Delicious Tuna Buns Recipe

Author:

Baking is one of my favorite pastimes. I enjoy baking cookies, cakes, breads, pies, muffins, cupcakes, and much more.

Homemade Tuna Buns

As much as I love sweet buns, I also love savory buns.

Back when I was a student, one of the staple food items in my pantry was canned tuna. I loved how versatile tuna was. You can eat it right away from the can, or you can jazz it up with other ingredients to create a salad or pasta dish.

Over the weekend, I decided to make tuna buns for lunch. I used canned tuna in water, but you can also use tuna in olive oil. Either way, be sure to drain the liquid from the tuna before preparing this recipe.

These tuna buns are delicious to serve warm. Save any remaining buns by wrapping them individually with cling wrap; they will keep well at room temperature for a day. To keep them longer, place them in the fridge and warm them in the oven before serving.

Ingredients

For the dough:

1/4 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup warm milk
1 large egg, room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg beaten, for egg wash

For the tuna filling:

1 can tuna, drained (I used unflavored tuna in water))
1 green serrano pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 small red onion, minced
Sesame seeds, for topping

My weekend lunch on the porch. Warm and soft tuna buns are delicious!

Directions

Prepare for the tuna filling: In a bowl, combine the tuna, chopped onion, serrano pepper, red onion, salt, pepper, lime juice, and mayonnaise. Mix with a spoon until it's well combined. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and put it in the fridge.
In a mixing bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Stir to combine. Let the yeast mixture rests for 5 minutes or until it's foamy.
Combine the flour, egg, and butter into the yeast mixture. Transfer the mixing bowl to a stand mixer with a hook attachment.
Mix at low speed for 2 minutes to combine. Continue mixing at medium speed until it's well combined or forms a dough. If it's too sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time.
Transfer the dough to a greased bowl. Cover with cling wrap. Let it sit for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.
When the dough is ready to divide and shape, take out the tuna filling from the fridge.
Deflate the dough and divide it into 12 equal-sized portions. Using a rolling pin or your palms, flatten each portion to a 1/4-inch thickness. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the tuna mixture in the center of the dough.
Fold the edges over the center and pull it over to cover the filling. Shape the dough into a smooth ball, tucking the ends underneath to close. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Arrange the dough balls on a baking pan that is lined with parchment paper. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise again for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 350 F.
Brush the surface of the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Bake at 350 F for 18-22 minutes, or until golden.

Photo Guide

In a bowl, combine the tuna, chopped onion, serrano pepper, red onion, salt, pepper, lime juice, and mayonnaise.

Mix with a spoon until it's well combined. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and put it in the fridge.

In a mixing bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, and sugar. Stir to combine.

Combine the flour and butter into the yeast mixture.

If the dough too sticky, add one tablespoon of flour at a time.

Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized portions.

Using a rolling pin or your palms, flatten each portion into 1/4 inch thickness. I used my hands.

Spoon about a tablespoon of the tuna mixture in the center of the dough.

Fold the edges over the center and pull it over to cover the filling. Shape the dough into a smooth ball, tucking the ends underneath to close.

Arrange the dough balls on a baking pan that is lined with parchment paper.

Brush the surface of the dough with the egg wash.

Bake at 350 F for 18-22 minutes, or until golden.

Enjoy the warm tuna buns for lunch or a snack!

In a bowl, combine the tuna, chopped onion, serrano pepper, red onion, salt, pepper, lime juice, and mayonnaise.

Comments

Liza (author) from USA on August 09, 2020:

Yes, it is Diana. The tuna bun is perfect for snacking or picnic food. My husband stole some of the dough and put a sausage inside. Thank you for commenting!

Diana Carol Abrahamson from Somerset West on August 09, 2020:

Love your homemade tuna buns. What an easy way to eat tuna. On it's own it can be boring.Thanks for sharing your detailed recipe, accompanied by lovely photos.

Liza (author) from USA on July 24, 2020:

You're welcome, Thelma. The recipe is very simple, I bet you have no problem making these delicious tuna buns at home. I hope you'll make it. Thank you for commenting. Have a nice weekend.

Thelma Alberts from Germany on July 24, 2020:

I have not tried eating tuna buns but I am sure that I will love this as I love tuna in a sandwich. Thank you for sharing the recipe. I would love to try this.

Liza (author) from USA on July 22, 2020:

Hi Shawindi, thank you. You'll love it!

Shawindi Silva from Sri lanka on July 22, 2020:

I love your recipe and I'm going to try it!!!

Liza (author) from USA on July 22, 2020:

Hi Linda, tuna bun filling is one of the popular snacks in Malaysia. I have made a bunch of tuna sandwiches, but I never made tuna bun. Last weekend I tried making them at home for lunch, and they were delicious! Yes, they are perfect for picnic food too.

Linda Crampton from British Columbia, Canada on July 21, 2020:

I don't think I've ever eaten buns with a tuna filling before. I like the idea very much. They would be a lovely snack or meal addition and a great picnic food