Name: Tuna Pate Recipe (So Good)
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 150 g Tinned Tuna ((1 Tin)); 100 g Cream Cheese; 1 tsp Chives (3 Sticks); ½ tsp Garlic Clove ((Or Minced Garlic)); 1 tsp Black Pepper; ½ tsp Salt ((Or To Taste))

Some of the links below are affiliate links, so we may receive a commission, at no cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Check our Disclosure in the Privacy Policy for more info.

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!

Jump to Recipe - Jump to Video

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:

Pulse the mixture until the pate is creamy and smooth (or until it reaches your desired consistency).

Step Four:

Taste the pate and feel free to add extra salt, black pepper or other seasonings to taste. Place the tuna pate in a bowl or airtight container and enjoy!

Do I Have To Use A Food Processor?

No, you don’t have to use a food processor to make this tuna pate, but it won’t be as smooth. The next best alternative is to use a hand-processor.

If you don’t have either, don’t worry! Shred the tuna chunks into small pieces with a fork and slice into smaller pieces with a knife. Then mix the tuna with the rest of the pate ingredients and enjoy!

Recipe Variations

Use Mayonnaise: If you want to make this tuna pate recipe without cream cheese, mayonnaise is a great swap. Try the recipe before adding salt, most mayonnaise you buy have salt already added to it.

Change The Seasonings: With homemade pates you can add whatever ingredients you feel like or have. Fresh herbs like dill or coriander will taste great in this pate.

Increase The Heat: This tuna pate is quite mild; you can increase the heat by adding hot chilli sauce or hot chilli peppers.

My Top Tips

If you like an extremely smooth and creamy pate, pulse the ingredients in a food processor until the consistency is reached. If you want a chunky spread, you can mix all the ingredients together in a mixing bowl instead of using a food processor.

The pate will be quite soft once blended, place it in the fridge for a few hours (overnight for best results) and take it out of the fridge just before serving. This will help the pate to firm up.

Want to add a little bit of texture to your pate? Once the pate is made, sprinkle diced spring onions, capers or extra small chunks of tuna.

How To Store Tuna Pate

To store, keep the tuna pate in an airtight container and store in the fridge. Eat within 3 days.

Can You Freeze Tuna Pate?

You can freeze this pate! To freeze, place the pate in an airtight container and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.

When you’re ready to eat it, take the pate out of the freezer and leave in the fridge to defrost.

Tools And Equipment Needed

I used this Ninja food processor to blend the ingredients together. A food processor is needed to pulse all the ingredients into a smooth and fine paste.

You can store the pate in any airtight container but if I’m serving it to friends, I like to use dip bowls or store the pate in these preserve jars.

What To Serve With Tuna Pate

Check out these recipes below, you can serve them with this tuna pate recipe: