Italian Tuna-and-Rice Mix Recipe

Italian Tuna-and-Rice Mix Recipe

Recipe Transformation: A Tasty Twist on Tuna & Rice Salad

Servings: 4

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

This vibrant and easy-to-prep dish, featuring classic pantry staples like tuna and rice, receives a marvelous Italian makeover. Feel free to spice things up with optional add-ons and serving suggestions!

Ingredients

• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 1 1/4 cups water, plus more as needed
• 14 ounces high-quality oil-packed yellowfin tuna, drained and flaked
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped pitted Kalamata olives
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Variations

1. Capers & Anchovies: Enhance the flavors by adding 1 tablespoon of capers and 2 minced anchovy fillets.
2. Artichokes & White Beans: Toss in 1 (14 ounce) can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans, along with 1/2 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts for some meaty heft.
3. Spicy Kick: Kick up the heat with 1/2 teaspoon of hot red pepper flakes or diced jalapeno peppers.

Instructions

1. Prepare the rice: Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then cook as directed in a medium saucepan. Set aside to cool.
2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
3. Once the rice has cooled, gently fold in the tuna, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and dressing, taking care not to break up the tuna chunks too much.
4. Serve the salad immediately, or let it chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before serving.

Serving Suggestions

• Pile the salad on a bed of arugula or spinach leaves.
• Wrap the mixture in a large whole-grain tortilla, stuffed with sliced cucumbers, roasted red peppers, and red onions.
• Use as a topping for grilled bruschetta or bruschetta-style toasts.
• Spoon the salad over cooked pasta or polenta, and finish with shaved Parmesan cheese.
• Add a boiled egg for extra protein. Enjoy!

1. The tuna flavor in the Tuna & Rice Salad dish is further elevated with the addition of coarsely chopped oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, amounting to 1/3 cup.
2. As directed in the instructions, you should add 3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil to the dressing before whisking together with red wine vinegar, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
3. When preparing the salad, the recipe yields 4 servings, and each serving requires 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar in the dressing mix.

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