Tuna Recipe

Prepare aromatics

Peel and finely mince the garlic cloves. Peel and very finely dice the shallot (or thinly slice if preferred). Set aside.

Prep tomatoes and olives

Halve the cherry tomatoes. Pit and halve the Kalamata olives if not already pitted. Rinse and roughly chop the capers to reduce brine intensity.

Drain and flake tuna

Open the canned tuna and drain excess oil into a small bowl (reserve if you want to add more olive-oil flavor later). Transfer tuna to a mixing bowl and use a fork to gently flake into bite-sized pieces, leaving some chunkiness for texture.

Combine ingredients

Add the minced garlic, diced shallot, chopped capers, halved olives, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped parsley, lemon juice, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, sea salt, and black pepper to the flaked tuna. Drizzle the 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil over the mixture.

Mix gently

Using a large spoon or spatula, gently fold everything together until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt, pepper, lemon juice, or reserved tuna oil (or extra olive oil) as desired.

Rest to marry flavors

Let the tuna sit at room temperature for 10–15 minutes to allow flavors to meld. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours; bring back to room temperature before serving for best flavor.

Serve the Italian tuna in olive oil on slices of crusty bread or toasted crostini, or spoon over a bed of mixed salad greens. Garnish with an extra sprinkle of chopped parsley, a drizzle of olive oil, or an additional squeeze of lemon if desired.