One solution to show there are two kinds of folks on this planet is by asking strangers their ideas on canned tuna. Due to its pungent odor—it’s not possible 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 concern, nevertheless, one factor is for positive: 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), nevertheless it additionally accommodates brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids, Vincci Tsui, RD, an authorized intuitive consuming counselor primarily based 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 also be thought of heart-healthy because it’s low in saturated fats, Desiree Nielsen, RD, a recipe developer with a deal with plant-based vitamin, tells SELF—one other large level in its favor.
In addition to the plentiful protein, omega-3s, and nutritional vitamins and minerals, canned tuna can also be inexpensive, handy, and shelf-stable, so it’s accessible to those that try to save cash or don’t have a ton of time to spend on getting ready meals. As Tsui explains, “it’s already cooked, so there’s no guesswork in there.” Simply “drain and eat,” Nielsen provides. (Simply strive to decide on mild tuna, like skipjack, over white or albacore, she cautions. Mild tuna is low in mercury, “so it’s a more sensible choice for normal consumption.”)
For those who don’t need to spoon your tuna straight out of the can (we don’t blame you!), a basic sandwich would possibly look like 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 options, do you have to need to experiment or develop at any level. Listed below are six choices that show canned tuna might 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 basic for a motive, and it’s cozy sufficient that it “generally is 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: “For those who’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 primary recipe gained’t supply a lot fiber by itself, you possibly can simply flip the casserole right into a extra balanced meal with just a few tweaks to the ingredient record. Use whole-grain pasta or pasta made with chickpea or lentil flour. You may as well strive 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 a bit of bit heavier and heartier,” a salad specifically may bestow some much-needed lightness, Tsui says.)
2. Give it an Italian makeover.
In order for you a recipe that feels as culturally established as tuna-noodle casserole however with a European twist, strive 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, fashionable 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 contemporary chopped greens to create a form of tuna-infused pasta salad, Tsui says. For those who don’t have any contemporary veggies readily available, frozen ones like edamame and corn can work too. With zero cooking concerned, this method “makes issues very easy,” she notes.
