The Absolute Best Canned Tuna We’ve Ever Tried

Canned tuna can be very, very hit or miss. At its best, it can be the best thing you eat all week: Firm yet tender, flavorful without being overpowering, fresh-tasting while still coming in canned form. At its worst, it can be depressing to the point of causing you to descend into a spiral about the nature of modern food production and its corner-cutting approach to sustenance. And yes. It really is that deep. 

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We’d rather not concern ourselves with the latter, though – we’re all about the former. The best. The premium options. And so, a couple of weeks back, we taste-tested dozens of different canned tunas – and one came out on top: Rio Mare. Why? Let’s discuss.

Rio Mare Tuna, We Salute You

Rio Mare Solid Light Wild Tuna in Olive Oil won the top spot in our taste test, receiving a 10/10 ranking (the runner-up, American Tuna with Sea Salt, also got the same score – but Rio Mare reigned supreme). The Italian producer has been canning fish since 1965, but its push into the US market is relatively recent. 

Unlike other tunas that come packed in oil, Rio Mare keeps things pretty light on the fat front and keeps its focus on the fish. And what fish it is. “It’s a real workhorse of a canned tuna. It’s flavorful without being fishy and tender without being mushy. This would absolutely rock in a tuna melt,” we said in our taste test. When coupled with the clear investment that Rio Mare puts into its food (and with the MSC certification that adorns each can), it’s the tuna to beat. 

And Where Can I Find This Tremendous Tuna?

Well, this is the other thing: Unlike a lot of other, more artisanal tunas out there, it’s not a chore to track down. Rio Mare is available in the Kroger family of stores and is well-stocked at Ralphs, as well as City Market, Pick ‘n Save, and King Soopers. You can check its availability near you on the Rio Mare website, using its product locator.

If you can’t find Rio Mare near you, then Scout and Ortiz tuna products also ranked pretty highly on our list — although those are, admittedly, both pretty expensive options. Trader Joe’s and Walmart Great Value tuna, meanwhile, also made the cut, down in 11th and 12th place and 8/10 and 7/10, respectively. Hey, that’s not bad.