Healthy Tuna Recipes: 10 Easy Ways To Make Tuna More Exciting
For those of us who are trying to make muscle gains or lose weight, canned tuna is the ultimate convenience food. Versatile, affordable and packed with protein, it can be turned into a salad, sandwich, a main dish or a dip with minimal effort.
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Aside from the protein, tuna is also great source of selenium — and the fact that is one of the every few abundant sources of Vitamin D available really ups its game. Furthermore, tuna is a chock full of omega 3 fatty acids, which are essential to the body for the optimization of a number of functions.
Of course, you’re not just limited to the canned stuff, either. There’s nothing quite like a tuna steak sizzling on the grill to get your mouth watering at the next summer BBQ.
Here are some of our favourite delicious and healthy tuna-fish recipes to whip up this summer.
1. Asian Tuna Salad
Tuna salad is probably the most common tuna fish recipe out there. Quick and easy to make, this Asian-inspired recipe has no mayo, but features radishes, green onions, and shredded carrots, dressed with rice vinegar and sesame oil. It tasted great chilled or at room temperature, so take it to your next summer potluck!
2. Tuna Burgers
Eating Well has a number of great recipes with tuna fish, and their quick tuna burgers are a wonderful way to enjoy a hot meal while getting all of the benefits of eating fish. The recipe takes about 30 minutes to make, and it goes great with steamed broccoli.
3. Tuna Steaks
Of course, not all tuna comes from a can, and some of the tastiest tuna fish recipes are made using tuna steaks. Making grilled tuna steaks is easy and delicious. Grease your grill rack, and cook the fish directly over medium coals uncovered. How long you cook it will depend on the thickness of your fillet— plan on about 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2 inch. Flip the tuna halfway through the cooking. For more information on selecting and cooking tuna, visit Better Homes and Gardens.
4. Artichoke And Ripe Olive Tuna Salad
You’ve had tuna salad before, but have you had it like this? This recipe combines tuna, chopped olives, canned artichoke hearts, low-fat mayo, lemon juice and fresh oregano to create a truly unique and healthy tuna recipe. Try eating it on bread, with crackers, or just piled on top of crisp romaine leaves.
5. Tuna Pizza
If you like pizza, but don’t want all of the saturated fat of sausage or pepperoni, try this high-protein tuna fish recipe. Take a whole wheat tortilla, smear it with 2 tablespoons of pizza sauce, then cover it with 1 can’s worth of tuna. Slice up some mushrooms, red peppers and onions and layer these over the tuna. Season to taste with spices like salt, pepper, basil, oregano or garlic. Sprinkle a small layer of low-fat mozzarella over the top and bake for about 6-8 minutes at 350 F. For other unique recipes for tuna fish, visit Bodybuilding.com.
6. Spaghetti With Spicy Tuna Marinara Sauce
This recipe from Foodnetwork.com combines tuna, fresh plum tomatoes, fresh garlic, olive oil, white wine and red pepper flakes into a delicious sauce. The total preparation time for this recipe is only 30 minutes, and it serves 4, so it’s a perfect choice for a family dinner. Serve with pasta and enjoy piping hot! Or for a lower carb option, substitute lightly cooked strips of zucchini for pasta.
7. Tuna Quesadilla
Our next healthy tuna recipe has some fun Mexican flair. In this recipe, you’ll mix 2 small cans of tuna with 1/2 cup freshly chopped scallions and 1/2 cup of drained salsa, then mix in 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese. Spread this mixture on wheat tortillas, fold them closed, then cook to melt the cheese. Serve and enjoy!
8. Mediterranean Tuna Wrap
If you’re watching your carb intake, you may want to steer clear of some otherwise healthy tuna recipes, such as tuna sandwiches. Instead, you may prefer options like this Mediterranean tuna wrap. This recipe combines tuna, Kalamata olives, cherry tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and feta cheese.
9. Tuna Rangoon
It takes a little time and effort to make this next option, and it ends up a little more decadent than some of our other tuna fish recipes, but it can’t be denied that it’s delicious. This recipe from Can You Stay for Dinner combines albacore tuna with sour cream, cream cheese, garlic and minced scallions to make a delicious filling for a fried treat reminiscent of crab rangoon. It’s probably not a tuna recipe you want to make every day, but if you’re going to splurge you could do worse.
10. Tuna And Kale Salad
Our last tuna fish recipe is both delicious and healthy. It contains kale, celery, parsley, onions, Parmesan, eggs, capers, sunflower seeds — and no mayo. This recipe is high on protein, vitamins and taste — and low on unhealthy fats. Even better, making it hardly takes any work at all.