No well-stocked pantry is complete without canned tuna. Packed with protein and omega-3s, it’s one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Dietitians even call it the best snack for brain health, as it’s teeming with anti-inflammatory nutrients. Plus, canned tuna is easy to prepare; you can mix it with mayo for tuna salad, fry it into tuna cakes, or toss it with leafy greens. You can even eat it right out of the can.
Canned tuna is also widely available and inexpensive, so you’ll have no problem finding it in stores. But not all canned tuna is worth buying, especially when it comes to sustainability, texture, and taste. To help you out, we tapped three chefs for the canned tuna brand they always buy.
Meet Our Expert
Dennis Littley, executive chef, recipe developer, and founder of Ask Chef Dennis
Erin Clarke, chef, creator of Well Plated, and author of Well Plated Every Day: Recipes for Easier, Healthier, More Exciting Daily Meals
What to Look for When Buying Canned Tuna
First, mercury can accumulate in tuna, as it eats smaller contaminated fish. And while eating canned tuna in moderation is safe, it’s worth considering the type of tuna if you’re concerned. Different types of tuna have different levels of mercury.
In general, the most common kinds of tuna you’ll find in stores are skipjack and albacore. “Skipjack, [which is] commonly sold as ‘chunk light,’ generally has less mercury than albacore,” explains executive chef Dennis Littley. It’s a smaller, younger fish—and since mercury is absorbed through the tuna’s diet over time, you’ll get lower mercury levels in skipjack vs. albacore, says chef Christine Pittman. Ultimately, “if you’re concerned about mercury, look at the specific product and any testing information provided,” says Littley.
From there, you can choose a tuna that’s packed in either water or oil. “The best choice depends on what you’re preparing,” notes Littley. For example, for traditional tuna salad, Littley prefers solid white albacore packed in water. “It has a mild flavor and firm, meaty flakes that hold up when mixed with mayonnaise, celery, and onion,” he says. Meanwhile, oil-packed tuna works well in cooked dishes where its richer flavor is an advantage, shares Littley.
You’ll also want to check the ingredient list, which should be short and logical, says chef and cookbook author Erin Clarke. “I want to see tuna and salt, or tuna packed in water or olive oil,” notes Clarke. The cut matters, too. “Cans labeled ‘solid’ or ‘fillet’ have big, meaty pieces, while ‘chunk’ and ‘flake’ tend to be smaller and mushier,” Clarke says.
Finally, high-quality canned tuna is sustainability caught. Clarke first checks that the tuna is wild-caught, followed by pole-and-line caught. This “means the tuna is caught one at a time with a hook and line instead of nets, so it’s safer for other ocean wildlife,” says Clarke. You can also check the packaging for information on how the fish is caught and processed.
The Best Canned Tuna, According to Chefs
All three chefs we interviewed called out Wild Planet, a sustainable seafood brand that sells myriad canned products (including tuna).
Specifically, Littley and Clarke are fans of Wild Planet Premium Wild Albacore Tuna. “The classic can is just albacore and sea salt, packed with no added water or filler, so you don’t even need to drain it,” says Clarke. “The chunks are meaty, and the tuna smells much less ‘fishy’ than other brands,” she adds. Similarly, Littley appreciates that it contains substantial, meaty tuna pieces, rather than mostly small flakes. “That texture matters when the tuna is the centerpiece of a salad or sandwich,” Littley says.
If you prefer skipjack (which, again, contains less mercury than albacore), opt for Wild Planet Premium Skipjack Wild Light Tuna, as recommended by Pittman. The ingredients are just skipjack and some sea salt, she notes.
How to Enjoy Canned Tuna
Of course, canned tuna is the perfect contender for tuna salad. Simply mix it with mayonnaise, mustard, relish, salt, and pepper, and you’ve got yourself a delicious snack or lunch. You can even swap the mayonnaise for avocado, a trick that will make tuna salad even healthier. Enjoy tuna salad in a wrap or sandwich, or serve it on top of crackers or sliced vegetables.
Otherwise, there’s a lot you can do with canned tuna. For example, try tossing it with pasta and vegetables for a quick high-protein meal. Another option is our tuna, chickpea, and cherry tomato salad, which is equal parts flavorful and filling. Craving the flavor of sushi? Mix canned tuna with Kewpie mayo and sriracha, scoop it onto seaweed snacks, then top with sliced cucumber, avocado, and sesame seeds.
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