38 things to make with a tin of tuna

You will need:185g tin of tuna in sunflower oil

Tuna pasta bake is a family favourite. Here’s our fail-safe recipe, made with a can of tuna, sweetcorn, tinned tomatoes, cheese and the secret ingredient – crisps! Trust us, they make for a seriously crunchy topping.

Get the recipe: Tuna pasta bake

You will need: 1 x 198g tun tuna in brine

It’s easy to turn tuna pasta from everyday to ‘a bit fancy’. Swap spaghetti or penne for pappardelle and make a fresh tomato sauce with olive oil and herbs. Top with oregano and capers for a restaurant-worthy dinner.

Get the recipe: Pappardelle with tuna sauce

You will need: 160g tinned tuna

Sometimes you can’t beat a jacket potato. It’s one of our fave budget comfort foods, and we love them filled with tuna mayo, spring onions and a grinding of black pepper.

Get the recipe: Baked potato with tuna and spring onion

You will need: 160g tin tuna in brine

For a twist on tuna sarnies, make these yummy tuna and lemon mayonnaise wraps. A squeeze of lemon gives the mayo a citrussy tang, and you can pack the wraps with salad and tomatoes to get 2 of your 5-a-day.

Get the recipe: Tuna and lemon mayonnaise wraps

You will need: 250g tinned tuna in olive oil

There’s so much goodness in this filling salad – eat it for lunch and you’ll feel virtuous for the rest of the day! Tuna and chickpeas go really together, and there’s also Vitamin E-packed avocados, red onion and rocket in there, too.

Get the recipe: Tuna and chickpea salad

You will need: 200g can tuna

This is a handy recipe to have up your sleeve on busy weeknights. Throw together egg noodles with a tin of tuna, cherry tomatoes, bought teriyaki sauce and chopped peanuts: dinner sorted!

Get the recipe: Tuna and noodle salad

You will need: 1 x 185g tin tuna

We love cheese on our spuds, we love tuna on our spuds – so when we can’t decide we have both at the same time! A pinch of cayenne pepper and a sprinkle of fresh parsley make this one delicious but easy dinner.

Get the recipe: Cheese and tuna jackets

You will need: 1 x tin tuna in brine

Give fishcakes a healthy twist by mixing the breadcrumb coating with 50g of mixed seeds like pumpkin, sunflower and linseed. They’re packed with vitamins and minerals and give the fishcakes a fantastic crunch, too.

Get the recipe: Seeded tuna fishcakes

You will need: 2 x 160g tins tuna chunks in brine

Turn the flavours of a classic tuna nicoise salad into a filling pasta dish for the family. Black olives, fresh basil and tomatoes make this feel like a real taste of Italy.

Get the recipe: Italian Tuna and Tomato Penne Pasta

You will need: 450g tinned tuna

Crumbles aren’t just for fruit. This delicious savoury crumble has a cheese and breadcrumb topping and is filled with aubergines, courgettes, mushrooms, pepper and tuna.

Get the recipe: Tuna and provençal vegetable crumble

You will need: 400g tinned tuna

Tuna is great if you’re on a budget. This filling meal of crushed potatoes with tuna and tinned (or frozen) sweetcorn costs under £1 a head to throw together.

Get the recipe: Crushed potatoes with tuna and sweetcorn

You will need: 2 x 200g tins tuna in brine

Another brilliant budget recipe involving the humble tin of tuna. Even better, this simple dish of potatoes, tuna and white sauce tastes delicious cold in lunchboxes the next day.

Get the recipe: Tuna and potato layer

You will need: 2 x 185g tins tuna in spring water

Slimming World knows its way around a healthy but filling recipe, and we’re big fans of this tuna nicoise – it’s got protein-packed eggs and a little penne in it to help keep you filled up.

Get the recipe: Slimming World’s tuna penne nicoise

You will need: 130g tinned tuna

A quick-to-cook pasta recipe using a pot of fresh tomato salsa and a can of tuna. Great for a lunch or a snack for 2 people.

Get the recipe: Tuna and tomato salsa pasta

You will need: 80g tuna steak in brine

Bored of sarnies? Give your lunch break a healthy makeover by preparing a big tub of this nutritious and filling tuna and brown rice salad.

Get the recipe: Tuna and brown rice salad

You will need: 200g tinned tuna in oil

We love this fun bagel snake from kids’ food guru Annabel Karmel. Get the kids to help you assemble the snake and add the olive eyes and other details.

Get the recipe: Annabel Karmel’s bagel snake

You will need: 2 x 185g tins tuna

We’ve used spirals in this easy tuna pasta bake, but penne or bows will work just as well. It’s a great way of sneaking some broccoli into the family’s diet!

Get the recipe: Tuna and broccoli pasta bake

You will need: 2 x 185g tins tuna in spring water

Save money by making spag Bol with a tin of tuna instead of mince. The meaty flavour and firm texture of tuna means it can stand up to strong flavours like tomato and garlic. Delicious.

Get the recipe: Tuna spaghetti Bolognese

You will need: 1 x 185g tin tuna, drained

Make a big batch of this pasta salad the night before then divide it up for the family’s lunchboxes. The peppers add a lovely crunch, and you can use different fresh herbs such as parsley and basil – whatever you have to hand.

Get the recipe: Pasta salad with tuna and peppers

You will need: 2 x 185g tins tuna

Make Phil’s yummy frittata ahead of time for a picnic or lunch outdoors. Slice and wrap up any leftovers in foil, then keep cool in the fridge to eat the next day.

Get the recipe: Phil Vickery’s potato, apple and tuna frittata

You will need: 2 x tins tuna in springwater

Give baked spuds a zesty twist by adding the classic Asian (or Mexican!) flavour combo of coriander and lime. Serve it with a red cabbage, carrot and coriander slaw.

Get the recipe: Tuna, lime and coriander jacket

You will need: 400g tin tuna in brine

A tin of tuna makes a budget-friendly alternative to expensive fresh salmon or cod in homemade fish cakes. Our recipe calls for cheesy mash but leftover plain mashed potato will work equally well.

Get the recipe: Tuna fish cakes

You will need: 340g tinned tuna

Flake tuna into warm linguine to make this summery and sophisticated bowl of pasta. The lemon and chilli give it a real kick. Serve with a fresh green salad.

Get the recipe: Crab or tuna, lemon and chilli linguine

You will need: 100g tinned tuna

Here’s another idea to jazz up baked spuds. Mix the tinned tuna together with cottage cheese, diced cucumber and red onion for a easy dinner with minimal washing up.

Get the recipe: Tuna and onion jacket potatoes

You will need: 1 x 185g tun tuna chunks in oil

This is such a versatile little recipe to have up your sleeve. Whizz together tuna, capers, butter and lemon to make a creamy spread for toast, dipping and party snacks.

Get the recipe: Tuna and caper spread

You will need: 400g tinned tuna

Mmmmm…tuna melts are one of our favourite sarnies, and this one is our fave of all. The rich ciabatta base is topped with a tuna mayo with basil and olives and coated with golden, melted Cheddar.

Get the recipe: Tuna and cheese ciabatta melt

You will need: 1 x tin tuna in spring water

These small fish cakes are suitable for babies over 6 months old. They may be small, but they’re packed with nutritious ingredients your little one needs – tuna, peas, carrots and potato.

Get the recipe: Baby-friendly tuna fish cakes

You will need: 200g tinned tuna in spring water

If you like bold flavours, you’ll love this classic Italian pasta dish. It’s packed with chilli, anchovies, garlic and capers…and of course our old friend, tinned tuna!

Get the recipe: Puttanesca

You will need: 250g tinned tuna

You can use a mixture of any affordable fish in this fragrant fish stew, including fresh or tinned tuna. Serve with potatoes, cous cous or white or brown rice.

Get the recipe: Spanish-style fish stew

You will need: 200g tinned tuna

Quiche is normally off the menu if you can’t eat eggs, dairy or gluten. Luckily those clever types at Woman’s Weekly have come up with this brilliant free-from quiche that doesn’t contain any of them.

Get the recipe: Tuna and pea quiche

You will need: 200g tinned tuna in brine

A very handy recipe for when the fridge is empty and you’re too tired to go to the shops. Throw together tinned tuna, frozen peas, rice, tomato and soy sauce to make this quick and easy tuna stir-fry.

Get the recipe: Tuna rice stir-fry

You will need: 1 x tin tuna in oil

Don’t waste money on expensive sandwich fillers from the supermarket when it’s so easy to make your own. Our crunchy tuna filler has a summery, zesty taste as it’s packed with cucumber and yellow pepper.

Get the recipe: Crunchy tuna filler

You will need: 1 x small tin tuna

Turn these delicious potato and corn cakes into a filling meal by stirring in drained tuna and serving with a big green salad. Wrap any leftovers between sheets of kitchen paper and keep in the fridge to eat cold the next day.

Get the recipe: Potato and corn cakes

You will need: 1 x 200g tin tuna steak in brine

Here’s an easy pasta dish that’s posh enough to serve when friends are over. Stir fragrant fennel pesto, tuna and anchovies into gnocchi and serve with crisp green beans.

Get the recipe: Fennel pesto gnocchi with tuna

You will need: 1 x 200g tin tuna in oil

This fancy salad is full of different textures and flavours: creamy hard-boiled eggs, tender new potatoes, crunchy beans or asparagus, olives, salad leaves and trusty canned tuna.

Get the recipe: Luxury tuna salad

You will need: 200g tin tuna

Give weekday pasta a French makeover with the classic flavours of a Nicoise salad like tuna, black olives, boiled egg and French beans. It makes a delicious pasta salad for lunchboxes.

Get the recipe: Quick pasta Nicoise