Looking for an easy tuna fried rice? This 5-ingredient Tuna Fried Rice is made with canned tuna, leftover rice, frozen peas and soy sauce, all stir-fried in one pan in 15 minutes. It’s a brilliant pantry dinner, budget-friendly, and a sneaky way to get the kids eating more fish.
Egg fried rice is one of my favorite go-to meals for small boys (and big Irishmen)! So I’m always looking for ways to tweak it and make it more exciting. This Tuna Fried Rice is my latest favorite.
I’m also always looking for ways to get my boys to eat more fish.
This tuna version ticks both boxes!
And it’s a great pantry meal to have as a backup. Just keep some precooked rice in the freezer like I do. Too easy.
I’ve given a range of tuna quantities so you can adjust depending on how fishy you want your fried rice to be.
Why You’ll Love This Tuna Fried Rice
- 5 ingredients – tuna, rice, peas, soy sauce and green onions.
- 15 minutes – faster than takeout.
- Pantry and freezer staples – perfect for nights when the fridge is bare.
- Budget-friendly – canned tuna and rice are some of the cheapest ingredients around.
- Kid-friendly – mild, savory and a great way to introduce fish.
Ingredients
- Canned tuna in oil – adds richness, and you can use the oil to fry the rice. Tuna in spring water works too, just add a little extra oil.
- Cooked rice – day-old, cold rice is best (see below).
- Frozen peas – no need to thaw them.
- Soy sauce – for salty, savory flavor.
- Green onions – optional, for freshness.
- Toasted sunflower seeds or nuts – optional, for crunch.
Why Use Day-Old Rice?
Freshly cooked rice is soft and steamy, so it tends to clump and go mushy when you fry it. Cooled rice has had time to dry out a little, so the grains stay separate and get lovely and crispy. If you only have freshly cooked rice, spread it out on a tray to cool and dry for 20-30 minutes first. Store-bought precooked rice pouches also work well.
5-Ingredient Tuna Fried Rice
Ingredients
- 1-2 medium cans tuna in oil 7 oz / 200g each
- 3 cups cooked rice 12 oz / 360g, cold
- 2 handfuls frozen peas
- 1-2 tablespoons soy sauce
- toasted sunflower seeds or nuts to serve (optional)
- 2 green onions (scallions) chopped (optional)
Instructions
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Heat a generous glug of oil (you can use some of the oil from the tuna) in a large frying pan or wok over high heat. Add the tuna, rice and peas and stir-fry for a few minutes until everything is hot.
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Remove from the heat and stir in the soy sauce. Taste and add extra soy as needed.
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Serve topped with green onions and seeds or nuts (if using).
Recipe Video
Variations & Substitutions
with egg – push the rice to one side of the pan, scramble 1-2 eggs in the space, then toss everything together.
no cooked rice – follow my perfect fluffy rice recipe to make your own. Or buy precooked rice. Allow it to cool completely before frying.
vegetarian – replace the tuna with scrambled eggs or crumbled tofu.
more substantial (carb lovers) – more rice!
more substantial (low carb) – use more tuna, add an egg, and be generous with the seeds or nuts. You can replace some of the rice with cauliflower ‘rice’. Or try my Egg Fried Not-Rice.
low FODMAP – replace the peas with chopped red bell peppers and only use the green parts of the green onions.
hot! – use tuna in chili oil, or add some finely chopped fresh or dried red chili, or a drizzle of sriracha.
different veg / more veg – replace the peas with any stir-fry veg, like corn, snow peas, green beans, asparagus, carrots or bell peppers.
herby – serve with mint or cilantro leaves.
nut-free – use sunflower seeds or just skip the nuts.
different protein – canned salmon, leftover chicken, cooked shrimp or crumbled sausage meat.
Tips for the Best Fried Rice
- Use a really hot pan or wok – so the rice fries rather than steams.
- Don’t overcrowd – if your pan is small, cook in two batches.
- Break up the rice – crumble clumps of cold rice with your hands before adding it to the pan.
- Add the soy sauce at the end – off the heat, so it doesn’t make the rice soggy.
What Kind of Rice Is Best for Fried Rice?
Long grain rice like jasmine or basmati is best, because the grains stay separate and fluffy. Short grain or sushi rice is stickier, so it tends to clump. Brown rice also works well.
Is Canned Tuna Cooked?
Yes. Canned tuna is cooked during the canning process, so it’s safe to eat straight from the can. In fried rice, it just needs warming through.
Is Tuna Fried Rice Healthy?
Yes! Tuna is a great source of protein and omega-3s, and the peas add fiber and vitamins. For an even healthier version, use brown rice, add extra veggies and use reduced-salt soy sauce.
Prepare Ahead & Food Safety
Best when freshly cooked. Cooked rice needs to be handled carefully: refrigerate leftovers as soon as possible (within an hour), keep them in the fridge for no more than 1-2 days, and reheat until piping hot all the way through. You can also freeze leftovers.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
tuna / rice / soy sauce / sunflower seeds or nuts – keep them in the pantry.
frozen peas – keep in the freezer.
green onions – skip them, or keep in the fridge in a plastic bag for a week or two.
Just Wish Dinner Was Easy?
You know the feeling. It’s 6pm, you’re tired and hungry, and the last thing you want to do is work out what to cook. Again.
That’s why I put together my free 5-Ingredient Dinner Ideas. The thinking is done for you, so all that’s left is the easy bit.
- No more staring into the fridge wondering what to make tonight
- Just 5 ingredients or less, so shopping is quick and there’s nothing fancy to track down
- On the table in 15-20 minutes, even if you’re slow in the kitchen
- Healthy food that actually tastes amazing, enough to satisfy even the biggest food snob
- Easy swaps for dairy-free, low carb, vegetarian and gluten-free
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More 5-Ingredient Easy Tuna and Rice Recipes
- The Simple Secret to Perfect Fluffy Rice
- Quick Tuna Curry Bowls
- Addictive Broccoli Tuna
- Salmon Fried Rice
- Simple Salmon Kedgeree
In your corner,
Jules from Stonesoup xx
(Your favourite Australian Food Scientist)
See my bio
Thank you for this gluten-free recipe. This looks delicious, seasonal, and has a flair that would pretty up the dinner table.
WOW THIS IS VERY NICE!
Glad you like it Mason!
Very nice! I made some with Smoked Tuna dip…added some lime and hot sauce.
Next time I will make with smoked white fish or even canned lump crab with old bay.
Yum Landy! The smoked fish would have been lovely :)
Lacked taste, not sure if its because I used tuna with water and drained it.
Sorry it was lacking in flavour for you Zayna!
Yes tuna with water would have made it less flavoursome – I use tuna in olive oil. Some extra soy sauce would help :)
I always add 1 scotch bonnet pepper (whole and not chopped) fresh thyme and half a teaspoon of Mono sodium glutamate (MSG) brings out the flavour.
MSG wow! thats playing with fire for sure, some people instantly break out with a terrible, terrible itching and rash, usually around the neck area and groin, imagine sitting next to someone at the dining table and they desperately have their hands down the front of their pants? or lady for that matter! Please no MSG.
Left out onions and add 2 cloves of pressed garlic!
Yummy!
ooh yum Sarah!