Fish & seafood · Preserved fish

Canned tuna

Cooked tuna packed in water, brine or oil; for sandwiches, salads, pasta bakes and fishcakes.

Also called: tinned tuna, tuna in water

A kind of tuna

What it is

Canned tuna is precooked tuna (usually skipjack, or the paler and milder albacore) sealed in tins with water, brine or oil. It comes as solid chunks or flakes and is drier and paler than fresh tuna. Oil-packed tuna is richer and moister.

How it’s used

Tuna mayonnaise sandwiches and melts
Salade niçoise and pasta salads
Pasta bakes and puttanesca
Fishcakes and rissoles
Onigiri and kimbap fillings

Characteristics

Taste: Savoury and mild.
Texture: Flaky and firm.
When cooked: Already cooked; drain well before use. It dries out further if cooked for long.
Sold as: canned
Cooking uses: Usually eaten raw, Commonly cooked
Common in: American, British, Italian, French, Japanese, Korean, Spanish

Storage

Pantry-stable. Unopened tins keep for a long time in the cupboard; once opened, transfer to a covered container in the fridge and use within a day or two.

Diet, allergens and safety

Contains Fish.

Vegetarian
Vegan
Dairy-free
Egg-free
Gluten-free
Nut-free
Soy-free
Caffeine-free

Contains fish, a common allergen.
Avoid bulging or badly dented cans.
Albacore tuna is higher in mercury than skipjack ('light') tuna; agencies give limits for pregnant people and children.