Tuna Spread (Pate) Recipe (2024)

By Monika Last Updated 2 Comments

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This tuna spread is rich, creamy and made without mayonnaise. It’s delicious in sandwiches, on toast, as a snack or appetizer. It’s simple and easy to make and ready in minutes!

Tuna Spread (Pate) Recipe (1)

This 6-ingredient tuna spread is a delicious lunchbox idea, a great alternative to tuna salad. It’s creamy, nutritious and packed with flavour.

Is tuna pate healthy

Yes, it is! This tuna pate is low in fat as it is made using tuna in brine (rather than oil), a small amount of butter and some cream cheese (you can use a reduced fat variety if you prefer).

Canned tuna is low in calories, high in protein and a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, Vitamin D and selenium.

However, because tuna can contain varying degrees of mercury it is recommended to eat it in moderation. Look for either light or skipjack tuna as these tend to contain lower levels of mercury.

Tuna spread ingredients and substitutions

Tuna Spread (Pate) Recipe (2)
  • Tuna: drain it thoroughly (more details below).
  • Cream cheese: use either a full fat or reduced fat variety.
  • Capers: enhance the flavour of the tuna.
  • Mustard: can be replaced with creamed horseradish sauce if desired.
  • Butter: helps thicken the pate, adds creaminess and improves the flavour.
  • Black pepper: you can use cayenne pepper instead for extra heat.

Top tip

I do not recommend substituting the cream cheese with either yogurt or mayonnaise as this will affect the consistency of your tuna paste (it won’t hold its shape as well). Also mayonnaise contains a lot of salt so your tuna spread might end up being too salty.

What tuna to use

I recommend using good quality canned tuna, either tuna chunks or tuna steaks (these tend to be more expensive than flaked tuna). I also recommend using tuna in brine (or spring water), as it’s lower in fat than tuna packed in oil. You don’t want your tuna spread to be oily, especially as it also contains rich ingredients including cream cheese and butter.

Tuna Spread (Pate) Recipe (3)

How to prepare the tuna

For best results it is important to drain the tuna thoroughly so getting rid of the brine by holding the can over the sink is not the best method to use in this recipe. This works better:

  1. place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl, then
  2. pour the entire contents of the can into the sieve and press the tuna with the back of a large spoon to remove excess moisture (as much as possible).
Tuna Spread (Pate) Recipe (4)

Recipe instructions

Once you’ve removed excess water from the tuna you are ready to make the pate.

1.Place all the ingredients in a food processor.

Tuna Spread (Pate) Recipe (5)

2. Pulse until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

Transfer the tuna spread into a bowl and add more pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (or until the mixture is firm) before serving.

Tuna Spread (Pate) Recipe (6)

How much spread will I get

The proportions in this recipe should yield 180 grams (6.4 ounces) of spread, which is a little more than a cup. This is enough to make 2-3 sandwiches.

How to use tuna pate

This tuna spread recipe is extremely versatile and works equally well on toast, in sandwiches, as a snack or appetizer with crackers. You can serve it with:

  • dill pickles
  • cucumber
  • pickled beets
  • radish
  • sweet red peppers
  • pickled jalapenos
  • avocado
  • olives
  • sun dried tomato pesto
  • green onion or chives
Tuna Spread (Pate) Recipe (7)

Do I have to use a food processor

Yes, you do if you want your tuna spread to be smooth and creamy. You can use a hand blender instead of the food processor, but I do not recommend combining the ingredients with a fork or spoon.

Top tip

Mixing the ingredients by hand works well when making a tuna salad sandwich (which often contains other ingredients, such as onion or corn and usually isn’t perfectly smooth).

Top tips

  • Use a food processor/hand blender to ensure the pate is super smooth.
  • Do NOT add any salt into this tuna spread. Canned tuna usually contains salt (as does cream cheese) so you probably won’t need to add any. But you can be generous with the pepper.
  • Refrigerate the pate for 1 hour (or until firm) before serving.
  • Keep your tuna spread covered, refrigerated for up to 4 days.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months.
Tuna Spread (Pate) Recipe (8)
  • Creamy Salmon Spread Recipe (Healthy)
  • Polish Smoked Mackerel Pate
  • Salmon Salad Sandwich (No Mayo)
  • Sardines on Toast Polish Style
  • Turkey Salad Sandwich (No Mayo)

Check out also these other fish recipe ideas!

Keep in touch!

If you make this creamy tuna spread recipe I'd love to know how it turned out for you. Let me know in the comments below, thanks!

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Recipe

Tuna Spread (Pate) Recipe (9)

Tuna Spread (Pate) Recipe

This tuna spread is rich, creamy and made without mayonnaise. It’s delicious in sandwiches, on toast, as a snack or appetizer.

5 from 3 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: International

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cooling time: 1 hour hour

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 3 servings

Calories: 107kcal

Author: Monika Dabrowski

Equipment

  • Food processor

Ingredients

  • 5.11 ounces (145 g) tuna in brine/spring water,1 can, net weight
  • 4 tablespoons cream cheese
  • 2 teaspoons capers
  • 2 teaspoons butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

  • Drain the tuna by placing a sieve over a bowl and pouring the entire contents of the can into the sieve. Squash the tuna with the back of a spoon to get rid of excess moisture (do this as thoroughly as possible).

  • Place all the ingredients in a food processor.

  • Pulse until the mixture is smooth and creamy.

  • Transfer the tuna spread into a bowl and add more pepper if needed. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour (or until the mixture is firm) before serving.

Notes

  • Use a food processor/hand blender to ensure the pate is super smooth.
  • Do NOT add any salt into the spread. Canned tuna usually contains salt (as does cream cheese) so you probably won’t need to add any. But you can be generous with the pepper.
  • Refrigerate the pate for 1 hour (or until firm) before serving.
  • Keep your tuna spread covered, refrigerated for up to 4 days.
  • Freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 107kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 293mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 225IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 41mg | Iron: 1mg

*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.

**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.

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Tuna Spread (Pate) Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is tuna pate made from? ›

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tuna, butter, cream, lemon zest, lemon juice, cayenne, anchovies and the 3 tablespoons of capers. Season with salt and pepper and process until smooth. Scrape the puree into the loaf pan and smooth the top.

Is tuna pate good for you? ›

Homemade tuna pâté is a delicious and nutritious option that's great as a snack or appetiser. It's low in calories and offers a refreshing alternative to the usual butter-filled pâtés.

What can I put in tuna besides mayo? ›

Best tuna salad without mayo

Instead, we use a combination of Greek yogurt, lemon, and Dijon mustard to mimic the tangy flavor of mayo with half the amount of calories. This healthy tuna salad is light, simple, and easy to make.

What is the main ingredient in pâté? ›

Pâté is often made of pig meat, but wild game like snipe, partridge, venison or wild boar can be cooked into a pâté, as can farm-raised duck, rabbit or pheasant. Lean meats might require the addition of some pork fat to keep the pâté from drying out in the oven.

How do they make pâté? ›

Traditionally made with liver, and mixed with wine and spices until it's cooked down into a spreadable texture, pâté can also be created with liver or other parts of pork, venison, chicken, fish, duck and other game, and even created with veggies on occasion.

Why should you not eat canned tuna every day? ›

Certain types of tuna are high in mercury, which can have harmful effects on health in high amounts or in certain populations. For most healthy adults, it's recommended to consume at least 2 servings of fish per week, which can include tuna.

Is it OK to eat a tin of tuna every day? ›

Although mercury is a toxic chemical, it's usually not present in tuna in large enough quantities to cause serious issues. Canned tuna's health benefits seem to outweigh any small negative effect of its mercury concentration. In general, eating canned tuna once or twice a week is safe.

Can you eat too much pate? ›

People who eat liver or liver pâté once a week may be having more than an average of 1.5mg of vitamin A per day. If you eat liver or liver products every week, you may want to consider cutting back or not eating them as often.

What does Martha Stewart put in her tuna salad? ›

Combine tuna, celery, apple, mayonnaise, basil, and lemon juice; mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

What to avoid in canned tuna? ›

Skipjack and canned light tuna, which are relatively low in mercury, can be eaten as part of a healthy diet. However, albacore, yellowfin and bigeye tuna are high in mercury and should be limited or avoided.

What is the difference between liver and pâté? ›

Very different. Texture: chopped liver is, well, chopped cooked liver. Pate the liver is pureed raw then cooked with the other ingredients.

What kind of liver is pâté made from? ›

It is made from a mixture of pork liver, lard, onion, flour, egg, salt, pepper and spices, poured into a loaf pan and then baked in the oven. The liver is usually finely ground, but coarsely ground variations are also made. Typical spices include allspice and some recipes also include a small amount of cured anchovy.

What is the difference between pâté and meat paste? ›

Pate is French for paste. The most common types of pastes consist of offal, or meat (e.g., chicken, beef, rabbit, pork), but pate can also be made from vegetables and other ingredients; and 'all of the above'; with recipe variations too numerous to mention.

What are the benefits of tuna pate? ›

They are indispensable for older adults since they prevent cancer, heart problems (e.g. high blood pressure, stroke or atherosclerosis), and support the functioning of the immune system. Tuna is also low in calories there therefore the cream can be eaten by those who need to control their energy intake.

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