Recipes › Bread & Pizza › Tuna Pizza Recipe

Tuna Pizza Recipe

Recipe by Pedro M. A. Neves

This Italian tuna pizza combines a crispy, thin crust with a vibrant tomato base and flaked albacore tuna, finished with red onions, capers, and fresh parsley. A classic preparation from coastal regions of Italy, it delivers bright Mediterranean flavors in every slice. Simple, satisfying, and ready in under an hour, it's an authentic weeknight dinner or casual gathering centerpiece.

Ingredients

• 500g all-purpose flour (3.5 cups)
• 325ml warm water (1.4 cups)
• 7g active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
• 5ml olive oil (1 teaspoon), plus 45ml (3 tablespoons) for finishing
• 5g salt (1 teaspoon)
• 300ml canned crushed tomatoes (1.25 cups)
• 2g dried oregano (0.5 teaspoon)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 200g canned tuna in olive oil (7 oz), drained and flaked
• 60g red onion (0.5 medium), thinly sliced
• 30g capers (3 tablespoons), drained
• 15g fresh flat-leaf parsley (2 tablespoons), chopped
• 60g fresh mozzarella (2 oz), torn into small pieces
• 5g sea salt (1 teaspoon) for finishing

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine warm water, yeast, and 5ml olive oil. Let sit for 5 minutes until foamy, indicating the yeast is active.

2. In a large bowl, mix flour and salt. Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and stir with a wooden spoon until a shaggy dough forms.

3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding minimal flour as needed.

4. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise at room temperature for 60 minutes until doubled in volume.

5. Preheat oven to 250°C (480°F). While dough rises, prepare tomato sauce by combining crushed tomatoes, minced garlic, dried oregano, and 15ml olive oil in a small saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool slightly.

6. Divide dough in half. On a floured surface, gently stretch one portion into a 25cm (10-inch) round, using your fingertips to shape the edges thicker than the center.

7. Place stretched dough on a pizza stone or baking sheet. Spread half the tomato sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1cm (0.5-inch) border. Distribute half the flaked tuna, red onion, and capers across the sauce.

8. Scatter half the torn mozzarella pieces over the toppings, then drizzle with 15ml olive oil. Bake for 12-14 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is melted with light browning.

9. Remove pizza from oven and scatter half the fresh parsley over the top. Finish with a light sprinkle of sea salt. Repeat steps 6-9 with the remaining dough and toppings. Cool for 2 minutes before slicing.

Substitutions

• Use fresh tuna steak (100g per pizza) seared rare and flaked instead of canned tuna for a premium texture and flavor.
• Replace mozzarella with creamy burrata cheese, added after baking, for a richer, softer finish.
• Substitute capers with 30g Castelvetrano olives, pitted and halved, for a briny, buttery alternative.
• Use whole wheat flour for 50% of the flour to add nuttiness and increase fiber content.

Tips

• For a crispier crust, bake on a preheated pizza stone placed on the bottom rack of the oven rather than on a sheet pan.
• Drain canned tuna thoroughly and consider patting it dry with paper towels to prevent excess moisture from making the pizza soggy.
• Allow the pizza to rest for 2 minutes after baking before slicing—this helps the cheese set and the crust become crispier.
• If dough is sticky during shaping, chill it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before stretching to make handling easier.

Tuna pizza reflects Italy's strong fishing traditions, particularly in Campania and southern Sicily, where canned tuna (tonno) has been a pantry staple since the early 20th century. This dish exemplifies the Italian approach to pizza as an affordable, resourceful meal that celebrates quality ingredients without complexity.

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