Fresh fish isn’t always on the cards when you’re shopping on a budget, but canned tuna makes it easy to get a protein-packed, nutrient-rich option on the table. It’s a great source of lean protein, it’s shelf-stable, and can be stretched into all kinds of meals. I’m talking easy weeknight dinners, snacks, meal-prep lunches, and filling salads! This round up of 14 tuna recipes makes it simple to mix things up all week without needing anything fancy or expensive.
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All recipes are rigorously tested in our Nashville Test Kitchen to ensure they are easy, affordable, and delicious.
Easy and Affordable Meals from Tuna
A couple cans of tuna can carry dinner on nights when you need something fast but still filling. This section has cozy comfort food, quick pasta, and a fresh bowl that works great when you don’t want to reheat anything.
1. Tuna Patties
Tuna Patties
You won’t believe how easy these tuna patties come together, and I love that they use basic pantry staples like breadcrumbs and mayo. The seasoning is flexible too, so you can make them fit whatever your family’s into that week. They’re great on a salad, tucked into a pita, or with your favorite dips!
2. Tuna Noodle Casserole
Tuna Noodle Casserole
This is the comfort classic casserole, but made from scratch with a creamy mushroom sauce (plus peas and tuna) and a simple breadcrumb-Parmesan topping. I’d freeze any leftover tuna casserole in single servings for easy prep future dinners.
3. Creamy Tuna Pasta
Creamy Tuna Pasta with Peas
Creamy tuna pasta is a weeknight lifesaver with noodles, peas, Parmesan, and a deliciously creamy sauce. Use chunk light tuna to keep costs down, or go for solid albacore tuna if you want more tuna chunks throughout the dish. I also love how customizable this recipe is, since you can easily toss in spinach, herbs, pesto, or a squeeze of lemon depending on what needs using up!
4. Spicy Tuna Guacamole Bowls
Spicy Tuna Guacamole Bowls
These spicy tuna guacamole bowls are fresh, filling, and made for no-reheat meal prep, with rice, tuna, crunchy veg, edamame, guacamole, sriracha, and sesame seeds. If guac is a bit spendy for you, this recipe is still a great template for building a bowl meal around whatever you’ve got!
Sandwiches & Wraps
These easy recipes are GREAT for fast lunches, simple dinners, or something I can prep once and stretch over a couple of days.
5. Tuna Melt
Classic Tuna Melt
This tuna melt is pure diner-style comfort! A punchy tuna salad (celery, red onion, pickles) gets piled onto sourdough with cheddar, then toasted in butter until crisp and gooey. It’s basically a grilled cheese that got promoted, and it’s a great way to make canned tuna feel like a real treat. 😋
6. Tuna Wrap
Tuna Wrap Recipe
This one is our classic tuna salad wrapped up with romaine and tomatoes, and the lettuce layer is the little trick that keeps everything from getting soggy and messy. I include an easy trick for keeping the wrap sealed, too! For my family, these tuna wraps are a school-lunch hero because I can meal prep the filling ahead, then build the wrap the night before!
Fulfilling Salads with Tuna
You’ve got lots of different options here! From creamy classics to mayo-free, plus bold flavors like sesame and gochujang, these tuna salads never feel like you’re eating the same lunch on repeat.
7. Classic Tuna Salad
Classic Tuna Salad
Bland mushy tuna salad? Never heard of her. This classic tuna salad brings alllll the textures into one budget-friendly recipe. It’s packed with crunchy celery, walnuts, and green onion, plus lemon to keep it bright.
8. Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Mediterranean Tuna Salad
This Mediterranean tuna salad feels fresh and filling without being heavy, thanks to the simple vinaigrette instead of a mayo-based dressing. It holds up well in the fridge, so it’s perfect when you want to prep ahead and not worry about anything getting soggy or dull.
9. Tuna Pasta Salad
Tuna Pasta Salad with Peas
Our classic potluck-style tuna pasta salad is cool, creamy, and easy to make ahead, with peas and a lemony dill mayo dressing. This is one I’d stash in the fridge for quick lunches because it stores well once it’s chilled!
10. Niçoise Salad
Niçoise Salad
Niçoise salad is a totally filling salad, and my recipe here is loaded with crunchy veg, creamy potatoes, hard-boiled eggs, and budget-friendly canned tuna. You’re going to love the mix of textures, and even though it takes a bit more prep than a basic salad, it feels so worth it once it’s done (and it stores great for lunches all week long!)
11. Tuna White Bean Salad
Tuna & White Bean Salad
This tuna white bean salad is a peak pantry lunch! It’s just canned beans + tuna + green onion with a simple olive oil and lemon dressing, and it’s done in minutes.
12. Sesame Tuna Salad
Sesame Tuna Salad
This sesame tuna salad comes together with a quick mix of soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, brown sugar, and sesame seeds. It’s great when you want big flavor from a tiny ingredient list! I can see this one served in a bunch of ways: with crackers, cucumber slices, in lettuce wraps, or piled onto salad greens!
13. Gochujang Tuna Salad
Gochujang Tuna Salad
If you want a bolder, spicy lunch, this 4 ingredient gochujang tuna salad mixes mayo with gochujang for a sweet-salty-umami kick, then folds in tuna and green onions. I love keeping some gochujang in my fridge, because once you have it, you’ll find a million ways to use it up!
14. Sweet & Spicy Tuna Salad Without Mayonnaise
Sweet and Spicy Tuna Salad
Our mayo-free sweet & spicy tuna salad is a fun change-up, with shredded carrot and green onion plus a sweet-spicy mix of brown sugar, vinegar, cayenne, and smoked paprika. It’s bold, it’s quick, and it’s especially handy for meal prep when you want something lighter but still flavorful!
