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by sanna last updated July 26, 2019 posted July 31, 2019 6 Comments

Tuna Buns

 These Tuna Buns are perfect for quick lunches, snacks or picnic food. You will love the savory tuna filling nestled inside soft bread with sesame seeds as a tasty garnish.

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Tuna buns on a serving plate.

The wonder of bread is that you can fill it with almost anything. Last time, we had white chocolate in these white chocolate buns. We also had sweet milk cream inside these pan de leche.
 

I love how I am able to put in anything I want to, whatever I was craving at the moment. Remember when I said on Instagram that I think I am spending half the summer thinking of what to fill bread with? I was serious.

Photo of a tuna bun showing the tuna filling inside.

Today, we have a savory filled bread. Today, we put those canned tuna in your pantry to good use.

Tuna along with mayo, scallions,  and cilantro makes a tasty filling to soft buns. Then top that with sesame seeds, glorious!
 
Tuna filling for breadTuna buns on a serving plate.
 
I love how a savory bread can double up as a meal. Throw it in with a salad on the side, or eat a couple or more on their own and you have a light tasty meal.
 

And the sesame seeds toppings! They add a wonderful savory touch and texture to the buns. I wouldn’t skip it.

Top shot angle view of tuna buns.

How to Make Tuna Buns?

In a mixing bowl, combine yeast, warm water and about a teaspoon of sugar. Let this stand for 5 minutes, or until it is foamy. Add milk, egg, softened butter, sugar and salt. Stir everything with a wooden spoon. 

Add 3 cups of flour gradually, stirring until incorporated. Add just enough of the remaining flour, until the dough gathers into a shaggy mass. You may not need all of the flour.

Turn the dough over on a lightly floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth, elastic and can stretch thinly. As you knead, add flour sparingly as needed to help when the dough sticks too much to the board or your hands. But don’t overdo it.

The risen dough of tuna buns on the left and the divided dough portions on the right.

Shape it into a ball and place it in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours, or until the size is doubled. (New to kneading? See How to Knead Bread Dough with Video)

Gently deflate the dough and divide to 12 portions. Using a rolling pin or your palms, flatten a portion into 1/4 inch thickness. Spoon about a tablespoon of the tuna mixture in the center of the dough.

Filling the dough with the tuna mixture.

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 all the remaining dough.

Proving the tuna buns dough for the second time.

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 an hour, or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Brush the surface of the dough with the egg wash and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Bake tuna buns at 350 F for 18-22 minutes, or until golden. Serve warm.

Top shot of the tuna buns dough, ready for baking in the oven.

So picnic, quick lunch or breakfast, these tuna buns will fill you up. They are a delicious quick bite! You will see as they disappear so fast! 
 
The tuna buns on a baking pan, freshly baked.

More Filled Bread For You:

  • Strawberry Cream Buns
  • Spanish Bread
  • Honey Cream Buns with Honey Glaze
  • Chocolate Brioche
  • Chocolate Croissant
Photo of tuna buns on a plate with some tuna buns on a baking pan as background.

More Savory Bread:

  • Mushroom Jalapeno Naan Pizza
  • Chicken BBq Pizza
  • Whole Wheat Focaccia with Caramelized Onions
  • Easy Focaccia
  • Garlic Herb Bread
Photo of tuna buns on a plate with some tuna buns on a baking pan as background.
Print

Tuna Buns

These Tuna Buns are perfect for quick lunches, snacks or picnic food. You will love the savory tuna filling nestled inside soft bread with sesame seeds as a tasty garnish. 

Course Side Dish, Snacks
Cuisine Asian
Keyword tuna buns
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
rise times for the dough 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 43 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 245 kcal
Author sanna

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • 1/4 cup warm water 105-115 F
  • 2 and 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
  • 3/4 cup warm milk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup softened butter unsalted
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cup plus 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 egg beaten, for egg wash

For the Tuna Filling

  • 1 and 1/4 cup (dry measuring cup) unflavored tuna flakes from the can, drained or 2 Century tuna cans / 2 x121 grams
  • 4 stalks green onion chopped
  • 4 tbsp mayonnaisse
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
  • 1 heaping tablespoon minced onion
  • sesame seeds for toppings

Instructions

Prepare the Tuna Filling

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Set aside

Make the Dough

  1. In a mixing bowl, combine yeast, warm water and about a teaspoon of sugar. Let this stand for 5 minutes, or until it is foamy. Add milk, egg, softened butter, sugar and salt. Stir everything with a wooden spoon. 

  2. Add 3 cups of flour gradually, stirring until incorporated. Add just enough of the remaining flour, until the dough gathers into a shaggy mass. You may not need all of the flour.
  3. Turn the dough over on a lightly floured surface. Knead until the dough is smooth, elastic and can stretch thinly. Add flour sparingly as needed to help when the dough sticks too much to the board or your hands. Shape it into a ball and place it in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and let rise for 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours, or until the size is doubled.
  4. Gently deflate the dough and divide to 12 portions. Using a rolling pin or your palms, flatten a portion into 1/4 inch thickness. 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. Repeat with the remaining dough.

  5. 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 an hour, or until doubled in size.

  6. Preheat 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. Serve warm. Store leftovers in a tightly closed container at room temperature for up to two days.

Recipe Notes

These Tuna Buns are perfect for quick lunches, snacks or picnic food. You will love the savory tuna filling nestled inside soft bread with sesame seeds as a tasty garnish. #tuna #savorybread #bread
These Tuna Buns are perfect for quick lunches, snacks or picnic food. You will love the savory tuna filling nestled inside soft bread with sesame seeds as a tasty garnish. #tuna #savorybread #bread

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  • Sesame buns stacked on a baking tray.Mongo (Red Mung) Sesame Buns
  • Sweet and savory bread on a serving platter.Sweet and Savory Bread Basket
  • Sliced whole wheat focaccia on a plate.Whole Wheat Focaccia with Caramelized Onions and Mozzarella
  • Focaccia bread sliced into rectangles and arranged in a bowl.Easy Focaccia Bread
  • Serve this Tuna Pasta for a light, meat-free dish that is packed with flavor and texture. It is a simple and tasty dish that is ready in no time.Tuna Pasta
  • A shot of a Nutella cookie, halved to show the Nutella filling inside.Nutella Filled Chocolate Chip Cookies

Made this recipe?

I would love to see! Tag me @sanna.womanscribbles on Instagram

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Filed Under: bread Tagged With: savory bread, sesame seeds, tuna

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. bes says

    August 18, 2020 at 5:35 am

    may i know the shelf life for this bread with tuna filling?

    Reply
    • sanna says

      August 19, 2020 at 12:23 pm

      Hello there! Store them in a tightly covered container for up to 2 days at room temperature. Or refrigerate for up to a week, Re-heat leftovers in the microwave for about 8-15 seconds.

      Reply
  2. Kristina says

    September 13, 2019 at 3:00 pm

    Hi Sanna! Can I put this tuna filling on your pandesal recipe? Thank you!

    Reply
    • sanna says

      September 14, 2019 at 6:44 am

      Hello, Kristina. Yes , you can ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  3. Elizabeth says

    August 9, 2019 at 9:38 am

    This looks so delicious !! Do you know how we can make the dough in either a bread machine or with a stand mixer ? Thanks !!

    Reply
    • sanna says

      August 9, 2019 at 10:32 am

      Thank you, Elizabeth! To do this on a stand mixer, start everything using the bowl of a stand mixer. Once you begin to add the flour, use the dough hook attachment to stir the dough, adding the flour one cup at a time. Use medium speed. Then add the remaining flour gradually as you stir the dough. Once the dough gathers in the center of the bowl and starts to cling to the dough hook. Stop adding the flour and just continue to run the mixer on medium speed until the dough looks smooth. If you take a portion out with your hands, you should be able to stretch it thinly. This should not take long using a stand mixer. The key is to keep checking the texture of the dough ๐Ÿ™‚ Good luck!

      Reply

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Meet Sanna

Hi! I am sanna. A mom, wife, a pastry lover, a bread nerd and so in love with yoga. Read Moreโ€ฆ

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Sanna is a wife and mother of three, living in Manitoba Canada. Her passion for baking, making good food and writing sparked her desire to start Woman Scribbles.

She loves yoga, pastries, reading books and camping during the summer. She loves cilantro, avocado toast, and a real crispy fried chicken.

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