A quick and easy homemade pizza crust, topped with tuna salad made with fresh dill and lemon, then baked to perfection with gooey mozzarella cheese; original, unique, and delicious!
Tuna Pizza with Lemon and Dill is the ultimate “thinking-outside-the-box” type of recipe. Well, I guess in this case, it’s thinking-outside-the-can! This is a great way to use inexpensive canned tuna and turn it into a great meal that everyone will love!
I was inspired to make this pizza when I saw a version of it posted by a fellow food blogger – Beth over at Binky’s Culinary Carnival. It looked so delicious, I just had to try it!
This past year or so, John.e has been eating fish, so I’m always trying to think of new ways to cook with fish. If it were up to me, I’d have beer battered fried cod every night! But, at the risk of growing tired of fish, I tend to only prepare it twice a month.
We love the ease of canned tuna and canned salmon. It’s so inexpensive, everyone seems to like it, and it can help make a wonderful meal! For a canned salmon idea, check out my Salmon and Asparagus Pasta Salad recipe.
Of course I have what I often refer to as real salmon too. Not that canned salmon isn’t real! I could as easily call it fresh salmon, but it always comes out real salmon instead. I have a Sriracha Honey Lime Salmon recipe that will blow your mind!
In terms of canned tuna, I have a few recipes using that as well. Try this grown up version of Tuna Pasta Salad, or this Tuna Pasta Bake – so delicious! Similar to the tuna salad on this pizza, I have Tuna Melts! For now though, let’s get to the pizza!
Canned Tuna and how to Prepare it for this Recipe:
I used two cans of tuna for this recipe. They were each 170 grams. I think that’s roughly equivalent to 3 ounces per can. You can use any brand you prefer, but it’s imperative to use tuna that is packed in water, not oil.
Nadia and Emidio, my Italian friends just gasped in disbelief. Did you hear them from where you are? Italians seem to prefer tuna packed in oil. Sorry, Em and Nad – you need the packed in water type for this one!
It’s very important to squeeze as much water out of the tuna as possible. Normally, I tend to open the can, leaving the lid in place. I turn the can upside down and push the lid up, squeezing out the water. For this recipe, I took it a step further.
I removed as much water as I could, and then transferred the tuna to a clean kitchen towel. I gathered up the edges of the towel and twisted as hard as I could, getting even more water out of the tuna. It was now dry enough!
The reason is simple, if the tuna is too wet, it’s going to affect how your pizza crust will bake. I cannot stand soggy pizza dough! So I got rid of as much moisture as possible!
Ingredient Substitutions:
I think this is the one thing that bothers food bloggers the most. We publish recipes knowing they will work perfectly as is, because we have put them to the test. Substitutions, although they might seem harmless, can sometimes throw off an entire recipe.
For example, someone will want to lower the fat content and use sour cream instead of mayo. Don’t! Sour cream will not hold together as well during the baking process. It also does not have a strong flavour. If you must cut back, use 1/2 fat mayo, or, substitute only 1/4 cup of the mayo with sour cream. Use whole sour cream for best results.
I grew up in a home where the side of the fridge door always had a plastic lemon-shaped bottle with a green lid. In it, was lemon juice. But, it wasn’t lemon juice. It was at one time, until some manufacturer added ingredients and preservatives. Lemons are less than a dollar. One lemon will be plenty. Please buy a fresh lemon and squeeze the juice at home.
Fresh dill can be substituted with dried dill, but you won’t get the right balance of flavours and freshness. Like fresh lemons, fresh dill is relatively cheap. Since this whole recipe is very budget friendly already, buying fresh dill won’t break the bank.
You can certainly buy a pre-made pizza crust or pre-made pizza dough. I’ve done it many times! But, if you’re so inclined, make your own – you won’t regret it!
Conclusion:
Tuna Pizza with Lemon and Dill is the type of meal you will want to eat as soon as it’s ready. This is not the type of pizza you push back unfinished and eat it for breakfast the next day! Save that for your delivery pizzas.
No, this one is hot and gooey, it’s fresh and vibrant, and it’s a pizza you will want to prepare again and again. I encourage you to master the pizza dough part of this recipe and then you can make pizza in no time at all whenever the mood hits!
Tuna Pizza with Lemon and Dill
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 3/4 cup warm tap water, 110 degrees
- 1 teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For the Pizza:
- 6 ounces tuna packed in water, very well drained (see post for details)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup fresh dill (plus more for garnish)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- non-stick cooking spray
Instructions
For the Dough:
- Fill a metal mixing bowl with hot tap water and set aside for a few minutes. This will temper the bowl and help to ensure the yeast will properly activate. While you’re waiting for the bowl to warm, preheat the oven to 500 degrees – not broil, but degrees.
- Pour the hot water out of the bowl and wipe the bowl dry. Add the warm tap water and the yeast. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir the yeast into the water for no more than 5-10 seconds. Set aside and let the yeast bubble and foam for at least 3 minutes.
- Sift together 2 cups of the flour, salt, and sugar.
- Add the olive oil to the yeast and water mixture. Stir for a few seconds. Pour in the entire flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until the liquid is absorbed.
- Sprinkle your clean counter top with a little flour and empty the dough out. Knead the dough together for 4-5 minutes until a dough ball is formed. Place the dough back into the metal mixing bowl, cover with a tea towel, and set the bowl onto the top of your preheating oven. (Don’t place the bowl on a burner, just on the surface of the oven. The heat will help the dough to proof.) Let the dough sit for five minutes.
For the Pizza:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, salt, and ground black pepper.
- Add in the tuna and parmesan. Fold into the mayonnaise mixture until well combined. Set aside.
- Lightly spray a 14 inch pizza pan with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
- When the dough is ready, lightly flour a flat surface, and using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a round shape. Place the dough onto the pizza pan and push the dough with the palm of your hands outward. Do not push or pull the edge of the dough. This will allow the dough to bake into a puffy outer crust.
- Next, whisk the egg and the tablespoon of water together. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the perimeter of the dough.
- Spread 1/2 of the tuna mixture evenly over the pizza, leaving about 1/2 inch perimeter.
- Evenly distribute the cheese over the pizza. Avoid placing cheese on the egg washed perimeter.
- Next, sprinkle over the parmesan cheese.
- Lastly, randomly dollop teaspoons of the remaining tuna mixture over the top of the pizza.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Turn the oven to broil and broil the pizza until lightly golden brown. Remove from oven. Garnish with more fresh dill, if using, and slice into 8 wedges. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Kay says
Finally! My daughter will eat pizza! She hates tomatoes so wouldn’t attempt to try it before! But this has won her over!
byronethomas@gmail.com says
Great to hear, Kay! 🙂
Bubba says
Kick it up a notch by adding capers. I use Naan bread in a pinch.