Portuguese Tuna Recipe

Name: Can the Can Lisboas PORTUGUESE TUNA Recipe
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Portuguese
Ingredients: 14 oz canned tuna in olive oil, drained; 1 lb baby potatoes (or Yukon Gold), halved; 2 cups ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges; 0.5 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced; 1 cup green beans, trimmed and blanched; 0.25 cup red onion, thinly sliced; 1 each ripe avocado, sliced; 4 cups mixed salad greens (optional); 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped; 2 each hard-boiled eggs, quartered (optional); 4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil; 2 tbsp red wine vinegar; 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tsp Dijon mustard; 1 clove garlic, minced; 0.5 tsp smoked paprika; 1 tsp sea salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground; 0.25 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Inspired by Can the Can Lisboa

Time35m

Serves4

Make Portuguese Tuna Recipe in just 35m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.

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Ingredients

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Salad & Vegetables

14 oz canned tuna in olive oil, drained

1 lb baby potatoes (or Yukon Gold), halved

2 cups ripe tomatoes, cut into wedges

1/2 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 cup green beans, trimmed and blanched

1/4 cup Red onion, thinly sliced

1 each ripe avocado, sliced

4 cups mixed salad greens (optional)

2 tbsp Fresh parsley, chopped

2 each hard-boiled eggs, quartered (optional)

Dressing & Seasoning

4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1 clove Garlic, minced

1/2 tsp Smoked paprika

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp Black pepper, freshly ground

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Method

Salad & Vegetables

Cook potatoes

Place halved potatoes in a pot and cover with cold salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer until a knife slides in easily, about 12–15 minutes depending on size. Drain and let cool slightly; keep warm or cool to room temperature for salad.

Blanch green beans

While potatoes cook, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil. Add trimmed green beans and cook for 2–3 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Immediately transfer beans to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and pat dry.

Prepare tuna and vegetables

Drain canned tuna well (reserve a tablespoon of tuna oil if desired for extra flavor) and flake into large chunks with a fork. Slice tomatoes into wedges, thinly slice red bell pepper and red onion, and slice avocado just before assembling to prevent browning. Quarter hard-boiled eggs if using.

Assemble salad

On a large platter or individual plates, arrange mixed salad greens (if using). Scatter warm or room-temperature halved potatoes, blanched green beans, tomato wedges, bell pepper, red onion, avocado slices, and tuna chunks over the greens. Nestle quartered eggs around the salad and sprinkle chopped parsley over the top.

Dressing & Seasoning

Make the dressing: in a small bowl or jar combine extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, minced garlic, smoked paprika, sea salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes if using. Whisk vigorously or shake in a jar until emulsified. Taste and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon to preference.

Dress and finish: drizzle about half the dressing over the assembled salad and gently toss or turn ingredients to coat, taking care not to break the tuna into fine flakes. Add more dressing as needed. Finish with a light sprinkle of additional smoked paprika or a few extra parsley leaves. Serve immediately at room temperature or chilled.