Beyond Tuna Salad

[JustJoel]

I’m currently looking for foods and ingredients that are more cost-conscious than the ingredients I’m accustomed. Canned tuna has caught my eye (as well as canned salmon and canned chicken).

I love a good tuna melt, but not very often. While I’m sure canned tuna salad can be elevated to haute cuisine status, it kind of defeats the purpose of using cheap canned meat. And tuna casserole? Blech. Using tuna in pasta can be great, but it gets old, too. And of course there are tuna “cakes,” although fish cakes are generally made with crab or salmon.

Do any of you have something innovative, something different?

 

[Cheryl J]

I’m currently looking for foods and ingredients that are more cost-conscious than the ingredients I’m accustomed. Canned tuna has caught my eye (as well as canned salmon and canned chicken).

I love a good tuna melt, but not very often. While I’m sure canned tuna salad can be elevated to haute cuisine status, it kind of defeats the purpose of using cheap canned meat. And tuna casserole? Blech. Using tuna in pasta can be great, but it gets old, too. And of course there are tuna “cakes,” although fish cakes are generally made with crab or salmon.

Do any of you have something innovative, something different?

Hi Joel. Regarding my bolded above....not sure about that.

Just wondering...have you tried entering your queries in the search link here? There are sooo many pages of tuna, fish cakes, salmon, etc....far too many to mention and most of us don't have time to do the searching for you.

 

[Kayelle]

Joel, you may (or may not) be interested in my Fancy Creamed Tuna. It's budget friendly, and very tasty if I do say so myself.
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f142/fancy-creamed-tuna-83243.html

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Hi Joel,

There's always Tuna Surprise!

And here a few of my favoites:

Summer tomatoes stuffed with tuna salad
For different, stuff pita bread with tuna salad, sliced cukes, olives, tomatoes, lettuce if you can fit it in.

Either snipped tarragon or dill is a good addition to tuna.

Salad Nicoise

One of my faves is White Beans and Tuna (bonus, vinaigrette, no mayo)
RockLobster turned me/us onto this. I add cukes and tomatoes and otherwise pretty much follow the recipe
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f11/white-bean-and-tuna-salad-78670.html

While searching for the above link, I ran across the tuna list Cheryl refers to: Discuss Cooking - Cooking Forums - Threads Tagged with Tuna


,

 

[caseydog]

I can make a meal out of some canned tuna, Miracle Whip, and iceberg lettuce. Well, with some herbs and such added -- lots of possible combinations. I mix up my tuna "salad," and make lettuce wraps. Not only cheap, but healthy, too. Plus, it is ready in minutes.

IIRC, canned chicken is pretty pricy ounce-for-ounce compared to fresh chicken. I make lettuce wraps with diced and sautéed chicken, too (see below).

CD

.

 

[Whiskadoodle]

Casey ( telepathically) just reminded me that thin sliced jalapeno or serrano chilies are terrific in tuna salad. Leave a few seeds in.

 

[caseydog]

Casey ( telepathically) just reminded me that thin sliced jalapeno or serrano chilies are terrific in tuna salad. Leave a few seeds in.

You probably already know this, but I am thinking that jelepeño shavings sound good in tuna salad.

CD

 

[Cheryl J]

I can make a meal out of some canned tuna, Miracle Whip, and iceberg lettuce. Well, with some herbs and such added -- lots of possible combinations. I mix up my tuna "salad," and make lettuce wraps. Not only cheap, but healthy, too. Plus, it is ready in minutes.

IIRC, canned chicken is pretty pricy ounce-for-ounce compared to fresh chicken. I make lettuce wraps with diced and sautéed chicken, too (see below).

CD

.

Looks might fine there, Casey.

 

[JustJoel]

Here’s one!

Canned tuna ceviche, looks like a very nice summer dish!

https://www.skinnytaste.com/canned-tuna-ceviche/

 

[caseydog]

Canned tuna ceviche, looks like a very nice summer dish!

https://www.skinnytaste.com/canned-tuna-ceviche/

Ummmmm... Canned tuna is actually cooked, so canned tuna "ceviche" is kind of a stretch. The recipe author kinda' sorta' says that, although not directly. I'm not saying it isn't worth a try. It may be very tasty. Hey, go for it and tell us what you think.

CD

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

JJ, something we do in Hawaii,
take canned Tuna (I make Tuna Salad "Deluxe" aka loads of other goodies in with your canned Tuna, like Celery, Onion, sliced Black Olives, Dill Weed, Dill Pickle Relish, MMM!) and add that to Macaroni Salad.
Delicious served over ice cold lettuce, or plain straight up... a meal in a bowl.






I can eat the whole bowl, oh, I did

 

[JustJoel]

Joel, you may (or may not) be interested in my Fancy Creamed Tuna. It's budget friendly, and very tasty if I do say so myself.
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f142/fancy-creamed-tuna-83243.html

This sounds really good. Thanks!

 

[caseydog]

JJ, something we do in Hawaii,
take canned Tuna (I make Tuna Salad "Deluxe" aka loads of other goodies in with your canned Tuna, like Celery, Onion, sliced Black Olives, Dill Weed, Dill Pickle Relish, MMM!) and add that to Macaroni Salad.

Ah, the famous Hawaiian macaroni salad. One of the official food groups of the State of Hawaii. Meat, vegetables, fruits, grains, legumes... and macaroni salad.

SPAM is a meat... of sorts, so it doesn't get its own food group.

I'm not sure what poy is... is there a "paste" food group.

CD

 

[salt and pepper]

Avacado Tuna Melt

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[RPCookin]

During summers in Minnesota and Wisconsin, I grew up on my mom's tuna pasta salad. I still make it a couple of times each summer. It's easy, as are most macaroni salads.

Just tuna (the large can is what I use), 1 lb bag small shell pasta cooked and rinsed in cold water (Mom used Creamettes small rings, but I can't them here unless I order online), chopped onion, chopped celery, green peas, Miracle Whip (tangier than plain mayo), a dash of horseradish (careful as it can overpower the rest of the ingredients), a couple of squirts of ketchup (mostly for color).

Mix all together and refrigerate for several hours. Go light on the Miracle Whip (or mayo if you must ) to start as it can make the mixture too "wet", even with the absorption factor of the pasta. I usually add a little more when I serve it. Serve on a leaf of lettuce with a tomato slice on the side. A sprinkle of sweet paprika adds color too.

Quantities are up to you. I've made it so much in my 71 years that I don't even think about it any more. I like the crunch so I use more celery than my mom ever did, I also use about twice as much tuna, but until she remarried when I was 14 we were so poor that she scrimped wherever possible.

 

[JustJoel]

I often post specific questions to which I can’t find definitive answers, but more often, I just like to spark a discussion.

I didn’t ask for anyone to do research or web searches for me. I do plenty. What I asked for is if anyone on the forum knows, personally, of some interesting uses for tuna. If you don’t, you don’t! But apparently several people do. I’m making that creamy tuna thing tomorrow night!

BTW, I found another interesting recipe that looks worthy of a taste: canned tuna mousse! Tuna Mousse Recipe - Anna Zegna | Food & Wine

There are actually several more canned tuna mousse recipes out there. It looks like a great appetizer or spread for a canapé.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

Himself would make this easy tuna-rice casserole when he was in college, taught it to me when we were first married, and we still enjoy it over 40 years later. I can make it in my sleep!

Tuna-Rice Casserole

1 or 2 cans of tuna
1 cup minimum Minute Rice*
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can mixed vegetables, including liquid
grated cheese of your choice (Optional)

Drain and break up tuna. Mix in all other ingredients. Cover. Bake in 350 degree preheated oven for 1/2 hour; or put into cold oven and bake for 25 minutes after the oven comes up to temperature. If you want to sprinkle cheese on top, add it after the full baking time and leave the uncovered dish in the oven an additional five minutes. (I usually turn the oven off after I add the cheese and close the oven door, opting to use the residual heat for the melting.)

*1 cup makes a very moist casserole. I like it moist, but not this moist. Himself likes it much drier. I start with 1 1/4 cups rice, divide into two baking dishes, then add about another 1/2 cup to Himself's share. Bake as above.

 

[CraigC]

None of my tuna recipes (even using canned or jarred tuna) fall into the cheap category. I will only use yellowfin tuna, either fresh or canned/jarred (from either Spain or Italy).

 

[Aunt Bea]

Fast and inexpensive Clams/Tuna with linguini.

This makes two servings.

2T butter or EVOO
Lots of minced garlic
1 can of chopped clams or solid pack tuna with liquid.
A splash of white wine or lemon juice.
A few grinds of black pepper
A big pinch of red pepper flakes.
Chopped parsley if you have it, a handful of frozen peas if you don't.

2 servings of linguine cooked according to your liking.

Grated parmesan or romano cheese.


Another thought!

How about a dinner salad of tuna and white beans.

Read a couple of recipes similar to this one and just sort of wing it using what you have on hand.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/tuna-and-white-bean-salad

 

[CakePoet]

A tin of curshed tomatoes, 100 ml of ajvar relish, boil for 10 min, add tuna, flavour with salt, pepper and serve over pasta.

That is quick dinner I have eaten a lot as young.