Easy economical low carb tuna loaf recipe
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How to make a low carb tuna loaf
This low-carb tuna loaf is not only economical, but it's a tasty family favorite. A tuna loaf fits well with your weekly meal prep rotation, it makes 4 servings with 32 grams of protein each. The protein comes from canned tuna and eggs.
You may also like this low carb cider braised pork recipe
Why you will love this keto-friendly tuna loaf recipe
Affordable keto ingredients
The ingredients in this tuna loaf will be under $10, if you make your own pork panko by turning pork rinds into crumbs via a blitz in the blender or food processor.
It uses items you probably have on hand already
low carb staples like eggs, tuna, celery, parsley, cream and probably in your kitchen right now. Seasonings like Worcestershire sauce, powdered chicken seasoning, lemon and butter help round out the flavors.
Bulk buy items
You can often find canned tuna on sale or in bulk, allowing you to save money by purchasing larger quantities. This is especially true if you buy during sales, shop at Costco or Sam's or take advantage of discounts.
Great to have as leftovers or use as keto weekly meal prep
Tuna loaf is a dish that can be enjoyed as leftovers, either reheated or cold. This means you can make a larger batch, potentially saving you time and effort in the long run. You can double the mixture easily to make an even larger batch.
You can make it let it rest in the fridge for up to 24 hours and simply take it out one hour before serving and bake it off fresh.
Serve with your favorite low carb side like green beans, spinach, cauliflower mash or roasted brussels sprouts.
You may like this list of low carb meal prep dishes
Reduce food waste
Making use of canned tuna and other basic ingredients helps reduce the likelihood of food waste. These items typically have a longer shelf life and can be stored for future use.
You may also like this post on how to cook sustainably in your own kitchen.
Simple prep
The tuna loaf recipe is straigh forward and does not require complicated cooking techniques.
The right balance of keto macros
With virtually no carbs and relatively equal proportion of protein and fat grams this will fit your keto macros. You can lower the fat but replacing the cream with whole milk but that will increase the carbs very slightly.
Family friend keto meal
Kids tend to enjoy tuna loaf as much as adults do so this may become a new family favorite.
Equipment needed to make a keto friendly tuna loaf
For this recipe you will need the following kitchen tools and equipment:
- a loaf pan (I use this silicone loaf pan for easy clean up and no greasing required)
- Something to turn pork rinds into panko if you don't buy pork panko, like a food processor or blender. I use the Cusinart smart stick set for small jobs like this.
- Sautee pan ( a 2 qt saucepan or medium-sized skillet)
- A medium sized mixing bowl to mix the tuna loaf mixture
In summary, this low-carb tuna loaf recipe can be economical thanks to its use of affordable and versatile ingredients, minimal reliance on specialty items, the potential money saving bulk purchases, leftover or meal prep high protein meal option, reduced food waste, simple preparation, and a balanced low carb macronutrient profile.
It's a practical and budget-friendly option for those following a keto lifestyle.
Low carb tuna loaf
Equipment
- 1 loaf pan
Ingredients
- 2 cans tuna (5 ounces each)
- 1 SMALL onion chopped finely
- 1 stalk celery chopped finely
- 2 TBSP butter
- 1.5 cup pork panko
- 1/2 tsp chicken boullion powder
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 c heavy cream or whole milk
- 2 TBSP chopped parsley
- 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 TBSP lemon juice
- 2 tsp dijon mustard
Instructions
- Gather ingredients
- Chop onion and celery.
- Saute in butter over med heat til very soft.
- Add chicken seasoning and pork crumbs. Turn off heat and allow to cool.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat eggs. Add cream/milk, parsley, worcestsershire sauce, mustarc and salt.
- Add cooled bread crumbs. Then gently fold in drained flaked tuna and fresh lemon juice.
- Transfer mixture to greased loaf pan or a silicone loaf pan. cover with foil and chill at least 4 hours.
- Remove from fridge one hour before ready to serve. Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 50 minutes or until knife stuck through center comes out clean. Let rest 3 minutes before slicing to serve. Loosen around side with spatula and invert pan on a plate or platter then again onto another plate so it is right side up.Garnish with lemon wedges if desired.
