3 Easy Tuna Fish Recipes That Are Anything but Ordinary
These easy tuna fish recipes are flavorful, filling, and anything but ordinary! If you’re tired of tuna salad sandwiches and tuna casserole, I’m going to show you how to take albacore tuna fish and flip it on its head to create two amazing appetizer recipes and one delicious paleo lunch recipe!
This is a sponsored post, brought to you by Bumble Bee Tuna. I was compensated for writing the recipes and this post, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
It’s pretty much a known fact that I love tuna fish. It was a staple in the Heflin household when I was growing up and let me tell ya, my mom could whip up a mean tuna noodle casserole! Hot or cold casseroles didn’t matter, they were both seriously delicious! I took one of my mom’s calorie laden tuna recipes for a healthy spin around the table last year, when I developed a recipe for garden veggie tuna mac.
The easy tuna fish recipes I’m sharing with you today are equally delicious. They’re also inexpensive to make, and one of them is amazingly healthy, too! After you see these recipes, I think you’ll be ready to pop open a can or two of Bumble Bee tuna and dig in to these #BumbleBeeRecipes!
Recipe #1: Healthy Deviled Tuna Eggs
This easy tuna fish recipe is a delicious paleo diet option for breakfast or lunch. Instead of using heavy, saturated fat mayonnaise, I mixed up a blend of Sun Dried Tomato & Olive Oil tuna (one of Bumble Bee’s Prime Fillet Gourmet Flavors) with some egg yolks, mustard, a little pickle relish and some seasoning. I blended it with a fork until it was nice and creamy and stuffed it into the hard boiled egg whites. The olive oil that the tuna was packed in was a perfect replacement for the mayo. I had a couple for breakfast and finished off the batch for lunch.
Recipe #2: Deep Fried Tuna Bites
This recipe was inspired by a recipe I saw for tuna croquettes. I liked the idea of deep frying the tuna, but I really didn’t want potatoes with it (which is what a croquette is), so I decided to go with cooked rice instead. I added a little cheddar cheese and then rolled them into balls. A little dip in some egg wash and Panko bread crumbs and these babies were ready for a swim in the hot oil. Deliciousness!
Recipe #3: Grown Up Tuna Melt
This is not your average tuna melt! For this easy tuna fish recipe, I used another variety of the Bumble Bee Prime Fillet Gourmet Flavors, the Jalapeno and Olive Oil.
I added a little bit of onion and celery, and again, no mayo. It isn’t necessary when the tuna fish is packed in delicious, healthy olive oil. It adds flavor without adding saturated fat, which is what mayonnaise is loaded with.
The jalapeno and olive oil tuna fish is my favorite flavor. There are a lot of easy tuna fish recipes that I want to try with these flavors!
- Solid White Albacore Tuna – This variety pairs well in any recipe. Because it has a solid piece of tuna instead of flakes, it makes a nice presentation!
- Chunk Light Tuna in Water – This is the classic tuna that I grew up eating, and my tuna and bacon patties use this variety.
- Chunk White Albacore in Water – This tuna comes separated into large pieces, making it easier to mix into salads.
- Omega-3 Albacore Tuna – Added health benefits from Omega-3 fats are one reason to love this tuna.
- Prime Fillet Gourmet Flavors
- Sundried Tomato & Olive Oil
- Chipotle & Olive Oil
- Jalapeno & Olive Oil
So now that you have an idea of how flavorful tuna fish can be, I’m sure you’ll see that there are no limits to what you can create with it.
Now let’s dig in to these 3 easy tuna fish recipes!
Please be sure to use the comments below and let me know what you think of them, ok?
Deep Fried Tuna Bites + Grown Up Tuna Melt + Paleo Tuna Deviled Eggs
Ingredients
DEEP FRIED TUNA BITES
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1/3 cup finely grated cheddar cheese
- 8 ounces albacore tuna packed in oil or water, strained
- 1/3 cup carrot finely grated
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 large egg white
- 1/4 teaspoon salt more or less, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper more or less, to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs or corn flakes, crushed
- oil for frying
- 2 scallions (just the green tops) finely sliced, for garnish
GROWN UP TUNA MELT
- 2 ounces Bumble Bee Jalapeno & Olive Oil Albacore tuna undrained
- 1/4 cup finely diced onion (white or red)
- 1/4 cup finely diced celery
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeds and ribs removed, then finely diced.
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 slices sourdough bread
- 2 slices tomato
- 2 slices provolone cheese
PALEO TUNA DEVILED EGGS
- 4 large eggs hard boiled
- 5 ounces Bumble Bee Sundried Tomato & Olive Oil tuna undrained
- 1 Tablespoon finely chopped sundried tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon pickle relish
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 scallion thinly sliced, using whites in recipe and greens for garnish
Instructions
FOR TUNA BITES
- Mix rice, cheese, tuna, carrot, onion, egg, salt, and pepper.
- Use clean hands to form balls (about 1.5 Tablespoons in size); Dip each ball into egg white, then dredge in bread crumbs.
- Deep fry in oil at 350 degrees F. until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper toweling.
- Serve warm with a side of Sriracha or tartar sauce.
FOR GROWN-UP TUNA MELT
- Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, combine tuna, oil it was packed in, onion, celery, and jalapenos. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Lay bread on a rimmed baking sheet. Spoon and divide tuna mixture on the bread slices. Top each tuna melt with two slices of tomatoes and then 2 slices of provolone cheese.
- Bake in oven for 15 minutes, or until cheese is hot, bubbly, and starting to brown.
FOR PALEO TUNA DEVILED EGGS
- Peel eggs and slice in half lengthwise. Remove yolks and add them to a small mixing bowl. Set whites on a serving platter and set aside.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the bowl with the egg yolks. Use a fork to combine and smash everything until the lumps are removed and it's creamy. (You may also do this step in a food processor)
- Spoon filling back into egg halves and sprinkle with green scallions.
Notes
- Nutrition shown is for Tuna Melts
- Grown Up Tuna Melts recipe inspired by: Home Cooking Memories
Nutrition
Use the comments below to tell me what easy tuna fish recipes you love!
You had me at easy and tuna. I’m for sure going to give these ones a try. Thank you!
You just reminded me that I haven’t had a tuna melt in far too long! I know what’s for dinner tonight. And gah – those tuna bites have to happen soon. All three of these recipes sound delicious, Becca.
Thanks, Heather! There’s something super comforting about a tuna melt… not exactly sure why I don’t eat them more often!
Tuna is one of those things that is delicious yet affordable. I am such a fan! I love your recipes, Becca, but I also love Bumble Bee right out of the can with a fork.
I’m so there with you, Stacy! Some of these flavored tuna varieties are blowing my mind. The sun dried tomato in olive oil is perfect straight out of the can.
Wow, talk about elevating humble tuna fish to elegant party food! Awesome.
Tuna should be anything but boring, Antia. Thanks for coming by!
Great recipes you shared. I haven’t had a tuna melt in ages. Time to get to making one soon.
I’m all about those little fried tuna bites. I will NEVER EVER eat a deviled egg (not your fault), but I will definitely try the tuna melt!
Haha! I know lots of people who don’t care for deviled eggs, Jess, but when they’re flavored up with tuna, they’re really tasty! In the mean time, eat your fill of the tuna bites and the tuna melt. They’re equally delicious! 🙂
Lent will be coming up so very soon, I am bookmarking this page. I cant wait to try these!
Woah…I totally need to get back into the tuna kick, Becca…these recipes look delicious! I’m fairly certain those deep-fried bites will need to magically appear on my plate for lunch today. Can you help make that happen?? 🙂
I’m seriously considering a gig as albacore’s fan club manager, Dave. The versatility of a simple can of tuna is mind blowing! Just give it a chance to wow ya!
The tuna bites were by far my favorite of the three. Just perfectly crispy on the outside and creamy on the inside. Major yum factor… I hope you’ll try them!
Oh, I must add tuna to my grocery list. Bill would love all 3 of your recipes…and so would I!
Simple and classic tuna for the win, Lizzy!