Choux with Tuna Salad, Eggs, and Vegetables
A perfect recipe for those moments when you don’t feel like spending too much time in the kitchen.
Savoury choux with Tuna Salad, Eggs, and Vegetables
Course: Snacks, AppetizersCuisine: French, EuropeanDifficulty: medium14
servings45
minutes1
hour300
kcal1
hour45
minutes“What do you cook when you don’t feel like cooking?” – this week’s theme really got me thinking.
Don’t forget that you can also find this recipe on Chef Adrian Hădean’s blog, along with many other delicious recipes.
And because I can’t just show you fried potatoes with eggs and cheese – honestly, the most common “quick fix” in our house for exactly these low-energy days – I had to come up with a recipe that would at least spark your curiosity.
This is a perfect recipe for those moments when you don’t feel like spending too much time in the kitchen. The choux pastries are simple and quick to make, and the tuna salad filling with eggs and vegetables delivers a delicious, balanced taste – ideal for a light meal.
This whole idea of “not feeling like cooking” has a simple explanation for me. It’s not that I don’t want to cook, but somewhere, somehow, my subconscious is screaming that it’s a bit bored of what’s in the fridge and is craving “something good.”
And yes – you’ve probably noticed that most of the time that “something good” we crave is usually some kind of “junk food” – in other words, a plate full of fats, sauces, fried things… everything, as fast as possible. OK! It works. Once, maybe twice… but not always!
These choux pastries visually give us that sensation of the “something good” our mind is looking for, and the tuna and vegetable filling balances out the meal perfectly. It’s a sort of guilt-free pleasure, with a bonus of freshness.
Ingredientes:
For 12–14 choux pastry shells:
80 ml milk80 ml water
70 g butter
130 g flour
a pinch of salt
150 g eggs (approximately 3–4 eggs, depending on size)
For the tuna, egg, and vegetable salad:
200 g canned tuna (in its own juice)2 boiled eggs
1-2 ripe avocados
50 g corn
2 small red onions
1 fresh cucumber
2-3 pickled cucumbers
30 g mayonnaise (optional)
50 g greek yogurt
Salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste
Preparation:
- So here’s what I came up with, thinking of a tasty, quick, and slightly fresher option – without compromising on flavor:
- I started by preparing the dough for the choux shells, as they need a bit of cooling time both during the dough preparation and after baking.
In a small saucepan, I combined the milk, butter, and water. I kept it over low heat, without bringing it to a boil, until the butter was fully melted. Then I added the salt and all the flour at once. I quickly mixed everything, incorporating the flour well for about 1–2 minutes, making sure to keep the heat low. - I let the mixture cool for about 15 minutes, stirring it occasionally. It needs to be just slightly warm when adding the eggs to prevent them from turning into scrambled eggs.
- I added the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. For me, 3 eggs were enough. I transferred the resulting dough into a piping bag and shaped the choux on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Baking the Choux Pastry Shells:
I placed the tray in the preheated oven at maximum temperature (250°C in my case), on the middle rack. I immediately reduced the temperature to 220°C and baked the choux for 15 minutes. Then, I lowered the heat to 180°C for another 15–20 minutes, this time turning on the oven’s ventilation.
Important: Do not open the oven door during this time, or you’ll end up with flat, collapsed choux shells! - As mentioned above, the second cooling stage follows. As soon as I took them out of the oven, I transferred the choux shells onto a wire rack and let them cool completely.
The next step was to carefully cut off the “tops” of each choux and prepare the filling. - Preparing the tuna salad with eggs and vegetables:
I chose to use finely shredded tuna in its own juice for this salad — for me, the oil-packed tuna is too rich. After draining it very well, I added it to a bowl.
Over the tuna, I added the finely chopped vegetables, corn, mayonnaise, and yogurt. I seasoned the salad with salt and pepper to taste, and finally added lemon juice — just enough to perfectly balance the flavors. - Mmm… we’re almost at the finish line, pretty quickly, I must say. A little side note: these choux shells smell absolutely amazing — they literally make you want to eat them even plain. But let’s fill them up!
On each half of the choux, I placed 2–3 teaspoons of the salad. Optionally, you can add finely chopped green onions, parsley, or even some extra corn on top if you like.
I arranged the tops nicely, added a delicate sprig of dill… and voilà! - Serving Choux with Tuna, Eggs, and Vegetable Salad:
When it comes to serving, the pictures really speak for themselves. Many of you might consider these as appetizers or maybe brunch. Oh, or why not… a snack.
As for me, I just couldn’t decide! Even though the choux should ideally chill for at least 2–3 hours, we served them immediately. Waiting that long felt like forever… and it would have been a shame! The slightly crispy shell combined with this delightful salad – even if it seems like a complex dish, trust me, it’s not! - As a closing note…
I’ve never started cooking a recipe thinking it surely won’t turn out, but rather believing that something good will come of it. I learn from my mistakes, and next time, it will definitely be better.
Don’t forget to savor the flavors and put your heart into everything you cook — by respecting what you eat, you’re also respecting yourself and your loved ones. - So, I’m eagerly waiting to hear if you’ve tried this recipe: what you liked, what didn’t work for you, any ideas to improve it, or maybe even a recipe that’s even better! You can find me here, and I’m always happy to respond.
Happy cooking, my friends!
