Should You Rinse Canned Tuna Before Eating It?

Canned tuna is the pantry powerhouse behind so many quick and easy lunches and dinners. To make those meals, it is common to separate the tuna from the canning liquid when incorporating it into salads, seafood cakes, and casseroles, but should you take it one step further and rinse the fish? As with many culinary questions, there is no firm answer one way or the other; it all comes down to individual preferences.

Salt content is the main reason to consider rinsing tuna. A 1983 study published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association found that a three-minute-long rinse reduced the sodium content by around 80%. If you are monitoring your sodium intake or just have a strong sensitivity to salt, this may be the option for you. Simply tip the tuna into a fine mesh strainer, and wash it under clean, cold, running water from your tap or a pitcher. Drain it well by firmly pressing down on the rinsed fish with the back of a spoon. You can also consider seeking out cans specifically labeled as "low sodium" or "no sodium added."

Those counting their caloric intake may find another reason to rinse tuna. Oil-packed tuna has around double the fat and calories that water-packed varieties have. If you prefer a lighter option and you grabbed an oil-packed can by mistake, a good rinse will help to remove some of that excess oil.

If taste is your highest priority, skip the rinse. This is especially true if you are buying top canned tuna brands that pack the fish in delicious olive oil, bringing bright, citrus-forward, peppery notes to the table. It would be a downright travesty to wash that liquid gold down the drain. In fact, you can even reserve that oil to saute aromatics for a perfect pasta puttanesca, build a deliciously savory vinaigrette, or finish a simple Niçoise salad recipe.

Rinsing tuna can also cause it to break apart past the point of salvation if you manipulate it too vigorously. You want tender flakes to finish a dish, not a pile of mush. Also, rinsing can make tuna taste and feel watery. When you are using canned tuna to upgrade boxed mac and cheese or making your favorite tuna salad, you probably do not want extra liquid in the mix. If you prefer a higher quality product, rinsing would do more harm than good.