These fast, flavorful affordable tinned fish recipes show how to transform an inexpensive can of seafood into the best dinner of the week!
Tinned Fish for Easy Budget-Friendly Recipes!
Personally, I’ve never thought of canned fish as lesser than fresh. Canned anchovies, sardines, tuna, mackerel, and shellfish are celebrated throughout the Mediterranean.
In Portugal, conservas are seafood bars devoted entirely to tinned fish! So when pretty cans of tinned fish started showing up everywhere a few years ago—the center of charcuterie-style spreads and popping up all over my Instagram feed—I wasn’t surprised. I was just glad the rest of the world had finally caught up!
Canned fish isn’t just economical; it’s also some of the healthiest seafood you can eat! Tinned fish, especially sardines, mackerel, and trout, are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. They’re also high in protein and calcium, and a great source of vitamin D. Another health benefit: these small fish are lower on the food chain, which means they’re also a great way to enjoy seafood, an essential part of the Mediterranean Diet, without worrying about the same mercury concern that comes with larger fish.
As someone who is always cooking by feel, I love that it’s so easy to open a can to toss with pasta or to transform any salad into a nutritional powerhouse. I also love that I can stock up every couple of months and always have some healthy seafood on hand and ready-to-eat! Here are 11 easy recipes to make a budget friendly tinned fish dinner:
Canned Tuna Pasta
I call this one my “lazy-girl dinner,” and I mean that in the best way. Two cans of albacore tuna plus spaghetti, sautéed bell pepper and garlic, frozen peas, briny Kalamata olives, and lemon. It’s the perfect example of how freezer and pantry staples can make an easy, fresh-tasting meal! Add a lemon parmesan lettuce salad and you’re set.
Sardine Fish Dip
If you like canned tuna and salmon, but you have trouble with sardines, start here. This dip is the recipe that’s converting the skeptics. One commenter said their “days of not eating sardines are over.” Tangy sumac, lemon and crunchy veg make this fish dip a favorite of mine when assembling an easy dinner! Enjoy it with pita chips, serve it over salad greens, or in lettuce cups.
Tuna White Bean Salad
A couple of pantry superstars—canned olive oil-packed tuna and cannellini beans—team up with fresh spinach, tomatoes, and green olives to make a protein-packed salad fit for dinner. Adding lots of lemon and handfuls of herbs makes it zippy and refreshing. To round out the meal, serve it with Rosemary Focaccia with Roasted Garlic or irresistibly crunchy Kritsinia (Crispy Sesame Breadsticks).
Tuna Burgers
Think tuna melts that took a trip to Barcelona! The base of these burgers is canned tuna, while Smoked paprika, fresh parsley, and nutty Manchego cheese give them a Spanish flavor profile. To add even more Spanish flair, spread the buns with aioli or brava sauce or both! For a casual sipper, add a bubbly Tinto de Verano.
Sardine Pasta
Pasta con le Sarde is a classic Sicilian sardine pasta that tells the story of the island: wild fennel grows on every hillside, while the saffron and golden raisins hint at Sicily’s Arab culinary influences. Saffron is definitely pricey. You can leave it out, or decide this is where you want to splurge. Either way, make it once and you’ll see why this pantry-friendly dinner has such a long history! I like to follow it up with a refreshing Sicilian Lemon Pudding.
Tuna Pizza with Onions and Black Olives
Olive-oil-packed tuna, creamy fresh mozzarella, briny black olives, and sweet red onions capture the flavor of Southern Italy on a crispy crust. Make our Neapolitan-style pizza crust from scratch or pick up a ball of dough ready-to-go from the store to make an easy pizza dinner everyone will love.
Salmon Burgers
The recipe calls for fresh salmon but many readers have commented that canned salmon works wonderfully and saves both time and dishes to wash! Just swap in 24 ounces of canned salmon for the fresh! These are excellent topped with either tzatziki or this dill sauce for salmon, with Greek-Style Oven Fries on the side.
Sardine Salad
Between the sardines and white beans, this salad is loaded with both protein and fiber. It holds up beautifully in the fridge as a make-ahead lunch or dinner for the week. Eat it on its own or use it to top a baguette to make a sandwich or crostini.
Stuffed Tomatoes with Tuna
When you strike gold and come home with some beautiful tomatoes, crack open a couple cans of olive oil-packed tuna to make this homey Spanish recipe. You’ll stuff the hollowed-out tomatoes with a sautéed mixture of sofrito, tuna, parsley, and olives. Serve them with Spanish rice and beans.
Sardine Toast with Pickled Sumac Onions and Chermoula
Turn a can of olive oil-packed sardines into a super fast and light supper in less than 10 minutes! Load up smashed sardine toasts with juicy tomato, crunchy cucumber, and quick-pickled sumac onions.
Avocado Tuna Salad
This salad was inspired by the citrus fruits that grow along the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Oranges and grapefruit are a beautiful pairing with oil-packed tuna and avocado, and zippy red onion and a Dijon vinaigrette to tie it together. It’s an easy way to make a tin of fish feel like a special meal.
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