Wild Caught Tuna Crostini are a super healthy and colorful appetizer or light meal – arrange them on a grazing table and let your guests serve themselves.
This post is is sponsored by Genova Seafood®, and as you know, I greatly appreciate your support of my brand partners – I only work with companies that I love, and they help keep TVFGI up and cooking!
I had a lot of fun making these wild caught tuna crostini
Or ‘little crusts’ as they translate from the Italian…they’re just the kind of thing I love to serve for dinner when the weather gets warmer and the days stretch on longer. There’s no need to cut the fun short to come inside and cook, just throw the slices of baguette on the grill, organize a colorful array of toppings, and have a tasting party! I used Genova wild caught albacore, and yellowfin tuna as the base for my crostini, so they have enough protein to be a meal in themselves. Genova is premium, wild caught, solid filet tuna packed in olive oil that is so beautifully fresh tasting I eat it straight from the can. You can feel great offering it to your guests, and with a colorful array of toppings there’s something here for everybody.
my formula for these crostini is simple
- first I lay down a base layer, which should be something with a little moisture to help it stick to the bread.
- the second layer can be more ‘chunky’ in texture, and finally I finish with a colorful garnish.
- for some of my crostini I spooned the tuna right out of the can onto the bread…it’s packed in pure olive oil which helps moisten the bread and add flavor, so don’t let that go to waste!
- for others I made a quick tuna salad with mayo, whole grain mustard, and relish to serve as my base. You can use your own favorite tuna salad recipe.
If you’re uncertain about what to pair with what, try to keep to a theme, that way you’ll know the flavors will compliment each other…the one above is made with albacore tuna topped with white beans, olive oil, and fresh thyme for a French vibe. You might do an Italian version with olives and red peppers, or go Japanese with cucumber and pickled ginger. The tuna is surprisingly versatile!
Genova wild caught tuna comes in two varieties, Albacore, and Yellowfin, and for me, they break down along white meat/dark meat lines…the albacore is lighter and chunkier, while the yellowfin is darker and richer. I prefer the albacore and my husband prefers the yellowfin, so I make sure to use some of each. Use them interchangeably in your crostini and do your own delicious taste testing.
The nice thing about these wild caught tuna crostini is that you can grab a baguette on the way home from work and create these masterpieces with whatever you’ve got in the fridge and cupboard. I slice and char the bread right on my stove top grill pan, then set it aside while I prep my toppings.
topping ideas for wild caught tuna crostini
Layer 1
- Genova Wild Caught Yellowfin Tuna salad
- guacamole, hummus or baba ganoush
- artichoke or roasted red pepper spread
- pesto
- olive tapenade
- cream cheese, goat cheese, or other spreadable cheese
Layer 2
- Genova Wild Caught Albacore Tuna, flaked
- sliced hard boiled egg
- sliced cucumber, radish, or tomato
- sliced pickles or olives
- canned beans
- sliced strawberries or grapes
- micro-greens
Layer 3
- fresh herbs
- pickled ginger or horseradish
- seeds like sesame or poppy
- edible flowers
- caviar, capers
- citrus zest or mini lemon wedges
cook’s notes:
- don’t plan to assemble the crostini too far in advance or the bread will lose its crunch and the toppings will lose their fresh appeal.
- if you like you can set out all the elements and let guests assemble their own.
- have fun creating your own summer tasting party with Genova tuna and your favorite crostini toppings.
more ways to use your Genova tuna:
- SPAGHETTI WITH TUNA, LEMON, AND DILL
- PASTA SALAD WITH TUNA
- MEDITERRANEAN TUNA SALAD WITH TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE
Wild Caught Tuna Crostini
Ingredients
- 1 thin baguette, cut into 10 thick slices
- 5 ounces canned yellowfin tuna, preferably wild caught variety
- 5 ounces canned albacore tuna, preferably wild caught variety
for the tuna salad
- 3 Tbsp mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp relish
- 2 tsp whole grain Dijon mustard
- salt and black pepper, to taste
other toppings
- guacamole, hummus, or soft cheese, see list in the blog post
- assorted thinly sliced veggies or fruit, canned beans, olives, hard cooked eggs, etc., see list in the blog post
- fresh herbs, or edible blossoms, see list in the blog post
Instructions
- Heat a grill pan over medium high heat until very hot. Grill the slices of bread on both sides until nicely browned, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside.
- Prepare a simple tuna salad with the tuna. Mix all the ingredients until well blended. Adjust seasonings to your taste.
- Assemble your crostini with three layers each. Begin with tuna salad, flaked tuna, or cream cheese or other spread.
- Build a second layer from the list above. If you didn't use your tuna on the first layer, you can add flaked tuna in this layer.
- Finish with a garnish of herbs, edible flowers, seeds, or spices from the list above.
- Serve the crostini right away.
Notes
- Nutrition shown is for tuna crostini without toppings.
Nutrition
Your pictures are so colorful and pretty!! I love recipes that can be switched around to create new things. Variation is awesome!
Absolutely love how colorful these crostini look! Great idea for summer gatherings!
Great snacks! They look so yummy!
Hi Sue, we just bought a whole tuna from the docks in Newport, Oregon. Will be making these straight away, these look amazing~
Oh gosh, what a treat!
These are so gorgeous you make we want to run out and buy some tuna! This is a terrific and wonderful idea and perfect for summer dinner or to serve at a gathering. Lovely!
You’ll love Genova Tricia, I’m a convert!
I LOVE Genova Tuna – I eat it all the time! BUT, I’ve never done it crostini style. These are so perfect for light summer eats!
The colors! Wow. These pictures just scream “Summer”!
These remind me of the beautiful little sandwiches they serve all over Sweden. They call them smørrebrød and they are little pieces of artwork, just like your crostini. These would be so fun for a party!
I’ve made those, too, Chris, in fact I used smoked salmon on them, and these are similar, but maybe a little bit ‘heartier’ 🙂
Your crostini’s are gorgeous, I wish we could get wild canned tuna here. Stuck with tuna in water or regular oil. Once in a blue moon, they will bring tuna in packed in olive oil and I jump on it, I really don’t like tuna in water. This may have to be on one of my cheat nights to splurge on gluten. The pain will be worth it:-)
Where do you live, Cathy? And as for the gluten, I think it would be fun to do these on pieces of endive or radicchio 🙂
Genova is good stuff. My go-to when I’m looking for tuna packed in olive oil (which is what I usually prefer). Love the idea of these crostini — quick, easy, flavorful. What summer food is all about. Thanks!
I agree John, I grew up on water packed tuna and I’m so glad I saw the light 😉