The Best Canned Tuna for Quick and Delicious Meals (2024)

Considered the Cadillac of tuna fish, Spain-based Ortiz's signature Bonito del Norte albacore garners rave reviews by tuna lovers. It's widely praised for being carefully arranged in modernistic oval cans in bright primary colors. There's no need for mayo with this "Northern beauty." Pleasingly pink-hued chunks of moist, fine-textured meat are often eaten as-is but are lovely in asalad niçoise, too.

Line-caught individually in northern Spain since the late 19th centuryusing traditional methods, Bonito del Norte are poached in the can with olive oil and plenty of salt and allowed to marinate for a spell before being sold globally. This albacore is so delicious it makes average store-bought tuna seem like cat food. Ortiz is pricey and difficult to find, but it's worth every penny. Ordering online in bulk keeps the cost somewhat reasonable.

Serving Size: 55 grams | Protein: 14.1 grams | Sodium: 357 milligrams

Widely available in grocery chains, this skipjack tuna is a smaller species that often is the unnamed "chunk light tuna" in cheaper brands. Sustainable and delicious, its healthy population is good for the pocketbook, especially when you buy cans by the dozen online. Skipjack has darker flesh and a stronger flavor than albacore, which can be a little too mild and dry. This tuna is cooked once in the can in its own juices, with only a bit of salt added. However, some crumbled pieces used to fill in gaps can detract from the presentation.

Sustainably caught with pole and line (not nets that can trap birds, turtles, and dolphins) in the central or north Pacific ocean, this species is processed at partner facilities in Thailand, Vietnam, Morocco, Ecuador, Cape Verde, and Spain. However, Wild Planet is a California-based company recognized by Greenpeace for its sustainable practices and environmentalist mission.

"We only use fishing methods that support ocean health and the populations that depend on it. Our tuna, for example, are caught one fish at a time using 100% pole & line methods with no nets," says Shannon Daily, the Marketing Director of Wild Planet. "This allows us to target only the species we’re fishing for and thereby eliminate bycatch – that is, species caught unintentionally and then either harmed or killed by nets, lines or traps. This helps prevent overfishing that is threatening our oceans and ultimately our food supply. It also protects juvenile fish so they can grow and reproduce."

Serving Size: 56 grams | Protein: 14 grams | Sodium: 210 milligrams

Albacore not only contains a healthy serving of protein, but it is also an excellent source of vitamin D, several B vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, the American Diabetes Association includes albacore tuna in its list of "superfoods" (which it defines as "good for overall health and may also help prevent disease"). This tuna is cooked only once in natural juices in the can and requires no draining. American Tuna’s albacore is caught young so that it isn’t subject to mercury accumulation, but the fish are also tested by a third-party lab to ensure their integrity.

As the name implies, tuna are sourced and processed in the United States by American fishing families. They are hand-caught using pole and line, which reduces bycatch of other species. Apparently, customers can trace the vessel that caught their albacore, but we could not find out how to do so on the website.

Serving Size: 56 grams | Protein: 14 grams | Sodium: 200 milligrams

Callipo’s jarred tuna in olive oil is a great pick if you’re looking for a more upscale product. The olive oil keeps the tuna moist and tender, while providing a richness to the fish. Produced in Italy, these hand-packed jars contain 6 ounces of fish that’s cut and processed by hand. and "no chemical products or preservatives are used in Callipo tuna either, ensuring the high quality and ultimately the special taste," according to the brand.

Another benefit of jarred tuna over canned: the tuna pieces are larger and "suitable" for the very-transparent packaging. As expected, the price of jarred tuna is typically more expensive than canned, as the packaging cost for glasses is higher and the manufacturing process is more "technically demanding," according to the brand.

Serving Size: 100 grams | Protein: 27 grams | Sodium: 850 milligrams

Global flavors break the mold in these trendsetting lunch-sized entrees for one. Inspired by similar tinned products in Europe, Freshé’s skipjack tuna and vegetable salads are surprisingly fresh and flavorful, not to mention portable. Four available flavors: Aztec Ensalata (with red beans, corn, and peppers), Sicilian Caponata (with butternut squash and almonds), Thai Sriracha (with peanuts, greens, and beans), and our favorite, the slightly sweet Provence Nicoise, a saucy mélange slightly reminiscent of the south of France with fire-roasted peppers, potatoes, and olives.

They are all equally nice served over a bed of greens or on slices of whole-grain bread. Packed in Portugal, these are widely available in major grocery chains and online.

Serving Size: 120 grams | Protein: 16 grams | Sodium: 470 milligrams

Salmon tends to get the most notoriety when it comes to smoking, but we can’t overlook this smoked tuna by Scout, which uses hand-cut, hand-packed, hook-and-line caught albacore tuna. The tuna is packed in olive oil, keeping it moist and helping to maintain its hardwood smoked flavor.

Safe and eco-conscious fishing methods are top of mind for Scout: the tuna are harvested between Oregon and British Columbia, according to the brand, and they are sourced "from a single vessel, where they are harvested one-by-one using hooks on a long line that trail behind the vessel, never going lower than a few meters, ensuring little to no bycatch of non-target species." Scout also ensures that their tuna is harvested at 2-4 years old, "so their size, migratory patterns, and diet give them the lowest mercury levels on the planet."

Serving Size: 90 grams | Protein: 15 grams | Sodium: 320 milligrams

Silver retort pouches are a great option for shelf-stable cooked fish since they take up less space and are lighter than cans or jars. Unopened pouches have a longer shelf life, so they’re great in emergency kits and easier to carry on the road or in the backwoods than a can. Sea Fare Pacific provides plenty of tuna science research on its approachable website for seafood geeks like us to browse.

The Pacific Northwest-sourced albacore comes in convenient single-serving 3-ounce pouches. No oil or water is added. Be sure to mix in the juices instead of draining them before making your favorite tuna sandwich.

Serving Size: 43 grams | Protein: 11 grams | Sodium: 90 milligrams

Final Verdict

Opt out of the cheapest cans of tuna if your budget allows, and spend a little extra on fish caught and canned close to the source and processed by companies with truly sustainable methods and quality control. You can't go wrong with our top pick, Ortiz Bonito Del Norte, or even our budget option, Wild Planet Skipjack Wild Tuna.

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