A pantry staple like canned tuna can go a long way, especially when you have San Marino Corned Tuna. With variants like Classic Corned Tuna, Chili Corned Tuna, Spanish Style Corned Tuna, and Tuna Paella, we love how San Marino’s selection opens you up to different meal options. We’ll show you how with these three easy recipes:
- Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice
- Tuna Pesto
- Easy Tuna Sushi Bake
Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice with San Marino Chili Corned Tuna
You can think of crispy rice as something like crispy sushi. Imagine steamed sushi rice, seasoned with rice vinegar and a bit of sugar, packed into squares then fried until golden all over. A spoonful of spicy tuna salad—made with San Marino Chili Corned Tuna—goes on top. The contrast of textures will have you hooked on the first bite—crunchy on the outside, hot and fluffy rice on the inside, with creamy, spicy tuna tying everything together. One batch is not enough!
Ingredients
Crispy Rice
- 4 tbsps rice vinegar
- 2 tbsps sugar
- 1 ¼ tsp salt, more to season
- 5–6 cups cooked white rice
Chili Corned Tuna Mixture
- 1 can (180g) San Marino Chili Corned Tuna
- ½ cup finely sliced leeks
- ¼ cup deseeded and chopped cucumber
- juice from 2–4 calamansi
- 2 tbsps mayonnaise, preferably Japanese
- 1 tbsp light or premium soy sauce
- ½ tbsp sesame oil
- salt and pepper, to taste
For Garnish
- minced green onions
- pickled onions or atchara (optional)
Prepare rice: Combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave mixture until liquid is warm. Whisk until salt and sugar salt is completely dissolved.
Combine cooked white rice and vinegar mixture in a mixing bowl. Using a rice paddle, fold and combine to evenly coat rice in the vinegar mixture.
Mold rice: Line an 8x8” baking tray with two overlapping sheets of plastic wrap, leaving plenty of overhang on both sides.Transfer rice onto the tray, then use a rubber spatula to press the rice down into a compact, even layer. Aim for around a ½-inch thick layer of rice.
Cover with overhang and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours until overnight.
Make tuna topping: Combine San Marino Chili Corned Tuna, leeks, cucumber, calamansi juice, mayonnaise, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a mixing bowl. Stir until fully combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Slice rice: Unwrap and transfer chilled rice to a chopping board. Wipe a thin layer of oil on both sides of a sharp knife. Slice rice block into even rectangles or squares.
Fry rice: Heat 3–4 tbsps neutral oil to a skillet over medium heat. Working in small batches, add sliced rice to the hot oil and fry until crispy and golden brown at the bottom. Carefully turn with chopsticks or tongs to fry the second side. The exact time will depend on how cold your rice is; colder rice will fry up longer.
Transfer crispy rice to a metal rack over a baking sheet or a paper towel-lined plate. Season immediately with salt. Repeat with remaining rice.
Assemble and serve: Top each piece of crispy rice with a spoonful of Chili Corned Tuna mixture. Garnish with minced green onions and pickles (if using). Serve immediately while rice is at its crispiest.
Tuna Pesto with San Marino Corned Tuna Spanish Style
All it takes is one can of San Marino Corned Tuna Spanish Style Tuna to switch up your weeknight pesto. The flaky tuna almost melts into the pesto sauce, adding a creamier mouthfeel. Use canned pesto sauce or make it from scratch, like we do. Fast yet fancy, it's the perfect pasta dish to make on repeat.
Ingredients
Pesto Sauce
- ½ cup parmesan cheese, more for serving
- ¼ cup cashews
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 cups fresh basil, packed
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Tuna Pesto Pasta
- 1 can (180g) San Marino Corned Tuna Spanish Style
- 300g dry spaghetti or linguine
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
Make pesto: In a food processor or blender, add parmesan cheese, cashews, garlic clove, and salt. Pulse to break down the cashews and blend everything together. Add fresh basil and pulse a few times to break down the basil. Scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula as needed. Slowly add olive oil as you pulse until a smooth, green paste forms. Transfer pesto into a bowl, top it with a drizzle of more olive oil, then cover with cling wrap to avoid oxidation.
Drain tuna: Open and drain can of San Marino Corned Tuna Spanish Style. Set tuna aside until ready to use.
Cook pasta: Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add dry pasta and cook to package instructions or until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving about a cup of pasta water.
Cook aromatics and tuna: Heat olive oil in a wide skillet over medium heat. Add minced onions and garlic, then stir to cook. Once aromatics are fragrant, add drained San Marino Corned Tuna Spanish Style to the pan, stirring to combine with the onions and garlic.
Combine pesto and pasta: Add cooked pasta noodles. Turn off the heat and add fresh pesto sauce. Stir until sauce is evenly distributed and each strand of pasta is coated. If the pan looks dry, add a splash of reserved pasta water at a time, then stir until everything comes together. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide between bowls and serve with more parmesan cheese on top.
Easy Tuna Sushi Bake with San Marino Tuna Paella
Sushi bake started out as a pandemic trend, but we think it’s here to stay. Make this crowd-pleasing favorite even easier by using San Marino Tuna Paella as the rice base. Just open up three cans, spread and pack the tuna paella rice across a sesame oil-lined baking dish, and you’re good to go!
Ingredients
Tuna Paella Bake
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened
- 450g crab sticks (kani), thawed if frozen, finely chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise, preferably Japanese
- sesame oil
- 3–4 cans (180g each) San Marino Tuna Paella
- ⅓ cup furikake, divided
For Serving
- Japanese mayonnaise
- Sriracha
- chopped green onions
- sesame seeds
- Japanese cucumbers, sliced into batons
- toasted nori sheets
Make topping: Add softened cream cheese, crab sticks, and mayonnaise to a mixing bowl. Use a rubber spatula to mix everything until well combined. (For a spicier topping, add Sriracha to taste.) Set aside until ready to assemble.
Prepare for baking: Heat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with a thin layer of sesame oil.
Assemble sushi bake: Spread out San Marino Tuna Paella across the bottom of the baking dish, using a spatula or damp hands to form an even layer. Sprinkle half of the furikake across the tuna paella layer.
Spoon cream cheese mixture over the tuna paella layer. Use a spatula or a spoon to spread out the topping over the rice, covering it completely. Sprinkle remaining furikake on top.
Bake: Transfer sushi bake into the preheated oven. Bake until topping is gently bubbling, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for a bit, at least 10 minutes. Garnish with stripes of remaining mayonnaise, Sriracha, green onions, and sesame seeds. Serve with sliced cucumbers and toasted nori sheets.
