December 19, 2025
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About this recipe
My grandfather used to make rillettes de thon for lunch and when he offered it to me I wasn’t sure about it. Cream cheese and fish? That sounds like it shouldn’t work. But he loved food and always knew what he was talking about, so I trusted him. We had a fresh baguette from the bakery that morning, and I absolutely loved it. It’s fresh and the tuna gets this lovely creamy quality you really won’t expect. We made one bowl and finished it between us!
Where rillettes de thon comes from
The word rillettes originally refers to pork cooked slowly in its own fat and shredded into a rich, spreadable paste. Tours and Le Mans have been arguing about who did it first since at least the Middle Ages, and they’re still at it. The idea of applying the same concept to fish came later and from a very specific place: the Atlantic coast of Brittany, where tuna fishing has been central to local life for generations.
The île de Groix, a small island off the southern Breton coast, was so defined by tuna fishing that between 1863 and 1979 it had five canneries producing some of the best canned albacore tuna on the Atlantic coast. At its peak, 300 tuna boats were moored in its two ports. The connection between the island and tuna was so close that the rooster on the church bell tower was replaced by a golden tuna.
In the 1950s, fishermen along the Atlantic coast started looking for ways to turn their tuna catch into something spreadable and flavourful, inspired by the pork rillettes tradition they already knew. The idea spread quickly, and by the 1960s Breton canneries were producing industrial versions. The cream cheese came later, as a way of making the texture lighter and fresher than the original oil-based versions. And that’s the version that ended up in every French household, including my grandfather’s kitchen.
Why cream cheese makes the difference
The cream cheese tuna spread approach is very French. Other versions often use mayonnaise, which tends to feel heavier and oilier, although I can’t get my English husband to have it any other way. In my opinion cream cheese gives you richness without the weight. It holds the tuna together into that lovely spreadable texture without taking over, so the tuna still tastes like tuna, the herbs still come through clearly and you get a nice little kick from the French Dijon mustard.
For this tuna spread recipe, you need quality cream cheese. A good full-fat cream cheese gives you a noticeably better result than reduced-fat versions, which are often watery and slightly sharp. Any decent full-fat cream cheese will do, you just don’t want one that fights with the tuna.
How to eat cream cheese tuna spread
Most people think of this only as something for apéritif, spread on crackers or toasted baguette while the wine is being poured. It is perfect for that. But it is also honestly the best tuna sandwich spread I know. Stuff it into a good baguette with crisp lettuce and a few cornichons or radishes and you have a lunch that needs no excuse. Take it on a picnic. Pack it for a long drive across France. Eat it at the kitchen table in the sun with a cold drink.
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Total Time 10 minutes 
Servings 6Description
Ingredients
- 290 gr tuna in water
- 150 gr cream cheese full-fat works best
- 2 tbsp crème fraîche
- 1 shallots very finely chopped
- 1 tbsp chives
- 1 tsp mustard Dijon
- 15 ml lemon juice
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
1. Drain the tuna properly
- This bit actually matters. Tip the tuna into a sieve and press down firmly with the back of a fork to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Watery tuna equals watery rillettes, and nobody wants that. Transfer to a mixing bowl and break it up with a fork until it's in fine flakes.
2. Add the creamy base
- Drop in the cream cheese and crème fraîche. Mix everything together until you've got a fairly smooth, spreadable consistency. Some people like to leave a few larger chunks of tuna for texture, your call. The French aren't precious about it.
3. Build the flavour
- Add the finely chopped shallot, snipped chives, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice. The shallot needs to be really fine here, no one wants to bite into a great wedge of raw shallot. Give everything a good stir.
4. Season and taste
- Add a pinch of salt (go easy, the tuna has some already) and a generous grinding of black pepper. Taste it. Adjust the lemon or seasoning if needed. The balance should be creamy but with enough acidity to cut through the richness.
5. Chill and serve
- Cover and pop in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. This lets the flavours meld together and firms up the texture slightly. Serve with slices of crusty baguette, crackers, or crudités. Scatter some fresh parsley over the top if you're feeling fancy.
Notes
- Use good tuna: Tinned tuna in spring water works best. Tuna in oil is fine if you drain it thoroughly, but it’ll be richer. Tuna in brine can be too salty.
- Make it ahead: These rillettes actually improve after a few hours in the fridge. The flavours develop beautifully overnight.
- Add-ins: Some French cooks throw in a tablespoon of capers, a few cornichons (finely chopped), or a tiny pinch of cayenne. All work brilliantly.
- Keep it cold: Serve straight from the fridge, this isn’t meant to come to room temperature like a cheese board.
Share your feedback and spread the love!
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Leave a ★★★★★ rating and your thoughts in the comments, it helps fellow French foodies discover this recipe too. Snap a photo and tag @obviously.french on Instagram. Come talk about it in our Facebook group. And don’t forget to save this recipe to Pinterest so you’ll always have it handy for your next French-inspired meal!
