Ceviche de Atún (Canned Tuna Ceviche)
Recipe development by Mitzi de Maa RD, LDN
Food photography and copywriting by Isabel Vasquez Larson RD, LDN
We’ve all been there. Lunch or dinner time rolls around and you have no energy to cook, but you don’t want to resort to takeout yet again.
This ceviche de atún recipe is the perfect low-effort, affordable, no-cook dish you can put together in 15 minutes or less!
It uses canned tuna for protein and a bunch of chopped veggies for fiber and antioxidants, making it a great recipe for promoting heart health or managing diabetes.
How to Make Ceviche de Atún
To make ceviche de atún, you just need a few simple ingredients you may already have in your kitchen.
The best part? It’s a no-cook recipe you can whip up in under 15 minutes. It makes for a delicious protein and fiber-rich snack or lunch.
All you’ll need is canned tuna, onion, tomatoes, cucumbers, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Let’s dig in!
Drain and flake the Tuna
Start by opening the cans of tuna and draining out the liquid.
You can use tuna canned in oil or water for this recipe, depending on what you have on hand and what you prefer. Either way, make sure to drain the cans well.
Put the tuna in a bowl and flake it so there aren’t any big clumps remaining. This will make it easier to scoop onto crackers or make into a sandwich.
2. Mix in the Veggies
Next, chop up the onion, cucumber, tomato, and cilantro. Mix them into the bowl of tuna so it’s well combined.
If you have other veggies on hand, you can always use those instead or in addition to the ones included in this recipe. It’s an easy recipe to adjust based on the veggies you have on hand.
3. Add Lime Juice
Next, pour the lime juice into the bowl and stir it so it’s well-distributed.
Use the juice of 4-5 fresh limes, or about 1/2 cup of lime juice.
You can adjust the exact amount based on your taste preferences.
If you want something a little extra citrusy, try adding 2/3 cup of lime juice. If you want less, start with 1/3 cup and adjust from there.
4. Add salt and pepper
Finally, add salt and pepper to taste!
5. enjoy!
Your ceviche de atún is now ready to enjoy!
We suggest spooning it onto Galletas Saladitas (saltine crackers) and topping it with avocado and/or chile serrano slices.
You could also use it to make a sandwich, using whole wheat bread instead of saltines. It also goes well stuffed in avocado. Simply cut an avocado in half and spoon the ceviche on top.
Ceviche de Atún Health Benefits and Considerations
High cholesterol and heart Health
This dish provides heart-healthy fats, fiber, and antioxidants—key nutrients for heart health.
Tuna in oil typically provides heart-healthy fats from olive oil or soybean oil. This is valuable for lowering LDL cholesterol levels, per the American Heart Association (AHA).
Tuna in water is a leaner protein choice, meaning it’s lower in fat and calories than tuna in oil. It still provides heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids from the tuna.
Research shows that eating more fish and having higher blood levels of omega-3s is linked with lower rates of heart failure, coronary disease, and fatal coronary heart disease, per the NIH.
The vegetables and cilantro in this recipe provide antioxidants and other plant nutrients that can help reduce oxidative stress—a contributor to many chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, per a 2023 study in Biomedicines.
If you choose to eat the ceviche with avocado, you’ll get a bunch of potassium and more heart-healthy monounsaturated fats.
Potassium is important for reducing sodium’s effects on the body and lowering blood pressure, per the AHA.
Speaking of sodium, if you have high blood pressure try using low-sodium canned tuna since eating too much sodium can contribute to this condition.
The veggies and avocado also provide soluble fiber, which can help lower cholesterol, per MedlinePlus.
Diabetes
Whether you make this recipe with tuna canned in oil or water, you’ll get plenty of protein. This helps support stable blood sugars.
Overall, this makes for a very well-rounded meal or snack for balanced blood sugars. Here are the four key nutrients we recommend including in your meals, and the sources of each in this dish:
Protein: tuna
Healthy fats: avocado and/or oil if using tuna canned in oil
Carbohydrates: vegetables and crackers or bread
Fiber: vegetables and avocado
As a bonus, tuna in oil is typically more satiating thanks to the added fat. This can help slow digestion to prevent rapid blood sugar spikes and drops.
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Ceviche de Atún (Canned Tuna Ceviche)
This ceviche de atún recipe is the perfect affordable, no-cook dish you can whip up in 15 minutes or less! It uses ingredients you likely already have on hand, and it's a great way to use up the veggies in your fridge before they go bad.
Ingredients
- 2 (5-oz) cans of tuna (canned in water or oil), drained
- ½ medium red onion, diced
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- Juice of 4–5 limes, or ½ cup lime juice (adjust to taste)
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Chile serrano, sliced, for garnish
- Avocado
- Galletas Saladitas (saltine crackers), for serving
Instructions
- Drain tuna well (whether canned in water or oil). Place in a medium-sized bowl and flake with a fork.
- Mix the diced onion, cucumber, tomato, and cilantro in with the flaked tuna.
- Stir the lime juice into the tuna mixture. Mix until evenly coated.
- Add salt and black pepper to taste. Adjust lime to preference.
- Spoon onto crackers or tostadas and top with avocado and/or chile serrano slices. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
150Fat
5 gSat. Fat
1 gCarbs
10 gFiber
3 gNet carbs
7 gSugar
4 gProtein
18 gSodium
243 mgIron
2 mgVitamin D
1 µgPotassium
580 mgCalcium
43 mgNote that one serving of this ceviche alone isn't enough to serve as a meal.
We suggest adding avocado and a whole grain like tostadas to make this adequate for a meal.
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