Cucumber and Tuna Boats are perfect for a quick and tasty no-cook appetizer, excellent to serve at a buffet, perhaps cut into 1.5-inch pieces so each guest can grab one.
They are very easy to prepare, and they are super light because instead of using mayonnaise or spreadable cheese, we used ricotta. In short, a few simple fresh seasonal ingredients will bring a twist to a table full of good things.
If you like cucumbers, below I leave you more ideas to serve them in a simple and tasty way, and then right after the photo, we’ll discover how to prepare these Cucumber and Tuna Boats!!
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Rest time: 20 Minutes
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: No cooking
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer
Ingredients for Cucumber and Tuna Boats
- 4 cucumbers (medium small)
- 1 cup ricotta
- 4.2 oz tuna in oil
- 2 cups grape tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes)
- 1 tbsp black olive tapenade (or capers)
- 1 sprig mint
- 2 pinches salt
- to taste extra virgin olive oil
Tools
- 1 Melon Baller
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Vegetable Peeler
Preparation of Cucumber and Tuna Boats
To prepare the Cucumber and Tuna Boats, first trim and peel the cucumbers using a vegetable peeler.
Cut them in half, then using a melon baller or a teaspoon, scoop out the seeds to make the boats.
Salt them inside, flip them over, and let them rest for 20 minutes, then pat them dry with paper towels.
Meanwhile, cut the grape tomatoes into small pieces, place them in a bowl, and season with salt, extra virgin olive oil, and finely chopped mint.
In a second bowl, mix the ricotta with the drained tuna in oil, add the olive tapenade if desired, or finely chopped capers.
Salt and pepper, mixing well.
Now that everything is ready, once the cucumbers are dry, fill them with the ricotta and tuna mixture, pressing lightly.
Sprinkle on top with the seasoned grape tomatoes and, if desired, a few more mint leaves cut with scissors.
You can serve them immediately at room temperature or keep them in the fridge for a few hours to enhance the flavor.
How to Store Cucumber and Tuna Boats
You can store them in the fridge for 1 day. If you like, you can prepare the grape tomatoes and ricotta with tuna the day before, and hollow out the cucumbers and stuff them just before serving the next day.
