Open can, heat, and eat—that is how most of us usually prepare and serve canned food. But sometimes, our taste buds go on a search for something more to add to the already-familiar flavor that caters to our appetite.

Here are six dishes you can cook using your staple canned goods from your pantry.

Tuna Fritters

Use up that can of tuna to make these flavorful fritters that you can eat on its own or serve with other delightful dips and dressings. Preparing this dish will also give you plus points for children who may be dining with you because this fun and healthy twist will make canned tuna taste less like your usual canned tuna.

Spaghetti with Chilli, Sardines and Oregano

Although it may sound simple, this dish incorporating canned sardines into your favorite pasta dish can give your usual way of cooking this common canned good the revamp you’re looking for. Check out this recipe prepared by Gordon Ramsay himself, and you’d definitely end up appreciating the unique flavor of this spiced-up pasta dish in no time.

Pochero with Pork and Beans

Just the aroma of this stew that every Filipino household has grown to love is enough to make us dash to the kitchen and grab a plate. Combined with canned pork and beans instead of the usual tomato sauce and chickpeas in its recipe, this version of pochero will make you realize why you should treasure the can of pork and beans in your kitchen cabinet more.

Corned Beef Kimchi Fried Rice

If you’re itching to try another cuisine, then this addition of corned beef to the famous Korean kimchi fried rice is your way to go. Corned beef’s salty taste pairs well with the flavorful fermented kimchi—and when combined with fried rice, this dish becomes the epitome of the word “delicious” itself.

Sardine Curry

Bringing out a new side and taste to sardines, this delectable curry recipe combines the dish’s usual distinct flavor brought by its blend of spices together with the pleasant salty taste of the common canned food—all for a unique dining experience.

Arroz Con Salchicha

Anything arroz can make our stomach howl with excitement, and this arroz con salchicha recipe is definitely one of them. With its rich and savory taste, this Cuban-style yellow rice with Vienna sausages will definitely make you end up with a clean plate every time.

Header photo courtesy of Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

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