30 things to make with tins of fish

I am eating a lot more tins of fish this year.  I need them to rebalance deficiencies, but luckily they are cheap and therefore make frugal meals.  As I keep being reminded, sometimes the simplest ingredients make the tastiest lunches and dinners.  Tins of fish are also a cheap store bought staple that can be eaten cold or warm.  During this time when we are being told to prepare and have extra provisions, they are therefore a good choice to buy for our pantry as they are full of protein.  They are also useful to have in for those nights when you haven’t organised something for a meal.  Here are some ideas to make with the various cans of fish that I have stored.  Tins of salmon are also really useful but unfortunately are  rarely within my budget.

Tuna

A tuna and cucumber sandwich is still one of my favourite fillings on a picnic, but here are some other meals that you can make for lunch or dinner with tuna.

Tuna Chow Mein

Fry shredded cabbage, grated carrot and onion.  Add cooked noodles, a drained can of tuna, and a splash of soy sauce.

Savoury tuna bread pudding

Stale bread can be used for this.  Layer the bread with tuna, chopped onion, and grated cheese in  a greased oven proof dish.  Pour over whisked eggs with a little milk.  Leave to soak for 10 minutes.  Bake until golden and firmly set.

Tuna Pasta Bake

Mix cooked pasta with drained tuna, sweetcorn, and a simple cheese or tomato sauce.  Place in an oven proof dish, and sprinkle cheese over the top.  Bake until golden and bubbling.

Tuna and Sweetcorn pancakes

Make the savoury and fill with tuna and sweetcorn and a thick cheese sauce.

Tuna and cheese toasties (melts)

Fill 2 slices of bread or a baguette with grated cheese and tuna, and toast.  I often cook these in the air fryer

Tuna and white bean burgers

Mash a tin of drained butter beans or cannelloni beans with tuna, a little mustard, herbs or spices and bread crumbs.  Shape into burgers and fry until golden and warm.  These can be served in a bun with salad or with chips and veg.

Tuna Stuffed peppers

Mix tuna with some cooked rice,  and add some cooked chopped tomatoes and onions and herbs, and combine.  Stuff in to halved peppers, sprinkle some cheese on top and bake until the peppers are tender and the filling is hot.

Tuna Fish Cakes

Mix drained tuna with left over mashed potato, a little finely chopped onion and some seasoning.  Sometimes I add grated lemon rind.  Shape into patties and fry until golden.

Tuna and Sweetcorn fritters

Mix tuna, sweetcorn, an egg, a few tablespoons of flour, and a splash of egg.  This will make a thick batter.  Spoon into a frying pan and cook on both sides until golden and cooked through.

Tuna with cheese in a baked potato

Use a mashed up can as a filling to a baked potato and sprinkle with grated cheese.  Some people like to add mayonnaise to the tuna.

Tuna and sweetcorn quiche

Use as a filling in pastry quiche (or wrap base) with eggs, a splash of milk, and seasoning.

Tuna Fried Rice

Fry some onion with some vegetables, frozen will do.  When soft add some cooked rice and stir, and add the tuna.  Finish with a splash of soy, and stir a whisked egg into it if desired

Tuna pizza

Spread a pizza base with a mix of ketchup, tomato puree and herbs. Scatter with tuna and sweetcorn, and cover with grated cheese.

Sardines

Sardines have a stronger taste and I have only started eating them recently.  I like to hide the taste as much as I can with spices and other ingredients.

Sardines on toast

Mr S just uses a tin in tomato sauce, or chilli sauce and mashes it up on top of hot buttered toast.  Sometimes he sticks it under to grill or in the air fryer for a minute to warm the sardines, but you can warm them up before hand if you want.  If he is using sardines without sauce her will squeeze a bit of lemon on it and add black pepper.

Sardine Sloppy Joes

Mash sardines in tomato sauce and add some softened onion, paprika and a little ketchup.  Heat until thick and spoon into toasted bread rolls

Sardine and potato hash

Dice some cooked potatoes and fry with onions until golden.  Add sardines towards the end and gently heat through.  Some times we serve a fried egg on top

Sardine tomato pasta

Cook some pasta whilst gently frying chopped onion and garlic.  Add a tin of chopped tomatoes, and your sardines.  Break them into pieces.  Mix everything together for a quick dinner.

Sardine pizza

Mix some sardines in tomato sauce with a bit of soft onion, a squirt of tomato puree, and herbs.  Spread on the pizza base and cover with grated cheese.  Bake.  I do ours in the air fryer.

Sardine and chickpea curry

Fry an onion with curry powder.  Add a tin of sardines in tomato sauce and half a can of chick peas.  Simmer gently for 5 minutes adding a splash of water.  Add a spoonful of yoghurt for a creamy curry.

Sardine and kidney bean chilli

Fry onion, garlic, chilli powder, cumin, and paprika.  Add kidney beans, a tin of sardines. a squeeze of tomato puree and some water.  Simmer until thickens.  Serve over rice or a baked potato

Sardine Shakshuka

Fry an onion and pepper, add sardines in tomato sauce, a little water, paprika, a squeeze of tomato puree, and chilli.  Make two little wells in the sauce and crack an egg into each.  Cover and cook until the eggs are set to your liking.  Serve with toast to mop up the sauce.

Sardine Quesadillas

Mash sardines in tomato sauce with a few drained kidney beans, and a pinch of chilli powder.  Spread over a tortilla, add grated cheese, fold, and toast in a frying pan or in the air fryer.  It should be crisp on both sides

Mackerel

Mackerel bubble and Squeak

Mash left over cooked cabbage and potato together.  Add the drained mackerel and fry into one big crispy cake.  I like to flip it and crisp it on both sides.

Mackerel Kedgeree

Fry onion and curry  powder, and stir in cooked rice, frozen peas, and drained mackerel. Heat through and finish with a chopped boiled egg.

Moroccan style mackerel cous cous.

Make up cous cous with boiling stock. Stir through mackerel, chickpeas, grated carrot, cumin, a few raisons and a squeeze of lemon.  No cooking required.  It is even nicer if you have some Moroccan paste to add to the stock.  I use mackerel in oil for this.  The taste of this is a bit out there and not to every ones taste.

Mackerel cottage pie

Use mackerel in tomato sauce as the base of a little fish pie.  Mix in cooked peas, carrots and onions.   Place into an oven proof dish and top with mashed potato.  Bake in an oven or air fryer until golden brown.

Mackerel Potato Rosti

Grate a potato, squeeze out the liquid, and mix with the drained mackerel, a little grated onion, salt and pepper, and a spoon full of flour.  Press into small flat patties and shallow fry until the potatoes are cooked and both sides are golden.

Mackerel Coronation sandwich filling.

Mix drained mackerel with mayonnaise, a little curry powder, some mango chutney and raisins. Serve in a sandwich or a wrap.

Mackerel pate

Take a tin of mackerel in oil or brine, mash and add a table spoon of cream cheese or natural yoghurt. Squeeze in 2 tsp of lemon juice and a pinch of mustard powder.  Grind in a little black pepper and salt to taste.  Chill and serve.

Sardine and lentil bolognaise

Cook diced onion, celery and carrot in olive oil for about 7 minute until soft (1 medium onion, 1 stick of celery and 1 medium union)..  Mix in 2tsp minced garlic and cook for another minute.  Add 2 tablespoons of tomato puree, stirring and cooking for 2 minutes.  Throw in a tsp of mixed herbs and a tin of chopped tomatoes.  Add a tin of drained lentils, green or brown and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add a splash of water if it becomes too thick..  Take a tin of mackerel in tomato sauce and flake the fish into the  sauce and stir through.  Cook for 2 or 3 more minutes.  Serve on top of pasta.

Please share your favourite meals using a tin of fish.