One technique to show there are two kinds of folks on the earth is by asking strangers their ideas on canned tuna. Due to its pungent odor—it’s unimaginable not to note when somebody’s consuming a tuna salad or tuna sandwich in your neighborhood—the fish product is infamously divisive: You both adore it, otherwise you maintain your nostril on the very thought.
Wherever you stand on this challenge, nonetheless, one factor is for certain: Canned tuna has some critical dietary thrust. Not solely is it wealthy in protein, at round 40 to 48 grams per can (relying on whether or not it’s packed in water or oil), but it surely additionally incorporates brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids, Vincci Tsui, RD, an authorized intuitive consuming counselor based mostly in Canada, tells SELF. Plus, it provides necessary nutritional vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. And canned tuna can be thought-about heart-healthy because it’s low in saturated fats, Desiree Nielsen, RD, a recipe developer with a concentrate on plant-based vitamin, tells SELF—one other massive level in its favor.
Moreover the plentiful protein, omega-3s, and nutritional vitamins and minerals, canned tuna can be inexpensive, handy, and shelf-stable, so it’s accessible to those that are attempting to save cash or don’t have a ton of time to spend on making ready meals. As Tsui explains, “it’s already cooked, so there’s no guesswork in there.” Simply “drain and eat,” Nielsen provides. (Simply attempt to decide on gentle tuna, like skipjack, over white or albacore, she cautions. Gentle tuna is low in mercury, “so it’s a more sensible choice for normal consumption.”)
In case you don’t need to spoon your tuna straight out of the can (we don’t blame you!), a traditional sandwich would possibly appear to be the obvious route. Nonetheless, you possibly can solely eat so many tuna sandwiches earlier than you begin hankering for a change—and that’s assuming you even like them within the first place. So we requested Tsui and Nielsen for his or her ideas on potential alternate options, do you have to need to experiment or develop at any level. Listed here are six choices that show canned tuna could be extra versatile than you thought—and would possibly even assist preserve your fondness for it from fading.
1. Bake it right into a casserole.
This retro recipe is a traditional for a purpose, and it’s cozy sufficient that it “could be a actual consolation meals for some folks,” Tsui says. Simply mix the canned tuna with cheese, milk, inexperienced peas, cooked egg noodles, and cream-of-mushroom soup, switch to a casserole dish, and bake at round 400 levels Fahrenheit for quarter-hour. (Heads-up from Tsui: “In case you’re actually form of going ’70s–’80s-core,” you possibly can at all times swap the soup for a creamy sauce, like Alfredo.)
Whereas this fundamental recipe gained’t provide a lot fiber by itself, you possibly can simply flip the casserole right into a extra balanced meal with a number of tweaks to the ingredient listing. Use whole-grain pasta or pasta made with chickpea or lentil flour. It’s also possible to attempt including extra greens to the combination, or making a aspect salad to pair with the ultimate product. (On condition that the casserole format can “really feel slightly bit heavier and heartier,” a salad particularly may bestow some much-needed lightness, Tsui says.)
2. Give it an Italian makeover.
If you would like a recipe that feels as culturally established as tuna-noodle casserole however with a European twist, attempt pasta e tonno, an Italian staple that actually interprets to “pasta with tuna” (and primarily boils down to precisely that). Simply “cook dinner your favourite pasta, sauté some garlic, [and] add your favourite jarred marinara and canned tuna,” Nielsen says. Lastly, high with parsley and chili flakes for “one other dimension of taste.”
3. Toss it with pasta and veggies.
For a extra “present-day, trendy twist” on tuna-noodle casserole (or for when it’s too sizzling to cope with the oven or range, interval), mix the pasta and tuna with recent chopped greens to create a form of tuna-infused pasta salad, Tsui says. In case you don’t have any recent veggies available, frozen ones like edamame and corn can work too. With zero cooking concerned, this method “makes issues very easy,” she notes.
