10 Totally Fantastic Tuna Recipes

The food world is divided on tuna. Advocates of sustainable seafood say bluefin and bigeye tuna are so overfished, they should be avoided, but albacore tuna — which is generally the kind sold canned — is fine. For a long time, animal rights activists called for avoiding yellowfin tuna, until the chunk light cans it was sold in offered solace with a "dolphin-free" labeling.

Then, there's the mercury issue, which health experts say isn't a problem unless you are pregnant or eating tuna (or other mercury-filled fish) constantly. While it's difficult to wade through all those health and environmental concerns, the fact remains that tuna is one of the most versatile and palate-friendly fish on the market. Sold fresh or in a can, eaten raw or grilled, tuna is simple to prepare and pairs well with the flavors of many different types of cuisines, from Italian to Japanese to Mexican.

Here are some of our favorite tuna recipes:

Tuna Carpaccio with Daikon and Wasabi Emulsion Recipe

Created by Singaporean chef Jusman So of the restaurant Dava at Bali's Ayana Resort, this elegant carpaccio with nori-braised daikon, wasabi emulsion, and yuzu-marinated daikon requires multiple steps but is simple overall.

 

 

Tuna Watermelon Salad Recipe

 

Fresh tuna adds a savory note to this sweet fruit salad, which gets an Asian twist from a sesame peanut vinaigrette.

 

 

Salade Niçoise

This composed salad is perfect to serve when entertaining guests at lunch. Serve family-style along with a loaf of fresh crusty bread and sweet butter.

 

 

Easy, Mayo-Free Tuna Recipe

You can serve this quick and tasty tuna recipe on a bed of lettuce and eat it with crispy whole-wheat crackers. If you want it a touch creamier, try adding a small spoonful of nonfat sour cream.

 

 

 

 

Tuna Tostadas Recipe

These one-bite tuna tostadas from Guillermo Tellez, executive chef at Square 1682 in Philadelphia, are perfect to serve for a summer cocktail party.

 

 

Grilled Tuna Rolls Recipe

Inspired by the glorious East Coast tradition of fish deliciousness in a bun, I made these one summer when I had tuna steaks in the fridge for dinner but had an unexpected group of hungry lunch guests.

 

 

Tuna Ceviche

In this recipe, cubed fresh sushi-grade tuna is tossed with lime zest and juice to gently "cook" a portion of the fish (the beauty of tuna — especially sushi-grade — is that it is so good eaten raw).

 

 

Farro with Tuna and Tomatoes Recipe

Acclaimed chef and food icon Lidia Bastianich offers her recipe for Italian-style farro.

 

 

 

Tuna Tartare with Cucumber-Cilantro Broth Recipe

Very simple but sensational, this dish is easy to make, as the broth can be prepared early in the day and the tuna can be diced and kept refrigerated until ready to mix at the last minute.

 

 

Spicy Tuna Melt Recipe

This simple, spicy and mayo-free tuna melt is made to perfection with McClure's Pickle Relish. It's great for a quick snack or an easy meal after work.

 

This article was originally published April 2, 2012