate, The Fast Recipe recommends using canned fish that is in brine (water with a high salt concentration) instead of oil, along with anchovies that will enhance the dish without you even realizing they’re there. (via The Fast Recipe)
Sardine Toast
Image via Most Hungry
Sardines are actually used in breakfast foods quite frequently (think smoothies or scrambled eggs), with this sardine toast being just one recipe variation. Grab that sourdough bread, a garlic clove, cultured butter, fennel, lemon and those sardines for a quick ten minute snack, appetizer, or breakfast. We said it here first: sardine toast is the new avocado toast! (via Most Hungry)
Loaded Tuna and Feta Salad
Image via Where Is My Spoon
When in doubt, salad it out. A loaded tuna and feta salad is not only healthy, but also extremely rich in flavor. It requires you to whip up a simple homemade olive oil-based dressing that tops a tuna avocado salad (with frozen peas, lettuce, onion, parsley, etc.). It’s full of greeny nutrients that will make your stomach and taste buds very happy. (via Where Is My Spoon)
Canned Salmon Salad
Image via Salt & Lavender
Yes, canned salmon exists, and you can turn it into a mouth-watering salad. This canned salmon salad recipe can actually be stuffed into a sandwich with additions like lettuce, tomato, and cucumber (whatever you enjoy on a sandwich!). This recipe uses canned salmon with bones, but if that’s not your preference you can certainly use without. (via Salt & Lavender)
Chickpea Tuna Salad
Image via Vikalink
Chickpeas and canned tuna make for one protein-packed dish. The chickpea tuna salad is the perfect go-to for the warmer months, due to its lightweight and refreshing ingredients. A creamy dill dressing, arugula, and cucumbers all scream a poolside lunch during the summer. If you opt for an oil-packed tuna, you can actually incorporate the oil into the dressing. You can easily store it for leftovers too! (via Vikalinka)
Spicy Tuna Sandwich
Image via The Fast Recipe
This is your sign to get back into a sandwich phase. A tuna salad is one of the most classic recipes out there—just throw it in between bread slices to create this spicy tuna sandwich. You can prepare the salad in advance and assemble the sandwiches at a later time, ideal for when you're short of time and need to pack a quick bite. The spiciness from this recipe derives from the hot sauce of your choice! (via The Fast Recipe)
California Sushi Bowl Recipe
Image via Kathryn's Kitchen Blog
A California sushi bowl is one of those recipes that is a hit every single time. This one opts for imitation crab meat which you can easily sub for canned tuna (drain it as much as you can!). The key flavor to this bowl is the spicy mayonnaise that brings the rest of the ingredients—avocado, white rice, cucumbers, etc.—come together! (via Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog)
Looking for more food inspo? Be sure to sign up for our weekly newsletter + follow us on TikTok for the latest food news!
Header image via Where Is My Spoon
