Tuna Salad
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Published Jan 06, 2021, Updated Nov 28, 2022
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The best healthy tuna salad recipe made with canned tuna, red onion, celery, chopped pickles and Greek yogurt. Perfect as a snack with crackers or on a sandwich.
I wasn’t always a fan of tuna salad (ahem, it felt like it was punishment in my childhood years) but as I’ve gotten older, I’m practically obsessed. It’s flavorful, protein-packed and the perfect meal prep recipe.
For this recipe I used the same ingredients my mom has always used to make tuna salad but with a few simple changes. I swapped most of the mayo for Greek yogurt, used savory dill pickles instead of pickled relish and added in some fresh parsley.
I know tuna salad get’s a bad rap, but trust me… this version is delicious and something I could eat every week.
Ingredients in Tuna Salad
- canned tuna – I typically buy Albacore tuna because you get bigger chunks of meat that aren’t mushy. I really like the Wild Planet brand!
- plain Greek yogurt – I like using full-fat, but you can use fat-free if you’d like. It will be more tangy though!
- a little mayonnaise – I added in 1 Tablespoon of mayo for a bit of creaminess, but you can skip this or use more Greek yogurt if you’d like
- chopped celery
- red onion
- dill pickle
- mustard
- chopped parsley
- sea salt and pepper
Substitutions & Notes
Dairy-free – I made this with Greek yogurt and mayo for an added protein boost, but you can either use dairy-free yogurt or omit the yogurt and just use mayo. I know it’s counterintuitive, but mayo is dairy-free!
Additional mix-ins – This is my baseline recipe, but honestly you can always switch it up… I often do! Sometimes I use green onion instead of red onion. Sometimes I add extra herbs like fresh dill (so good). Feel free to get creative and make this your own!
How to Make Tuna Salad
Drain tuna – Most tuna comes packed in water or oil and even if it’s not, there will likely be a bit of liquid in the can. If this is the case, you’ll just want to drain it off. I have this little can colander that works like a charm for draining tuna!
Chop vegetables – Start by chopping the celery, onion and pickles if you haven’t already.
Combine ingredients – Add the drained tuna, yogurt, chopped celery, diced onion, chopped pickles, mayonnaise, mustard, parsley, salt and pepper into a large bowl. Toss to combine, breaking up any large chunks of tuna.
Serve – Enjoy right away or chill before serving.
How to Eat Tuna Salad
One of my favorite things about tuna salad is how versatile it is!
- Eat as is – it’s definitely a complete meal on it’s own.
- Over a bed of greens – I am a volume eater so I love starting with a base of greens and topping it with this salad.
- Lettuce cups – scoop into a lettuce leaf for a crunchy and fresh wrap. Romaine, butter or iceberg lettuce works great for this.
- In a wrap – scoop into a whole grain wrap and add some greens for a little extra crunch and you have a satisfying wrap!
- On toast/as a sandwich – I love this as both an open faced sandwich on toasted bread or a more traditional sandwich with un-toasted bread. You can also use this salad to make a delicious tuna melt!
- With crackers or tortilla chips – This is a great snack or appetizer when eaten like a dip with crackers or chips. I’ve been loving it paired with my almond flour crackers.
How Long Will Tuna Salad Last?
When stored in an airtight container, tuna salad will last 3-5 days in the refrigerator. Because it doesn’t last super long, I usually make small batches and eat it in a variety of different ways (listed above!) to keep it exciting.
More Tuna Recipes to Try:
- Lentil Tuna Salad
- Sweet Potato Tuna Salad (No Mayo)
- Tuna Curry Bowl with Cauliflower Rice
- Spaghetti Squash Tuna Noodle Casserole Boats
- Tuna Stuffed Bell Peppers
- Broccoli Avocado Tuna Bowl
- BBQ Hummus Tuna Sandwich
- Tuna Egg Salad
- Tuna, Broccoli and Kale Caesar Pasta Salad
- Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole
More Protein Salad Recipes to Try:
- Turkey Salad
- Almond Butter Chicken Salad
- Curry Chicken Salad
- Curried Chickpea Salad
- Vegan “Chicken” Salad
- Avocado Egg Salad
- Salmon Salad
Be sure to check out all of the tuna recipes as well as the full collection of salad recipes on EBF!
Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 2 5 oz cans of tuna drained
- 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 stalk 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup diced dill pickles
- 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise optional
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon or German mustard
- 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Combine ingredients: Add drained tuna, yogurt, chopped celery, diced onion, chopped pickles, mayonnaise, mustard, parsley, pepper and salt into a large bowl. Toss to combine, breaking up any large chunks of tuna meat.
- Serve: Enjoy right away or chill before serving. Serve with crackers for a snack or appetizer, on bread or a wrap for a sandwich or over a bed of greens.
- To store: Place salad in an airtight container in the fridge. The salad will keep for 3-5 days.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I made this as part of the Salad Challenge. I absolutely loved it, as did my husband. Thank you for posting these great looking recipes. I’m looking forward to trying them all!
Woo!! That makes me so happy to hear, Nancy. So glad this recipe was a hit. Thanks for the review. 🙂
I was looking for something new for work lunches and the new diet I have committed to. I filled up a low carb wrap with your tuna recipe and arugula. So delicious and filling. Looking forward to eating the other half tomorrow. Love your recipies.
Debora K
I’m so glad you enjoyed this tuna salad, Debora! Thanks so much for making it and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Oh my! This is soooo good. I used Grillo’s Pickles (the superior pickle imo) and it added a lovely addition of garlic and dill. I could even trick a picky eater with this as you would never know it’s greek yogurt. 10/10 will be adding this into my rotation for summer lunches – so much protein too!
I’m so glad you enjoyed this tuna salad, Emily! Thanks for trying it and coming back to leave a review 🙂
I made this last night for some company my husband and I was a huge hit! Definitely recommend making this! Would it be possible to make a double batch and preserve half in the freezer until ready to eat? Thank you!
I’ve been trying to get my kids to like tuna and this recipe finally did the trick! Definitely will be making again. Thank you!
Oh yay!! So happy to hear this tuna salad was a hit, Heather. Thanks so much for trying it out and coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me!
Surprisingly delicious! Can’t wait to have the 2nd serving for lunch tomorrow!
Woo!! So pumped to hear you loved this recipe, Becky. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Hi there! Does this tuna salad have an entry for MFP?
Yes! I figured out how to add it and it’s up. 🙂
Love this simple tuna salad recipe! I am making it almost every week. Love it on crackers or toasted with a bit of cheese for a tuna salad melt. I forgo the mayonnaise and it is delicious!
Oh yay! So pumped you’ve been enjoying this tuna salad recipe, Kate. Thanks so much for trying it out and coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
So tasty! I made it with no mayo and it’s so tasty – it’s as if it’s got mayo in but healthier!!
Thanks!
Yay! I’m glad you’re loving this recipe, Louise. Thank you for sharing your review, it means so much to me.
Made this for tea 05/08/2022 I changed the celery for cucumber as I don’t like celery and also added some red bell pepper the dressing was lovely both me and my son enjoyed it and will definitely be making again thanks for sharing your recipe.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Bev. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!