Last updated on November 11th, 2024
Could you ever imagine half a supermarket aisle filled only with tuna? In Italy, it’s normal! Italian tuna, the seemingly most boring topic on the planet, is actually one of Italy’s best kitchen staples.
Italy’s tuna has a special place in my Tuscan pantry and it shows up weekly in our meals.
So what makes Italian tuna so great? It’s all because of how the tuna is packed. In this article, learn all about the world of Italian tuna, what makes it shine and how to use it.
Whether you are looking to pack a picnic in Italy or you’re shopping at an Italian grocery store abroad, you may want to keep Italian tuna on your horizon for a quick and delicious meal.
Looking for Italian Tuna you can purchase in the US? See Italy’s favorite below.
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What Is Italian Tuna?
Italian tuna is a broad category of canned or jarred tuna that is generally packed in olive oil. There are two main kinds of Italian tuna: Italian tuna canned as filets and Italian tuna canned in pieces (packed as flaked fish).
When we talk about Italian tuna, it’s fair to say that most is packed in olive oil (not extra virgin and not canola oil), keeping it extra tender and giving it lots of flavor.
Italian tuna is richer in flavor with a more meaty, buttery texture when compared to other tuna packed in water.
There are several varieties of Italian tuna characterized by flavorings, the kind of tuna and what it’s packed in and how (see types of Italian tuna below).
Italian Tuna Vs American Tuna
| Italian Tuna | American Tuna (Other Tuna) |
| Packed in olive oil | Packed in water |
| Sold in filets and flaked | Sold flaked |
| Sold mixed with other flavors | Sold as is |
| Wild or farmed | Wild or farmed |
| €10-45 per kilo | $5-15 per pound ( much less expensive) |
Types Of Italian Tuna
The types of Italian tuna vary from night to day. The price of Italian tuna will depend primarily on how it’s packed and what kind of tuna is being used. The more expensive, the better quality it is.
Yellowfin Tonno
Yellowfin tuna is a popular variety used in Italian canned tuna characterized by its mild flavor.
Bluefin Tonno
Bluefish tuna is considered the best quality, more used in Italian cooking and other seafood dishes, rather than for canned tuna.
Skipjack Tonno
Skipjack tuna is another popular variety of tuna used to make canned tuna but not as good as yellowfin from my experience.
Italian Tuna Filets
Italian Tuna filets is the best Italian tuna you can buy on the market. It usually comes in jars and is packed in olive oil, keeping the fish tender. The tuna is packed tightly in whole filets, without being flaked or changed in any way.
Italian tuna filets is the most expensive type of tuna, costing upward of €45 euro per kilo but is often on sale for around €15-20 euros per kilo.
Flaked Italian Tuna
Flaked Italian tuna is Italian tuna packed in either olive oil or water, conserved in small round tins, similar to how tuna is sold in America. It comes in various sizes, often in a pack of two or three.
The price is more affordable than Italian tuna filets and I find the flavor to be very good, if packed in olive oil.
Italian Tuna Packed in Olive Oil
The most popular way Italian tuna is preserved is in olive oil which helps to keep the fish tender and very ‘creamy’. Usually, this means regular olive oil but it may also be packed in other types of oil. In this case, it specifies what kind (canola, extra virgin, etc.)
Italian Tuna Packed in Water
Italian tuna packed in water is less common in Italy than tuna packed in olive oil. This is because it’s not as good and the price is generally the same, if not higher, than Italian tuna packed in olive oil.
Italian tuna packed in water will be labeled as tonno al naturale.
Flavored Italian Tuna
Italian tuna comes packed with various flavors and seasonings such as hot pepper, lemon and pepper and tomato.
Filettoni di Tonno
Filettoni di tonno or trancio are larger filets of tuna, which will either come in a tin similar to sardines or in a jar. The quality of these filets is equal to the normal Italian tuna filets packed in olive oil.
Wild Caught and Organic Tuna
Even the mainstream brands of Italian tuna will offer a wild caught and/or organic version of their classic Italian tuna packed in olive oil. Look for words such as pescato a canna for wild caught and biologico for organic.
Italian Tuna Leggero
Tonno leggero is light tuna, which companies maintain has less calories but all the same omega 3 fatty acids and other health benefits of regular canned tuna.
Tonno per Pasta
Tonno per pasta is canned Italian tuna that is packed with other ingredients made ready to dress hot or cold pasta dishes.
This kind of canned tuna is similar to a ready made pasta sauce that can simply be added to your favorite cooked pasta brand for a quick and easy weeknight meal.
Insalata di Tonno
Another popular canned tuna item is a ready to eat lunch called insalata di tonno, which is a pre-made Italian tuna salad mixed with legumes, lentils or other ingredients in a bowl found next to the other canned tuna in supermarkets in Italy.
Paté di Tonno
I am not sure I would consider this an actually kind of canned tuna but it is a product made from tuna that Italians love. It’s a tuna spread, called paté di tonno, which they use on sandwiches, serve on crackers or use as a dip.
My Italian Family’s Favorite Tuna
My family’s preference for Italian tuna lies with that of most other Italians: filets of tuna packed in olive oil. It’s the absolute best quality and you can really taste the difference.
I served filets of Italian tuna packed in olive oil as a main dish in the summer. Simply drain the olive oil and serve the filets on a bed of lettuce with chopped tomatoes, cucumbers or your favorite vegetables. Dress with your favorite vinaigrette, if you like.
There is not one brand that is best but the most famous tuna brand is Rio Mare. For the best tuna filets, I prefer As Do Mar. I make my purchase based on sale prices as canned tuna in Italy is quite high. I buy in bulk when a good quality filet tuna packed in olive oil goes on sale, which is how I suggest anyone to buy Italian tuna as well if you are staying in Italy.
What To Do With Italian Tuna
Italian tuna is a staple among Italians, especially in the summer where it’s far too hot to cook in the middle of the day.
Italian tuna is used in many Italian households:
- to make pasta (cold or warm)
- as a topping for pizza
- in Italian tuna salad
- in tramezzini
- in tuna and ricotta meatballs
- as small sandwiches for an appetizer or aperitivo
- in cold rice salads
- as part of a larger light lunch with cold items like salad, mozzarella and tomatoes, prosciutto and melon.
Where To Buy Italian Tuna
Italian tuna can be purchased at any grocery store in Italy and even abroad at specialty Italian supermarkets or online here.
If you are in Italy, look for tuna in the canned food section of any supermarket. You can also find it at small alimentari (small grocery stores/deli) or higher end stores known as gastronomie.
Buying Italian Tuna As A Souvenir in Italy
Italian tuna is a great souvenir to bring home from Italy if you are a foodie. The best variety is full filets packed in olive oil as this is harder to come by abroad. I wouldn’t bother using your precious suitcase space for flaked tuna packed in either water or olive oil.
Check out all of my gift and souvenir guides
Food Souvenirs from Supermarkets in Italy
Italian Food Gifts to Bring Back From Italy
Handpicked Gifts for Italian Food Lovers
Handpicked Italian Cooking Gifts
Italian Cookbooks to Gift
Food Souvenirs from Italy
Food Souvenirs & Gifts from Tuscany
Food Souvenirs & Gifts from Florence
Where to Buy Specialty Food Items in Florence
Food Souvenirs from Venice
Food Souvenirs from the Cinque Terre
Best Italian Olive Oils to Bring Home
Italian Tuna FAQ
No, Italian tuna should not be rinsed. Doing this removes a lot of flavor. Drain well from its brine, water or olive oil before serving.
No, sgombro is a different fish than Italian tuna although it will be found packed similarly next to the tuna at any grocery store.
The typical recipe for Italian tuna salad is dairy free, flavored with olive oil, herbs and seasonal ingredients or regional specialties such as white beans, parsley, capers and tomatoes. You can try my recipe for Italian tuna salad.
