Easy Cheesy Tuna Puffs Recipe

Tuna puffs are a versatile appetizer, perfect for both a large party buffet or for a family meal alongside a bowl of soup or a salad. Consisting of a flavorful tuna fish mixture enclosed in flaky, rich puff pastry, the puffs can be made in a variety of shapes. If you like tuna salad, tuna melts, tuna cakes, and any dish made with delicious puff pastry, you'll love tuna puffs as well, as they channel all of the above dishes.

Recipe developer Michelle Bottalico has created a recipe for cheesy tuna puffs that come together in less than an hour, with half that time passive waiting time as they bake. The foundation of the flavor is a mirepoix of onion, carrot, and celery cooked in the olive oil from the cans of oil-packed tuna, which reduces waste and gives the dish extra tuna flavor. Diced cheddar, herbs, spices, mayonnaise, and Dijon are mixed with the tuna before the mixture is used to fill puff pastry squares. Folding the puffs isn't difficult, but it takes a little time and pinching. Scroll down to our FAQ for alternative shape ideas if you prefer.

Once out of the oven, these tuna puffs are crispy and buttery on the outside, moist and flavorful on the inside with sharpness from Dijon and aromatic brightness from basil and parsley, and satisfyingly cheesy from the cheddar. Feel free to increase the amount of cheese if you like extra-cheesy treats. Either way, these tuna puffs are sure to be a crowd pleaser at your next event.

For this recipe, you will need puff pastry sheets. Puff pastry is notoriously challenging to make at home, so the recipe calls for frozen puff pastry sheets. Just make sure you thaw them before starting the recipe. You will also need 2 cans of oil-packed tuna. Make sure you have carrot, celery, yellow onion, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, mayonnaise, and Dijon, fresh basil, and fresh parsley as well. Cheddar is the ingredient responsible for the cheesiness of these tuna puffs — a block of cheddar is perfect because the recipe calls for diced cheese. Finally, you'll need an egg and a little water for the egg wash.

Drain 2 tablespoons of the oily liquid from the tuna cans into a skillet and heat it on medium. Drain the rest of the excess liquid out, but don't press the tuna so it stays moist.

Add the onion, carrot, and celery and saute for 5-7 minutes until softened.

Add the tuna, garlic powder, pepper, and salt, and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

Transfer the tuna mixture to a mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise, Dijon, cheddar, basil, and parsley and stir to mix. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Unfold the puff pastry sheets and roll them out slightly on a lightly floured surface to enlarge.

Cut each sheet into 12 small squares.

Divide the tuna mixture evenly in the center of the squares.

Fold up 2 opposite corners of a pastry square to cover the filling and pinch the ends together with your fingertips.

Fold the 2 remaining corners in the same way and then pinch the 4 open seams together to seal. Fold and seal the remaining squares in the same way.

Place the pastries on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and cut 4 slits in each pastry.

Beat the egg in a small bowl with the water.

Brush the beaten egg over the tops of the pastries.

Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

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We use oil-packed tuna in this recipe because it has more flavor than water-packed tuna and because we use the oil in the cans for sauteing the vegetables. If you prefer to use water-packed tuna, simply use extra-virgin olive oil for sauteing.

You can mix up the cheese and herbs to vary the flavor of these tuna puffs if desired. For inspiration, think about the best kinds of cheese for tuna melts. Swiss or Emmental cheese is a good match for tuna, while Gruyère would add a nutty and elevated touch. Provolone would add a noticeable sharpness of flavor, while fontina is a good creamy option. Don't be afraid to use mozzarella, which is always a good melty choice for stuffed baked dishes, or some grated Parmesan along with your main cheese. Other herbs like chives, cilantro, mint, dill, oregano, and tarragon could be used instead of or along with the basil and parsley, or try different spices like celery seed and paprika.

Scallions and Old Bay seasoning can be used for a tuna cake or crab cake-inspired flavor. Ingredients such as olives, capers, roasted red pepper or roasted vegetables, feta cheese, and lemon juice would make a tasty Mediterranean version, and potato, peas, and curry powder can give them an Indian samosa vibe. If you can't get puff pastry, you could always make tuna cakes by adding breadcrumbs and egg to the tuna mixture, shaping it into patties, and frying them.

In this recipe, we cut a sheet of puff pastry into squares, add a spoonful of tuna to each square, and fold the opposite corners of the squares together. Then the seams are pinched together to close the pieces, giving them a three-dimensional form. For a version that's a bit less fussy, you could cut the same squares of puff pastry but spoon the tuna onto one half of the squares, leaving at least a quarter-inch border around the edges. Fold the squares in half to cover the tuna and crimp the edges closed with a fork. Remember to cut slits in the top to let steam escape. You can make the halves rectangular or triangular. For larger puffs, add double the amount of tuna to the center of each puff pastry square and cover it with another square of pastry. Crimp all four edges.

Another idea is to line muffin tin cups with the pastry squares. Spoon the filling in and either fold the pastry edges over the mixture or leave them open for a different look. Cut smaller squares if you want to use a mini muffin tin for smaller puffs. Finally, you could make pinwheels. Don't cut the puff pastry sheet. Spread the tuna mixture onto the sheet, leaving a border. Roll the whole thing up and slice it before placing the slices flat-side-down and baking.

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