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Tuna Salad

By Brittany Mullins

4.61

53

Published Apr 03, 2024

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GFGluten-FreeLCLow CarbHPHigh-Protein

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.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve become obsessed with tuna salad! It’s flavorful, protein-packed and the perfect meal prep recipe.

For this tuna salad recipe I used the same ingredients my mom has always used in her recipe 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 might get a bad rap, but trust me… this version is delicious and something I could eat every week.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Healthier Take – Greek yogurt adds a creamy texture and a protein boost without all the fat of mayonnaise.
• Flavor-Packed – The combination of dill pickles, red onion, and mustard gives this salad a deliciously tangy and savory taste.
• Quick and Easy – With minimal prep and no cooking required, it’s ideal for a fast, nutritious meal.

Ingredients in Tuna Salad

You only need a handful of simple ingredients to make this tuna salad. Here’s what you need:

• 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!
• 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 – for a satisfying crunch and freshness.
• red onion – brings a sharp, zesty flavor that complements the tuna.
• dill pickle – instead of using sweet pickle relish like my mom’s recipe I went with savory dill pickles, which is the perfect addition to this salad.
• dijon mustard – optional, for a touch of traditional creaminess.
• chopped parsley – adds freshness and color to the salad. Feel free to swap this with other fresh herbs like dill instead if you want!
• sea salt and pepper – season to enhance all the flavors.

How to Make Tuna Salad

Step 1: Drain your tuna then add it to a mixing bowl along with the Greek yogurt, celery, onion, pickles, mayonnaise (optional), mustard, parsley, pepper and salt.

Step 2: Break up tuna chunks with a fork and stir until everything is well combined. Adjust flavor with extra salt, pepper, or mustard if needed.

Step 3: Serve immediately or chill in the fridge. Enjoy with crackers, as a sandwich, or on a salad. Store leftovers in a fridge for 3-5 days in an airtight container.

Recipe Substitutions

• 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!
• Add lemon – Squeeze a little fresh lemon juice over this salad before serving to brighten it up!
• 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 Eat Tuna Salad

One of my favorite things about tuna salad is how versatile it is! Here are some fun ways to serve it:

• 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 sourdough 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

• Lentil Tuna Salad
• Sweet Potato Tuna Salad (No Mayo)
• Tuna Stuffed Bell Peppers
• Broccoli Avocado Tuna Bowl
• Tuna Egg Salad

More Protein Salad Recipes to Try:

• Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
• Curry Chicken Salad
• Avocado Egg Salad
• Salmon Salad
• Tarragon Chicken Salad

Be sure to check out all of the tuna recipes as well as the full collection of salad recipes on EBF!

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4.61 from 51 votes

Tuna Salad

By: Brittany Mullins

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.

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 0 minutes minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 2

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 2 5 oz cans tuna, drained
• ▢ ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
• ▢ 1 stalk celery, chopped, about ¼ cup
• ▢ ¼ cup red onion, diced
• ▢ ¼ cup dill pickles, diced
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon mayonnaise, optional
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon Dijon or German mustard
• ▢ 1 Tablespoon parsley, chopped
• ▢ ½ teaspoon ground pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions 

• 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. 
• 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. 
• Place salad in an airtight container in the fridge. The salad will keep for 3-5 days.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1/2 of recipe | Calories: 298kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 39g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 57mg | Sodium: 636mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: tuna salad, tuna salad recipe

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