How to Turn a Can of Tuna Into a High-Protein Meal

Six sandwich alternatives that prove canned tuna can be more versatile than you thought.

September 22, 2025

One way to prove there are two types of people in the world is by asking strangers their thoughts on canned tuna. Thanks to its pungent odor—it’s impossible not to notice when someone’s eating a tuna salad or tuna sandwich in your vicinity—the fish product is infamously divisive: You either adore it, or you hold your nose at the very thought.

Wherever you stand on this issue, however, one thing is for sure: Canned tuna has some serious nutritional thrust. Not only is it rich in protein, at around 40 to 48 grams per can (depending on whether it’s packed in water or oil), but it also contains brain-boosting omega-3 fatty acids, Vincci Tsui, RD, a certified intuitive eating counselor based in Canada, tells SELF. Plus, it supplies important vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, selenium, phosphorus, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. And canned tuna is also considered heart-healthy as it’s low in saturated fat, Desiree Nielsen, RD, a recipe developer with a focus on plant-based nutrition, tells SELF—another big point in its favor.

Besides the plentiful protein, omega-3s, and vitamins and minerals, canned tuna is also affordable, convenient, and shelf-stable, so it’s accessible to those who are trying to save money or don’t have a ton of time to spend on preparing food. As Tsui explains, “it’s already cooked, so there’s no guesswork in there.” Just “drain and eat,” Nielsen adds. (Just try to choose light tuna, like skipjack, over white or albacore, she cautions. Light tuna is low in mercury, “so it’s a better choice for regular consumption.”)

If you don’t want to spoon your tuna straight out of the can (we don’t blame you!), a classic sandwich might seem like the most obvious route. Still, you can only eat so many tuna sandwiches before you start hankering for a change—and that’s assuming you even like them in the first place. So we asked Tsui and Nielsen for their thoughts on potential alternatives, should you want to experiment or expand at any point. Here are six options that prove canned tuna can be more versatile than you thought—and might even help keep your fondness for it from fading.

1. Bake it into a casserole.

This retro recipe is a classic for a reason, and it’s cozy enough that it “can be a real comfort food for some people,” Tsui says. Just combine the canned tuna with cheese, milk, green peas, cooked egg noodles, and cream-of-mushroom soup, transfer to a casserole dish, and bake at around 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes. (Heads-up from Tsui: “If you’re really kind of going ’70s–’80s-core,” you can always swap the soup for a creamy sauce, like Alfredo.)

While this basic recipe won’t offer much fiber on its own, you can easily turn the casserole into a more balanced meal with a few tweaks to the ingredient list. Use whole-grain pasta or pasta made with chickpea or lentil flour. You can also try adding more vegetables to the mixture, or making a side salad to pair with the final product. (Given that the casserole format can “feel a little bit heavier and heartier,” a salad in particular could bestow some much-needed lightness, Tsui says.)

2. Give it an Italian makeover.

If you want a recipe that feels as culturally established as tuna-noodle casserole but with a European twist, try pasta e tonno, an Italian staple that literally translates to “pasta with tuna” (and essentially boils down to exactly that). Just “cook your favorite pasta, sauté some garlic, [and] add your favorite jarred marinara and canned tuna,” Nielsen says. Finally, top with parsley and chili flakes for “another dimension of flavor.”

3. Toss it with pasta and veggies.

For a more “present-day, modern twist” on tuna-noodle casserole (or for when it’s too hot to deal with the oven or stove, period), combine the pasta and tuna with fresh chopped vegetables to create a sort of tuna-infused pasta salad, Tsui says. If you don’t have any fresh veggies on hand, frozen ones like edamame and corn can work too. With zero cooking involved, this approach “makes things really easy,” she notes.

You can also just skip the pasta entirely, according to Nielsen. Instead, combine the tuna with the veggies as you would otherwise and toss with a garlic vinaigrette. Or, “if you want a little heat, a harissa vinaigrette would be awesome too!” she says.

4. Turn it into a topping.

Thanks to its soft, malleable form, canned tuna works as a condiment almost right off the bat. But you can make it that much better by simply “adding a little bit more mayo—or maybe even pulsing it a bit in a food processor, so it has a more spreadable kind of consistency,” Tsui says. From there, she suggests serving it on crackers or cucumber slices as a snack or appetizer. (Trying this at my next dinner party.)

5. Mold it into patties or cakes.

If beef can be turned into patties and crab can be turned into cakes, why not tuna? Why not, indeed. “If you’ve got leftover mashed potato in the fridge,” start by adding that to the tuna, aiming for a roughly 50-50 ratio, Nielsen says. Not only does the potato help bind all the ingredients together, it also provides “a little more body and filling carbohydrate,” she explains—but if you don’t have any available, egg or Parmesan cheese can work as a binder, according to Tsui. In addition, per Tsui, you’ll want to include herbs to enhance the flavor (she recommends lighter varieties, like dill, parsley, or green onion, plus a splash of lemon juice), as well as breadcrumbs to contribute some texture. Then, season with salt and pepper, form into disks, and pan-fry.

From there, serve however you like. Going for the crab cake experience? Consider slathering on some tartar sauce. If you don’t have store-bought sauce on hand, “you can do your own with some mayo and capers and pickles if you have ’em,” Tsui says. Prefer the burger format? Just add standard toppings like lettuce, tomato and onion, and sandwich between two buns.

6. Wrap it up.

Depending on how strict you want to be about the definition of a sandwich, this entry could be considered cheating, but we’ll take our chances anyway. For a simple yet satisfying tuna-based filling, grab a bag of salad mix and toss the greens with the tuna. If you want to scale it up further (and add more flavor in the process), “you could add creamy avocado or maybe some crunchy pickled beets for a sweet-tart dose of veggies,” Nielsen says. Then, load the mixture onto a tortilla or another type of flatbread and fold the whole thing into a compact little package. Basic as it comes—but you know what? Sometimes, that’s best.