Mediterranean Delight: Easy & Healthy Italian Tuna Avocado Boats with Bella Portofino
This post is proudly brought to you by Bella Portofino.
Despite being a notoriously picky eater during my childhood, canned tuna has always held a truly special place in my culinary affections. This perhaps stems from my Italian heritage, where canned tuna, or ‘tonno’, isn’t just a convenience food but a celebrated ingredient. My mother, drawing inspiration from her own upbringing and her mother’s cooking, would prepare it for me and my sisters in a delightful array of dishes when we were young. From simple, fresh pasta sauces to hearty sandwiches and vibrant salads, canned tuna was a constant, delicious presence at our table.
Indeed, high-quality canned tuna is a surprisingly common and deeply ingrained ingredient in classic Italian and broader Mediterranean cuisine. It’s revered for its rich flavor and versatility. It was a regular staple in our family pantry, a testament to its enduring appeal and ease of use, and it continues to be a go-to item in my own kitchen to this day. This deep-rooted appreciation for tuna, particularly when prepared in the traditional Italian style, is something I’m excited to share through today’s recipe.
Discovering the Superiority of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Packed Tuna
If you’ve ever found yourself wrinkling your nose at the mention of canned tuna, perhaps associating it with bland or overly fishy flavors, I genuinely urge you to reconsider. The secret lies in trying tuna packed in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), often referred to as Italian ‘tonno-style’ canned tuna. I was fortunate enough to experience this superior variety from an early age, and once you try it, there’s truly no turning back.
The taste and texture of extra virgin olive oil-packed tuna are, quite simply, unparalleled when compared to other varieties of canned tuna. It makes a world of difference, transforming a simple ingredient into something truly gourmet. This isn’t just about preserving the tuna; it’s about enhancing it. The high-quality EVOO infuses the fish with a delicate richness, maintaining its natural moisture and creating a far more tender and subtle flavor profile. Unlike tuna packed in water or cheaper oils, EVOO-packed tuna doesn’t require heavy masking with mayonnaise or other strong ingredients. In this case, less truly is more, allowing the inherent quality of the fish to shine through in simpler, fresher preparations.
Beyond its exquisite taste, packing tuna in extra virgin olive oil also brings notable health benefits. EVOO is a cornerstone of the Mediterranean diet, lauded for its heart-healthy monounsaturated fats and powerful antioxidants. When combined with tuna, which is rich in lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids, you get a powerful nutritional punch that contributes to overall well-being. This method not only preserves the tuna but also enriches it, making it a truly healthful and delicious choice for any meal.
Introducing Bella Portofino: Quality You Can Trust
For today’s exciting recipe, I’ve had the pleasure of teaming up with Bella Portofino, a brand that has recently launched a fantastic new line of extra virgin olive oil-packed Yellowfin and Albacore canned tuna. I was immediately impressed, not just by the deliciousness of their product – seriously, you absolutely have to try it to believe how good it is! – but also by their unwavering commitment to quality and transparency.
Bella Portofino’s canned tuna stands out because it’s crafted with real, simple ingredients. You’ll find only wild-caught, hand-selected tuna fillets, premium extra virgin olive oil, and a touch of sea salt. That’s it. This minimalist approach ensures that you’re getting the purest flavor and highest nutritional value from your tuna. The “wild-caught” designation speaks to their sustainable fishing practices and the natural, robust flavor of tuna living in its natural environment, while “hand-selected” guarantees that only the finest fillets make it into each can, ensuring consistency in quality and texture.
Furthermore, Bella Portofino tuna aligns perfectly with the values of today’s conscious consumer. It is non-GMO, meaning you can be confident about the integrity of the ingredients. It’s also soy-free, catering to those with dietary restrictions or preferences. Most importantly, Bella Portofino is proud to be dolphin-safe, a critical ethical consideration for many. These three attributes are incredibly important to me as a consumer, and it’s reassuring to partner with a brand that prioritizes both quality and responsible sourcing.
Quick, Healthy, and Delicious: Italian Tuna Avocado Boats
Over the next few months, I’m thrilled to be sharing a variety of recipes that truly highlight the incredible versatility of Bella Portofino canned tuna. These Italian tuna avocado boats are the very first on my list, and I’m particularly excited for you to try them! As I’ve mentioned previously, particularly last week when discussing summer recipes, I’m a huge advocate for quick, easy, and fuss-free meals during the warmer months. If a recipe doesn’t require any time spent laboring over a hot stovetop, that’s an even bigger bonus in my book.
These tuna avocado boats fit the bill perfectly. They can be effortlessly thrown together in less than 20 minutes, making them an ideal choice for busy weekdays or when you need a speedy, satisfying meal. Beyond their convenience, they are absolutely packed with healthy protein and beneficial fats, thanks to the combination of premium tuna and creamy avocado. They also happen to be naturally dairy-free and gluten-free, catering to a wide range of dietary needs and making them an inclusive option for almost anyone seeking a nutritious meal.
I actually developed and enjoyed a very similar dish during my Whole30 challenge a few months ago. It quickly became one of my absolute favorite go-to meals, and for good reason. Its quick preparation, exceptional nutritional value, and remarkable ability to keep me feeling full and energized for hours made it indispensable. This recipe truly embodies the best of healthy eating without compromising on flavor or ease.
The Flavor Profile: A Fresh Take on Tuna Salad
So, what’s the basic concept behind these delightful boats? It’s a wonderfully fresh and vibrant tuna salad served elegantly in perfectly pitted avocado halves. The salad itself is a harmonious, yet simple, combination of premium Bella Portofino Yellowfin tuna, briny green olives, intensely savory sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced red onion for a subtle bite, aromatic Italian parsley, and a generous squeeze of fresh lime juice. This thoughtful blend of ingredients creates a symphony of flavors and textures.
The overall flavor profile truly reminds me of a classic Niçoise salad, delivering a bright, lively taste that’s also incredibly full of texture. The fresh lime juice, which I personally prefer over lemon for this particular preparation, is a key component. It provides that essential touch of acidity that not only brightens all the other ingredients but also helps to pull the entire dish together, creating a cohesive and refreshing experience. Yellowfin tuna, with its naturally tender texture and slightly mellower flavor compared to other tuna varieties, lends itself exceptionally well to this kind of application, absorbing and complementing the surrounding ingredients beautifully.
While this vibrant tuna salad is undoubtedly delicious on its own, it truly shines and reaches its full potential when paired with the creamy, rich avocado. The buttery texture of the avocado provides a perfect counterpoint to the bright and savory salad, adding another layer of indulgence and making each bite perfectly balanced. These tuna avocado boats are not only a fantastic, satisfying lunch to take to work – you can easily pack the tuna salad and avocado separately to prevent browning and assemble just before eating! – but they also make for an incredibly easy and elegant dinner option for even the busiest of weeknights.
Tuna Avocado Boats
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Ingredients
- 2 (4½-ounce) cans Bella Portofino Solid Yellowfin Tuna in Extra Virgin Olive Oil chunked (not drained)
- ½ small red onion finely diced (roughly ¼ cup)
- 8 pitted green (Castelvetrano) olives chopped
- 8 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes drained and chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice plus more for serving
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2 large ripe avocados
- microgreens for garnishing (optional)
Instructions
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Place the Bella Portofino tuna (with its olive oil) in a medium mixing bowl. Add the finely diced red onion, chopped green olives, drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, fresh parsley, and lime juice. Stir gently to combine all the ingredients thoroughly, ensuring the flavors are well distributed. Season the tuna salad to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
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Carefully halve and pit the large ripe avocados. Scoop the prepared tuna mixture generously into the hollows of the pitted avocado halves. If you desire a larger portion of salad or prefer a thinner avocado shell, you can gently scoop out a small amount of the avocado flesh to create more space for the delicious tuna filling. Garnish with fresh microgreens as desired for an added touch of freshness and visual appeal, and finish with a light squeeze of additional lime juice before serving immediately to enjoy the best flavors and textures.
This post was created in partnership with Bella Portofino, and I received compensation for my participation. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. Thank you for your continued support of the brands that help make A Beautiful Plate possible!