01
Swordfish Fish
10.0best for marinade1:1
Dense meaty steak fish; grill or broil thick-cut, very similar texture and mild flavor
10.0
tuna substitute
for marinade.
Marinades for tuna involve acid-based denaturation (citrus ceviche-style, soy-mirin teriyaki, sesame-ginger poke) where surface proteins denature in 15-30 minutes at pH 4 or below. Penetration past 1/8 inch is poor on dense fish flesh — surface treatment dominates. Substitutes ranked by skin-on density (dense flesh holds short marinades), surface-area uptake of soy or salt, and grill-tolerance once seared. Plant-protein subs like tofu or tempeh need 4x longer marinating to reach equivalent flavor.
top substitutes
adjustment for marinade
Swordfish 1:1 unit marinates almost identical to tuna — dense flesh resists penetration past 1/8 inch even at 4 hours. Surface treatment dominates; soy-mirin-ginger 30 minutes before grill, or citrus 15 minutes for ceviche-style. Pat dry hard before sear or marinade burns at 400°F.
02
Shrimp
10.0best for marinade1 lb : 1 lb
Firm texture; works in stir-fries and salads
10.0
adjustment for marinade
Shrimp 1:1 lb marinade fast — peeled shrimp absorb soy-garlic-citrus in 15-20 minutes, longer and the acid "cooks" them rubbery (ceviche-style). Skip dairy or yogurt marinades; shellfish texture suffers. Skewer and grill at 400°F for 90 seconds per side; pat dry to limit char-flare.
03
Salmon
10.0best for marinade1 lb : 1 lb
Rich fish, works fresh or canned
10.0
adjustment for marinade
Salmon at 1:1 lb marinates at pH 4 in citrus, soy-mirin, or miso bases for 20-40 minutes — past 1 hour, flesh starts to firm and the oils render. Skin-on fillets benefit from 2 tbsp soy plus 1 tbsp brown sugar per lb to glaze under broil. Pat dry before searing skin.
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04
Mackerel Fish
10.01 can : 1 can
Oily and rich like tuna; swap canned mackerel into salads and melts
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Canned mackerel 1:1 can marinates briefly — 15 minutes with lemon, soy, sesame to brighten the oil-fish backbone. Already cooked, so longer soak just dilutes. Use as a finishing toss for grain bowls; the marinade becomes the dressing. Strong flavor means cut other umami additions in half.
05
Tofu
3.314 oz : 12 oz
Crumble for tuna salad texture
3.3
adjustment for this dish
Firm tofu 14:12 oz needs aggressive marinade — pressed 30 minutes to release water, then soaked 4-12 hours in soy-ginger-mirin or miso. Penetration depth past 1/4 inch hits at 8 hours since tofu is porous. Crumble or cube; sear at 400°F for 90 seconds per side after marinade. Pat dry first.
06
Tempeh
3.31 cup : 1 cup
Crumble and season for vegan tuna filling
3.3
adjustment for this dish
Tempeh 1:1 cup absorbs marinade well — 4-6 hours in soy-mirin-sesame, or steam first 10 minutes then marinade 2 hours. Crumble after; texture mimics flaked tuna. Add 1 tsp kelp granules per cup marinade for ocean note. Pan-sear crumbles 3 minutes at medium heat after marinade.
07
Sardine Fish
10.01 can : 1 can
Stronger oily flavor; mash into tuna-salad style sandwiches or pasta
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Sardines 1:1 can marinate briefly (10-15 minutes) — already cured and oily, so a quick lemon-vinegar-shallot dress brightens without further denaturing. Skip soy or miso; their salt stacks on the can's 250mg sodium. Serve on toast with the marinade as garnish, not a heavy soak.
08
Whitefish Fish
10.01 can : 1 can
Smoked whitefish salad mimics canned tuna salad; flake and dress with mayo
10.0
adjustment for this dish
Smoked whitefish 1:1 can marinates lightly — dressing-style for 10-15 minutes with lemon, capers, dill, olive oil. Already smoked and salted; further marinating just adds surface dressing. Don't apply acidic marinades over 30 minutes or the smoked surface goes mushy. Hold cold throughout.
09
Trout Fish
10.01 can : 1 can
Canned or smoked trout flakes like tuna; milder pink flesh for sandwiches
10.0
10
Jackfruit
3.31 can : 1 can
Shred young jackfruit for plant-based tuna
3.3