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Canned Tuna Pate Recipe
Homemade tuna pate made with cream cheese, black pepper, salt, garlic and chives. This recipe is incredibly easy to make and takes only 10 minutes!

Give canned tuna a new life with this tuna pate recipe! It’s a great way to add mega taste to tinned tuna with very little effort.
The pate is rich, creamy and full of so much flavour – I can’t wait for you to try this! Serve with sliced baguette or crackers, even breadsticks will make an incredible pairing.
It’s pretty much perfect for any occasion like Christmas, fancy dinner parties or simply for lunch. You can of course make it for breakfast too! This tuna pate is absolutely delicious, and it looks so impressive.

Why You’ll Like This Recipe
- This tuna pate is super creamy.
- It’s a crowd-pleasing dish.
- Double or triple the recipe to serve large crowds.
- It’s ready in 10 minutes just like my smoked salmon pate!
What How To Make It
Tuna Pate Recipe Ingredients
Below are the few ingredients needed for this recipe:
- Canned Tuna: You can use canned tuna packed in spring water, brine or olive oil. Drain the tuna from the liquid before starting this recipe.
- Cream Cheese: I use full fat cream cheese; it makes this tuna pate really creamy and smooth. You can of course use lighter cream cheese options, but the pate won’t be as rich and creamy.
- Garlic: I love adding garlic when making tuna pate, it adds a delicious base flavour. I prefer using fresh garlic cloves, but you can use garlic powder or garlic granules instead.
- Chives: Adds an oniony flavour, you can use fresh chives or dried chives seasoning.
- Black Pepper: Added for flavour; white pepper is a great alternative. Feel free to add as little or as much black pepper to suit your personal preference.
- Salt: Add salt to taste. You can add salt at the end, start with a small amount of salt, then add more if needed.

What Tuna Should I Use?
Use any canned tuna, it’s usually packed in olive oil, brine or spring water.
I prefer using tuna packed in brine or spring water as I find it easier to drain. However, olive oil can aid a creamier texture and consistency.
There are different types of tuna to choose from, tuna flakes are fine to use. Tuna steak is usually higher quality and more expensive in price.
If you’re health conscious, then I recommend using tuna in spring water (or brine) as it has a lower fat content. You can always compare nutritional labels before buying.
How To Prep The Tuna
Draining tuna is quite easy, I like to use a sieve to do this.
Place the sieve over a mixing bowl, pour the tinned tuna over the sieve and use a spoon to press the tuna down. This will help remove as much liquid as possible, you can do this method with tuna packed in olive oil too.

How Much Pate Does This Make?
This recipe makes enough to feed 4 people as a dinner party starter or quick snack. It will make around 2 sandwiches if you use this pate as a sandwich filler.
As a dip, this pate can feed 4 to 5 people.
You can of course double or triple this recipe to feed larger crowds!
How To Make Homemade Tuna Pate
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to make this easy tuna pate with a cream cheese base. Full recipe instructions are on the recipe card:
Step One:

Place a sieve over a mixing bowl and drain the tuna, use a spoon to press the tuna down to remove any excess liquid.
Step Two:

Place the tuna, cream cheese, chives, garlic, black pepper and salt into a food processor.
Step Three: