Lemon tuna stuffed potatoes with cucumber and chives

Crisp-skinned baked potatoes make a simple base for a fresh lemon-tuna filling with cucumber and chives. The recipe is lactose-free as written when you choose yoghurt specifically labelled lactose-free, and the components are easy to adapt to individual needs.

Ingredients

• 4 medium baking potatoes, about 250 g each
• 10 mL extra-virgin olive oil
• 425 g canned tuna in springwater, drained well
• 120 g plain lactose-free Greek-style yoghurt
• 150 g Lebanese cucumber, finely diced
• 20 mL fresh lemon juice
• 2 g finely grated lemon zest
• 10 g fresh chives, finely chopped
• 10 g flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• 1 g smoked or sweet paprika
• 1 g fine salt, or less to taste
• 0.5 g ground black pepper, optional
• 80 g mixed salad leaves, to serve
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C fan-forced. Scrub the potatoes and pat them dry.
2. Prick each potato several times with a fork, rub with the olive oil and place directly on an oven rack with a tray underneath. Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until the skins are crisp and a small knife passes easily through the centre.
3. While the potatoes bake, combine the drained tuna, lactose-free yoghurt, cucumber, lemon juice, lemon zest, chives, parsley, paprika, salt and optional pepper in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
4. Place each baked potato on a plate and carefully cut a deep cross in the top. Press the sides gently to open it, taking care with the steam.
5. Fluff the potato flesh lightly with a fork. Divide the chilled tuna filling among the four potatoes.
6. Serve straight away with the salad leaves and lemon wedges.

Intolerance and allergy considerations

• Lactose: use yoghurt specifically labelled lactose-free. It still contains milk proteins and is not suitable for cow’s-milk allergy.
• Fish: tuna is a fish allergen and must not be served to anyone with a fish allergy.
• Gluten: no wheat-containing ingredient is intentionally added, but check the tuna, yoghurt and seasonings and prevent cross-contact if gluten avoidance is medically required.
• FODMAPs: this recipe has not been labelled low FODMAP. Ingredient brands, serving size and individual tolerance matter.
• Histamine: canned fish may not suit people following an individual low-histamine plan.

Practical substitutions

• For a dairy-free filling, replace the yoghurt with 120 g plain unsweetened plant-based yoghurt or mayonnaise that suits your needs. Check the label for allergens and added ingredients.
• Replace tuna with 300 g shredded cooked chicken for a fish-free version, provided chicken suits your dietary needs.
• If chives do not suit you, use an extra 10 g parsley or fresh dill.
• If citrus does not suit you, omit the lemon zest and juice and loosen the filling with 15 mL water or a suitable vinegar.
• For a softer skin, wrap each potato loosely in baking paper before cooking; allow a little extra cooking time.

Serving and storage

Keep the tuna filling refrigerated at 5°C or colder until serving. Refrigerate leftovers promptly, within 2 hours, and use within 2 days. Store the potatoes and filling separately where possible, then reheat the potato until steaming hot before adding cold filling. Do not repeatedly reheat leftovers.

More everyday ideas

For another portable meal, try our rainbow tofu rice-paper rolls. You can also browse all Intoleran Australia recipes or read our guide to planning lunches and shift-day meals.