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Clocking in at 40 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber, this canned tuna bowl fills you up with heart-healthy fish, healthy fats, veggies, and tons of flavor. It’s the perfect situation for a high-protein tuna lunch or a lightened-up dinner.
Hitting 25 to 30 grams of protein at a single meal sounds simple in theory, but harder in practice. This canned tuna bowl gets you there and then some, 40 grams per serving, and you don’t even have to turn on the stove. It’s got fiber, heart-healthy ingredients, protein doing its job, and a flavor profile that’s giving serious sushi-joint tuna roll energy! Really, what more could you want from something you assembled without cooking a single thing?
⇨ Looking for more ways to use canned tuna? Try the best tuna sandwich you’ll ever make, or for something a little different, my healthy tuna wrap or this Southwest tuna bowl.
Table of Contents
A Few Good Reasons to Make This
- It’s an easy no-cook meal: canned tuna as the base means no stovetop, no oven, nothing to clean beyond a bowl and a fork. Real appeal on a hot day or a busy one.
- 40 grams of protein without trying: hitting the 25-30 gram protein-per-meal target people are chasing is hard with most quick meals. This one clears it easily, without needing protein powder.
- Budget-friendly source: canned tuna is one of the cheapest high-protein foods around, especially compared to fresh fish or meat.
- Naturally balanced: you’re also getting fiber and heart-healthy fats with avocado, so it’s not just a protein bomb, it’s an actual meal.
Table of Contents
Best Sustainable Canned Tuna Brands
Here’s the shorthand: look for MSC certification on the can—and check out my guide to buying seafood & fish.
- Wild Planet tops most lists for good reason: pole-and-line caught, low bycatch, firm texture, and none of that overly fishy taste that turns people off canned tuna in the first place.
- American Tuna is right up there too, also pole-caught off the US coast.
- Genova is a great choice if you’re partial to tuna packed in olive oil, and one that’s backed by real sustainability commitments, not just marketing language.
- Fishwife is the newer name here, but they source sustainably, pack from Spain, and have built a genuine following around their olive oil tuna in particular.
- StarKist has pledged to source 100% MSC-certified tuna by the end of this year, though I’d still check the label since that transition may not be fully done yet.
- Blue Harbor Fish Co. is another MSC-certified option, if you happen to come across it.
Ingredients at a Glance
A quick look at some of the essentials before we dive into the recipe:
- Canned tuna: you’ll get about 21 grams of protein in this dish from the tuna alone, more if it’s packed in oil, depending on the variety you get.
- Avocado: not only does this healthy fat give you a nice, rich, and creamy texture, but it amps up the vitamins, minerals, and fiber, too!
- Veggies: crisp cucumbers, red cabbage, and tangy scallions.
- Rice vinegar: adds a nice tang to the dressing and balances out the richness from the avocado and sesame oil.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: low-sodium tastes just as good as the regular stuff, so I always go for it. Kikkoman is my brand of choice.
- Sriracha or sambal oelek: to add some heat. Totally optional.
How to Make a High-Protein Canned Tuna Bowl
Step 1: Whisk Together the Sauce
In a separate bowl, whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil together until cohesive.
Step 2: Throw Everything Into a Bowl
Drain the tuna, then add it to a mixing bowl. To that same bowl, add the chopped cucumbers, diced avocado, shredded red cabbage, and sliced scallions.
Drizzle the whisked sauce over everything, garnish with sesame seeds, and top it all off with a drizzle of sriracha or sambal oelek for a nice punch.
Then dig in.
Make It Your Own
- Extra veg: add shredded carrots, edamame, roasted zucchini, seared baby bok choy, sauteed broccolini, or miso-roasted sweet potatoes.
- For gut health, kimchi is great, or stir a little miso paste into the other wet ingredients.
- Other canned fish: canned salmon and mackerel work beautifully here. If you like sardine recipes, you can use skinless and boneless sardines.
- Make it a grain bowl: add sticky rice, quinoa, or farro to bulk it up. I like adding leftovers from my coconut ginger Instant Pot rice.
- Low-carb: already close since it skips the rice base—24g total carbs, much of it fiber. To go lower, swap the red cabbage for romaine, napa cabbage, or spinach; omit Sriracha to cut the added sugar; keep the avocado; its carbs are mostly fiber. Land somewhere around 12-15g total carbs.
- Keto: add mayo, extra sesame oil, or a full avocado; swap red cabbage for romaine or spinach; ditch sriracha for a sugar-free hot sauce; use soy sauce over coconut aminos (lower carb); go for oil-packed tuna for extra fat. Lands around 8-10g net carbs.
Meal Prep & Storage Tips
- Cook the base: Get your rice or grain going, then let it cool all the way on the counter before it goes anywhere near your airtight containers; warm rice is risky due to bacteria, so be careful.
- Mix the tuna: Drain it well. If you’re prepping for multiple days, go ahead and mix the tuna with your mayo-sriracha sauce right away, or if you’d rather play it safe, keep the plain tuna sealed and dry until the day you actually eat it.
- Add the sturdy vegetables: Carrots, cooked edamame, sliced cucumbers, these can all go straight into the container alongside the rice with no fuss.
- Leave out anything that browns: This means no sliced avocado, no fresh greens in advance, they’ll turn on you within a day, gone brown or soggy before you even get to eat them. Pack those fresh, the morning of.
- Store it properly: Seal everything tightly and keep it in the fridge, but don’t push it past 3 days.
View more high-protein lunch ideas here!
High-Protein Canned Tuna Bowl
Ingredients
- 5 oz sustainable canned tuna
- 1/2 avocado, sliced or diced
- 1 cup roughly chopped cucumber
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
- 1 scallion, roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Sesame seeds, for garnish
- Drizzle of Sriracha or sambal oelek (hot chili sauce)
Instructions
- Drain the canned tuna, then transfer it to your serving bowl.
- Add the chopped cucumbers, diced avocado, shredded red cabbage, and sliced scallions.
- Lightly whisk together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil in a separate bowl, then drizzle the dressing over the tuna and vegetables.
- Garnish your bowl with sesame seeds and, if you want a nice punch, top with sriracha or sambal oelek. As much or as little as you like!
Notes
- Cook the base: Cook your rice or grain, then let it cool fully on the counter before it goes into your airtight containers—warm rice risks bacteria growth.
- Mix the tuna: Drain well. Prepping for multiple days? Mix with your sauce now. Playing it safe? Keep it plain and sealed until the day you eat it.
- Add sturdy vegetables: Carrots, cooked edamame, sliced cucumbers can go straight into the container with the rice.
- Skip anything that browns: No avocado, no fresh greens in advance, they’ll turn within a day. Pack those fresh the morning of.
- Store properly: Seal tightly, refrigerate, and eat within 3 days.
Nutrition
More High-Protein Canned Tuna Recipes
Sandwiches and Wraps
Healthy Tuna Wrap Recipe
Sandwiches and Wraps
The Best Tuna Sandwich
Fish & Seafood
Hi wondering what the breakdown is of protein? My 5 Oz can only has 24. What brand has nearly 40 g protein?
Tastes very good tho!
Thank you
Hi Donni—I’m glad you enjoyed this!
Safe Catch and Wild Planet have varieties that provide up to 35-40g per 5oz can. Sometimes the way they present the servings and nutritional info on the can, depending on how they divvy up the servings. I hope that helps!
recipe instructions call for coconut aminos but they are not listed in the ingredients. can you elaborate?
Hi Sameer! Sorry for the confusion. It should have said soy sauce, not coconut aminos. However, you could use coconut aminos if that’s what you have/you’re gluten-free. I hope this helps, and thank you for pointing out the mistake!
It’s the perfect quick and easy meal with a great balance of protein and flavor. The tuna is fresh and the bowl is so convenient for on-the-go lunches.
Yes! Glad it’s a hit :)
Love this recipe! It’s so healthy and filling! It’s perfect for weekday lunches.
Awesome to hear, Sharon!
What a perfect way to utilize a can of tuna! This dish is refreshing, filling and slightly spicy, which is great for me!
I’m really glad you enjoy it!
I love all the fresh ingredients and crunchy textures! A wonderful healthy lunch that’s perfect for meal prep too.
Absolutely! Glad you’re into it :)
I will definitely be making this recipe again! I love everything about this dish. Thanks for sharing!
You’re very welcome, Sky!