Trader Joe’s Has a New $3.99 Tinned Fish—and It’s One of the Best Around

A well-stocked pantry is one of the little things that makes me feel like I have some control over this chaotic existence. If I’ve got my favorite staples in the cupboard, I can feel relatively confident that, whatever else happens, dinner is going to be good.

Being a Pantry Person means there are a few recipes that I tend to fall back on—bangers like linguini with clams, sardines and beans, or spaghetti with tuna and white beans—that come together quickly, easily, and relatively inexpensively.

Clearly, my pantry is full of tinned fish, so I was excited to see the new Skipjack Tuna Fillets in Olive Oil on a recent trip to Trader Joe’s.

It might be a humble tin of fish, but not all cans of tuna are created equal, and TJ’s Skipjack Tuna Fillets are a cut above. The pretty mosaic-patterned tins hold 6 ounces of line-caught Mediterranean tuna loin fillets, lightly seasoned with salt and packed in olive oil.

The tuna is velvety and delicious straight from the tin (I love it on a cracker with a little squeeze of lemon juice), but it can do much more than that.

How to Serve Trader Joe’s Skipjack Tuna Fillets

Beyond my go-to spaghetti-and-tuna combo, this tin is perfect for topping Niçoise salads and for the sandwich version, pan bagnat. Since it’s oil-packed, it has a nice rich flavor and texture, and I love it for making tonnato—a smooth, savory sauce made with tuna and other pantry ingredients, including capers and anchovies, that's great on crudité, hard-boiled eggs, or a big hunk of bread.

Of course, the small tin is the perfect size for combining with a little mayo and relish for a super-fast tuna salad, or as a tuna melt with sharp cheddar cheese (don't forget to pair it with a Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda).

The thing that makes this tuna such a pantry staple is its versatility. It can amp up pasta salads, add great flavor to tuna patties, get stuffed into onigiri, or cozy up to egg noodles for a classic tuna noodle casserole.

I'm ready to head back to TJ's to stock up my pantry. Gimme that (tuna) fillet o' fish, gimme that fish...