Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ready in 10 minutes
• No cooking required
• Only a handful of ingredients
• Can be prepared ahead
• Perfect for tapas parties and entertaining
• Easy to scale for a crowd

About the Other Ingredients

These are often made with the highest quality tinned ingredients. Canned food in Spain is something of a mystery to many foreigners, myself included before. You can often buy expensive cans of mussels, anchovies, piquillo peppers, etc., in bars. Even when you buy good-quality canned food in supermarkets here, it’s usually more expensive than their fresh counterparts. 

This may seem a little contradictory in many parts of the world, where canned food is considered nothing more than a basic cheap necessity. But the high-quality ones here are sensational and carefully packed with the best ingredients, and so flavorful. 

This doesn’t mean you need to run out and buy the most expensive ingredients you can find, the combination of flavors in this recipe ensures it will be delicious no matter what.

We’ve covered the all important piquillo pepper, so I’ll start with the other starring ingredient: tuna. 

Canned Tuna

Bonito del Norte (Albacore) tuna is the Spanish gold standard for tuna, and is often used in this recipe. It can come in cans or jars, and the tuna meat is chunky and stays firm when preserved in oil, but still has a beautiful tender texture. 

Some great options for good quality canned Spanish tuna:

• Ortiz, Tuna Bonito
• Fishwife Albacore Tuna in Olive Oil
• Ortiz Ventresca White Tuna Belly in Olive Oil
• Spanish Yellowfin Tuna Ventresca Bellies In Olive Oil
• Matiz España Bonito Del Norte Tuna in Olive Oil

The important point is that premium bonito is best used where its texture and flavor remain prominent, which makes sense flavor-wise here because there’s no cooking required. But since we’re flaking the tuna, you lose the gorgeous texture, so use any can of tuna as long as it’s in olive oil.

Mayonnaise or Aioli

Both work great in this recipe, so it comes down to personal choice. Mayonnaise will give you a sweeter outcome, whereas aioli (with its garlic and lemon) will give it a slightly more punchy taste. And yes, there is already some lemon in the recipe, but it is useful to balance the sweet flavors. 

Capers or Pickles

Capers are salty and savory, whereas pickles are sweet and sour. Both add volumes to recipes, so pick your favorite, or depending on your mood. It’s not super traditional to add pickles in this recipe here, so if you’re after a more authentic Spanish dish, go for capers. However, pickles are common in many other Spanish recipes, such as the Ensalada Rusa (tuna potato salad).

Onions or Shallots

This dish typically uses shallots for a milder sweeter flavor. But you can also use onion, just keep in mind they have a sharper flavor profile that’s slightly spicy when eaten raw.

Variations

If you want to play around with this recipe, some common additions are boiled egg and green olives. If you love these, throw some in, just remember to add a touch more mayonnaise to keep it creamy and holding together. Another less common ingredient used is nutmeg. Nutmeg gives it a lovely slightly spiced and warmer vibe. 

Are These Pintxos or Tapas?

These can be served as tapas or pintxos. Pintxos are typically bite-sized or individual portions of food served on a small plate. They’re often served on a piece of baguette and secured with a cocktail skewer, but can be served alone as a single portion on a plate. 

Tapas are small plates of food to share between friends and family. A tapas portion of these would look like a plate with multiple stuffed piquillo peppers laid out, often with a bread basket in the middle of the table, but you can hold the bread here too. 

Serving Suggestions

If you’re making these as party of a pintxos or tapas spread, here are some other easy plates that make great party food:

• Classic Gilda Pintxos – Probably the most famous pinchos from the Basque Country, it consists of olives, guindilla peppers, and anchovies on a skewer. 
• Spanish Garlic Zucchini – Delicious fried zucchini rounds with garlic and parsley, topped with manchego cheese. 
• Paprika-Infused Pork Bites – Pork belly or pancetta pieces marinated in smoked paprika, thyme, garlic powder, and olive oil, then pan fried. 
• Anchovy and pepper spread – An easy crowd pleaser to top on crusty bread or seeded crackers. 
• Spiced Cheese Pate (Almogrote) – With just 2 minutes of prep and 4 ingredients, you get a delicious lightly spiced cheese pate. 
• Marinated Olives –  Grab a selection of green, black, and red olives, and marinate them in garlic, orange, lemon, vinegar, olive oil, and herbs.

Nutrition Facts — Per Serving

*Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

FAQs

Can I make tuna and piquillo pepper pintxos ahead of time?

Yes. Prepare the tuna filling up to 1 day ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Then, stuff the peppers no more than a few hours before serving and keep in the fridge until ready. If you’re adding the peppers onto bread, do this as close to serving time as possible or it will go soggy.

Can I use tuna in spring water instead of olive oil?

You can, but because it’s drier, add a little olive oil to your tuna while you’re flaking it. The filling should be very creamy.

Do piquillo peppers need to be cooked?

The piquillo peppers you buy in a jar are already cooked during the canning process. You can eat them straight from the jar or stuff them with tuna or your favorite filling. 

Can I use aioli instead of mayonnaise?

Yes, you can use aioli instead of mayonnaise in this recipe. It will give a slightly stronger flavor, but also works very well with the tuna and peppers. 

How long do piquillo pepper pintxos keep?

The stuffed peppers can be refrigerated for up to 1 day, but you will notice some liquid runoff from the sauce. Give them a delicate shake to remove excess moisture and serve them on a new plate or on pieces of baguette.

Love this recipe?

Leave us a comment and tell us your favorite Spanish recipe! 

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• Gambas al Pil Pil (Garlic Prawns with Chili)
• Padron Peppers Recipe (Pimientos de Padrón)
• Chorizo in Red Wine Tapas Recipe | Chorizo al Vino Tinto