Easy Tuna Piccata

With just a few simple ingredients from your pantry, this easy tuna piccata comes together in minutes, and with no cooking! It’s versatile and can be served in so many ways, from party appetizer to dinner table.

May is Mediterranean diet month, and what better way to celebrate the Mediterranean diet than with olive oil?! 

The Mediterranean diet pulls out of the paleo lane quite a bit (mostly grains and beans), but there are some key components of it that run on the same road: fruits and veggies, healthy fats, lean poultry, fish, eggs, and lots of herbs and spices.

Whether you’re Team Mediterranean, Team Paleo, Team Keto, or Team Something Else, what I really care about is that you pay attention to your food choices. Awareness is the first step to down the path to eating healthier.

What is the Mediterranean diet

Turns out, there isn't actually one specific Mediterranean diet - Greeks eat differently from Italians, who eat differently from the French and Spanish. But they all share some similar general principles, which is what bulks them together. 

The Mediterranean diet has been said to offer a host of health benefits, including weight loss, heart and brain health, cancer prevention, and diabetes prevention and control. 

Not to mention that people from that area of the world live incredibly long lives- so they must be on to something!

But just like Paleo, or Keto, or any other eating "lifestyle," this is an eating pattern – not a structured diet – so you have to find what works for you.

Now, some of you might be saying to yourselves, “Yeah, great. The problem with this is the same problem I have with Paleo - it’s too dang expensive to eat that way!” 

That’s a discussion for another post, but just like with anything, it depends on the quantity and quality of what you’re purchasing. 

What I love is when I find a product that gives the best of both worlds - a high-quality, healthy, product at a reasonable price point. Enter stage left: StarKist E.V.O.O.™ tuna and salmon pouches. Jackpot.

Why I love the StarKist E.V.O.O.™ pouches

These pouches could not be handier. For those of you that know me, you know I am particular about my healthy fats, and I love a good olive oil.

StarKist E.V.O.O.™ pouches are packed in cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. They are single servings, portable, and require no cooking. They have just a few simple ingredients, are a natural source of Omega3's, and are GMO, gluten, and soy free.

Imma go ahead and put these in the "win" category.

Sometimes I hear from readers that they worry about eating foods full of healthy fats like olive oil, olives, and avocado. Remember, eating fat doesn’t make you fat! 

What is piccata

In our house, piccata is a verb. Don't have a plan for dinner? Just "piccata" something!

According to Google, the definition of piccata is "cooked in a sauce of lemon, parsley and butter."

That’s pretty close to what we use. We use ghee instead of butter, and we include capers and garlic. 

For this recipe, we’re going to take the traditional Scully household piccata recipe and combine it with StarKist E.V.O.O.™ Wild-Caught Yellowfin Tuna with Sun-dried Tomato in Extra Virgin Olive Oil, but we’re going to leave out one key component - cooking. 

Yeah, you read that right. No cooking here. 

Cm’on, did you expect anything else from me? I’m Paleo but also lazy as heck in the kitchen, which makes a winning combination for you - I’m all about kitchen shortcuts and simplicity while staying healthy!

Tuna Piccata 3 Ways

Alright, so once we’ve got our tuna piccata, we might want to serve it with something, eh? I admit, I like no cooking - but sometimes 5 minutes of cooking can transform a meal. So, here’s a few ways you can elevate your tuna piccata even more. 

1. Serve over zoodles

That's short for zucchini noodles, if you're not familiar. You can buy these premade, or for a more budget-friendly option, use a vegetable spiralizer to make your own. 

Toss your zoodles in a pan with a bit of healthy fat (a touch of additional ghee or olive oil would work just fine) for a minute or two, just enough to get them crisp-tender.

Top with your tuna piccata and serve. Add artichoke hearts for a little something extra!

2. Over cauliflower rice

Cauliflower rice is one of the most versatile veggie options around. It's mild, easy to eat, and takes on the flavor of whatever it's paired with.

You can often find pre-packaged cauliflower rice in the store, or you can make your own. If you've never made your own before, here's how.

Sauté your rice the same way you would the zoodles - just a couple of minutes with a healthy fat over medium-high heat, to get it crisp-tender. Top with your tuna piccata and serve with a sprinkle of parsley and a squeeze of lemon.

3. As an appetizer

So often, when we go to parties or get togethers, there are no healthy food options. Unless I want to eat potato chips or food made of bread and cheese, I have to hold off on eating until we get home.

Sometimes I offer to bring something just so I know there will be something there that I can eat! 

Maybe you need a healthy appetizer to bring somewhere, or maybe you want to step up your at-home snack game. Use an ice cream scoop to shape it into a pretty presentation, then surround it with crackers for a next level snack or app.  

We don't keep regular crackers in our house, so I've paired it here with some almond flour crackers. You could also use plantain chips or another gluten free and grain free "cracker." 

The tender, flavorful tuna paired with the salty, crunchy cracker is true app perfection.

Garlic, capers, lemon juice, ghee, parsley, tuna, HERE WE COME! 

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of StarKist E.V.O.O.™.

I may earn a small commission off purchases made through affiliate links in this post from Amazon and other sellers. This helps me continue to run the blog and keep providing you fresh content. Thank you for your support!