Tuna dip is an excellent appetizer, snack, side dish, or dinner.
This recipe calls for canned tuna in water, which makes it extremely simple to prepare.
What Kind Of Tuna Should I Use For The Dip?
You’re going to want to choose fresh or frozen tuna that has been packed in water rather than oil.
The reason you don’t want to cook your own tuna is because there isn’t much flavor in the meat.
If you were to sear the fish in oil over high heat, it would dry out the flesh, and make the texture mushy.
So instead, buy pre-packaged tuna and save yourself time by not having to sear the meat first.
Also, remember that this recipe works best when using white albacore or yellow fin tuna as opposed to red or blue fin tuna.
The only other thing to keep in mind is that if you have a good supply of canned tuna on hand, you might be able to find different varieties at your local grocery store.
For example, many stores carry both regular tuna and light tuna.
You may also see “lightened up” versions of recipes like these, which include reduced fat cheese and/or yogurt and have less calories per serving.
What Other Ingredients Do I Need For The Tuna Dip Recipe?
This recipe only requires three main ingredients: saltine crackers (or another salty food), mayonnaise, and canned tuna.
You may also add onion, celery, or carrots if you like, but these are not necessary.
You will also need a container to put all of your ingredients into before mixing them together.
In this case you may want to consider using a large bowl instead of a smaller one that would hold fewer servings.
How Do I Make The Tuna Dip?
This tuna dip recipe only needs 3 main ingredients: canned tuna (drained), mayonnaise, and celery.
You will also need salt, pepper, lemon juice, and bread crumbs.
The process of preparing this tuna dip is very straightforward, so you’ll be able to whip up a batch within minutes.
To begin, pour all of your ingredients into a bowl.
Using two forks, mix them together until they form a paste-like texture.
Don’t overmix the mixture because that will result in a grainy texture.
Next, place your dip on top of paper towels and cover with another layer of paper towels to soak up excess moisture from the bottom of the bowl.
If your dip has been sitting out too long, you might have to add more mayo.
Once your tuna dip is completely dry, transfer it into a serving dish and serve immediately.
Alternatively, you could refrigerate the mixture if you want to save it for later.
Variations of the Tuna Dip Recipe
The following variations of the tuna dip recipe give you additional ways to customize it:
Add chopped olives.
Use sour cream instead of mayo.
Substitute green onions for the celery.
How Long Does The Tuna Dip Recipe Take To Make?
The entire process from start to finish only takes about 30 minutes.
You will have plenty of time to enjoy this tasty treat before your guests arrive.
Ingredients
- 1 (6 ounce) can solid white albacore tuna packed in water
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Step 1 – Preparing the tuna dip ingredients
Start by placing all of the ingredients into separate bowls.
First add ½ cup of mayonnaise to one bowl, then add ¼ teaspoon of lemon juice to another bowl, followed by ⅛ teaspoon of garlic powder and salt and pepper to the final two bowls.
Next, place all of these ingredients into a food processor until they become well mixed together and form a smooth paste.
Step 2 – Mixing the tuna dip ingredients
Once you have prepared the tuna dip mixture inside the food processor, turn off the machine.
Next, open the lid and carefully pour the mixture onto a plate that has been lined with plastic wrap.
Then cover the top of the plate with more plastic wrap so that no air gets trapped inside the mix.
Finally, gently press down on the plate using both hands to remove any air pockets.
Step 3 – Shaking the tuna dip
Turn on the food processor again, but keep it at low speed while you shake the plate containing the tuna dip mixture vigorously back and forth.
Do not stop shaking the plate until there are no lumps left in the tuna dip mixture.
Step 4 – Dipping the tuna dip
When the tuna dip mixture is completely smooth, pour it into a serving container such as a pie pan or small casserole dish.
Place the container in the refrigerator until the tuna dip cools enough to be served.
What Can I Serve The Tuna Dip With?
This is a great recipe that goes well with crackers, tortilla chips, celery sticks, carrot sticks, bread, rice cakes, corn on the cob, apple slices, grapes and more!
You can even sprinkle this dip onto your favorite salad or sandwich.
Canned vegetables (optional)
How Should I Store The Tuna Dip?
If you decide on serving the tuna dip at your next get-together, keep these items in mind when stocking up on food for the event.
A few extra cans of beans may be helpful too!
- Pita bread and tortillas – These will help soak up all that liquid from the dip.
- Dry cereal – You’ll want something crunchy to eat while watching football or eating this dip.
- Plain crackers – The saltiness of the tuna dip goes well with salty snacks like potato chips and pretzels.
- Nuts and seeds – If you have nuts or seeds on hand, they add protein and flavor to the dip.
- Peanut butter cups – For those who don’t enjoy fish, try peanut butter cups as an alternative option for dipping.
- Chips and salsa – Canned corn adds a nice texture and taste to the dip.
- Vegetable sticks – Vegetables provide vitamins and minerals, plus the dip won’t go bad if you don’t finish them all off!
How Long Does The Tuna Dip Last?
The tuna dip will keep well at room temperature for up to one day.
If you want to freeze the dip, portion out as many servings as needed so that they’re all frozen together.
Just thaw them before serving.
Tips for storing the tuna dip
If your guests enjoy this tuna dip, then don’t be afraid to store extra portions.
You may also want to double-batch the dip if there’s going to be a large crowd attending your event.
What Are Some Variations Of The Tuna Dip Recipe?
This fish dip has many different versions, so you may want to try them all!
Here are just a few of the most popular variations on this classic seafood salad.
Flavored Tuna Dip
Instead of plain ol’ tuna, you could add vegetables such as celery, onion, green bell pepper, cucumber, etc., to give your tuna dip extra flavor.
You might also like to sprinkle some grated cheese over top before baking for a more flavorful result.
Honey Mustard Tuna Dip
If you love honey mustard dressing, then you will definitely enjoy this tuna dip.
The addition of Dijon mustard gives this recipe lots of depth.
Try it out today!
Garlic Parmesan Tuna Dip
The combination of garlic and parmesan cheese is always a crowd pleaser.
If you don’t have fresh parsley, you can substitute dried parsley instead.
Cream Cheese Cucumbers
You can also replace the tuna with cream cheese, but if you really want to get creative, feel free to mix up the flavors even further by adding things like blueberry jam, lemon zest, or lime juice to taste.
Is The Tuna Dip Recipe Healthy?
The ingredients used to create this dip aren’t inherently unhealthy, but eating too much may not be good for your body.
If you want to eat healthier, try using low-fat cheese like feta or cheddar instead of regular cream cheese, and skip the sour cream altogether.
If you don’t have access to fresh vegetables, frozen mixed veggies will work just fine here!
The only thing that might cause concern would be if you’re allergic to shellfish.
However, since most people who suffer from allergies are also lactose intolerant (due to their sensitivity), they won’t experience any problems consuming dairy products.
Why choose the tuna dip recipe?
When trying to decide what to cook for a get together, many people wonder how to pick between multiple recipes.
There are so many different things one could make, but when choosing a specific food item, there are certain criteria that help narrow down the number of options available.
Some of these include whether or not it’s something new, if it requires prep time, and if it’s versatile enough to suit all types of tastes.
This dip is easy to customize depending on whatever type of event you plan on hosting.
For example, if you host a summer barbecue, you probably wouldn’t expect guests to show up hungry, so you’d likely serve something with lots of flavor, such as this tasty tuna dip.
Ingredients
To start off, you’ll need to gather the following items:
- 1 can tuna packed in water, drained
- ½ cup grated mild cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup shredded light mozzarella cheese
- ⅓ cup plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Dash salt
- Pinch black pepper
Preparation
Follow our step-by-step instructions below to learn more about preparing this yummy fish dip.
What Are Some Tips For Making The Perfect Tuna Dip?
The first thing you want to consider when preparing this recipe is how much time you have.
If you’re short on time, there are plenty of other recipes that will yield better results than this one.
However, if you have more time, try these suggestions:
Use fresh ingredients whenever possible.
The flavor profile comes from fresh ingredients, not the amount of salt and oil used to cook them.
Make sure your oven isn’t too hot before adding the food.
You don’t want the heat to dry out the vegetables while they bake into the dip.
Don’t be afraid to add extra flavors.
Just because it’s called “dip” doesn’t mean it has to taste like a bowl of sour cream.
Experimenting with different spices and herbs is key to creating new flavors.
If you’ve got a lot of people who love spicy foods, then include jalapeño peppers in the mix.
They give the dip just enough kick without overpowering everything else.
Don’t forget about the cheese!
Adding shredded Monterey Jack cheese at the end of cooking gives the dip depth and adds a nice tangy flavor.
These are only a few things to think about when trying to create the best tuna dip ever.
Once you get started, you’ll find yourself wanting to experiment even further.
You might find that you enjoy the addition of olives, capers, or even sun-dried tomatoes to the mixture.
Equipment
- 1 Bowl
Ingredients
- 185 g tuna dip
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 spring onion
- salt black pepper
- parsley
- onions
- lemon zest
- capers
Instructions
- Remove any extra oil from the tuna.
- zest the lemon. Parsley and spring onions should be chopped.
- The dip will be smoother once all the ingredients have been combined and blended in a small blender.
- To ensure the seasoning is to your liking, check it. If needed, season with salt and black pepper.
- Serve the dip in a shallow bowl with parsley, capers, the tops of spring onions or green onions, and lemon zest as garnishes.
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My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.