Why I love healthy tuna salad
Just before Marc and I went to Thailand, we took the train to Almaty. It was a long ride. We needed food, but I wanted to be careful not to bring anything that would spoil.
This no mayo tuna salad was the perfect option – protein to keep us full and an oil-based dressing to bring the flavor. Plus, it stayed pretty cold in a our makeshift cooler (i.e. a tote bag with frozen water bottles in it). We’re so classy when we take the train.
There really isn’t much else to say about this. It’s just healthy tuna salad without mayo, which is very similar to my chicken salad without mayo, and it’s just as delicious.
If you like this recipe, you have to try this chicken salad with grapes, and my mediterranean chickpea salad and these tuna cakes. Or try this classic shrimp macaroni salad, it’s always a hit.
Searching for something to serve with this tuna salad? We love serving it with these recipes: Mojito fruit salad / Creamy vegetable soup / Instant pot baked beans / Rose sangria
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- Canned tuna – You can use your favorite tuna, we used light tuna for this recipe, but both will do just fine. Albacore tends to have a firmer texture and more mild flavor. Light tuna has a softer texture and stronger flavor, and typically available as chunks or flakes. If you prefer a less fishy taste then Albacore will be a good choice.
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.
How to make tuna salad without mayo
Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, dijon mustard, herbs and salt. Set aside.
Combine the ingredients. Place the tuna in a large mixing bowl and use a fok to flake apart any large chunks of tuna. Add the celery, carrots, onion, and bell pepper, giving everything a quick stir to combine.
Mix the salad. Pour the dressing into the mixing bowl and mix with a fork until the salad is well combined and dressing is distributed evenly. Adjust salt and pepper to taste before serving.
FAQs and tips for making the best tuna salad
Healthy Tuna Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 5- ounce cans tuna, drained
- 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
- 1 carrot, shredded
- 1/4 cup sliced green onion, or chopped onion
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced (about 1/4 cup)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- Juice of 1 lemon, 2-3 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large bowl, flake the tuna with a fork.
- Add celery, carrot, onion and bell pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Dijon mustard and parsley. Pour dressing into salad and stir to combine.
- Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I enjoyed the recipe but the nutrition panel does not define a “serving” in terms of mass or volume (grams, ounces, or cups, tablespoons, etc.).
Kind of a funny move. This recipe removes the Mayo, but then adds back 4 of Mayo’s 5 ingredients: Oil, Mustard, Lemon Juice, and Salt. So really the only thing removed was the most nutritious part of the mayo? All the fat, leave out the protein?
Great for folks who can’t have eggs or have to make their own mayo and looking for an alternative (I’m in the latter camp–all the mayo at our local stores contains nightshade or corn derivatives).
The tuna has plenty of protein. Olive oil is a much healthier oil than soybean oil, which is the predominant oil in most commercial mayonnaises.
Soy oil is used to make mayonnaise, which is inflammatory and terribly unhealthy.
Absolutely amazing. I’ve done away with mayo for some time and haven’t been eating my egg & tuna salad in which I love so I googled a recipe and this came up. I added a little bit of extra stuff in there but it’s absolutely an amazing recipe.
What extra stuff did you add?
I love this recipe! I’ve made it many times and I was just going to make it again when I realized we don’t have any olive oil. Do you think avocado oil would be ok as a substitute?
I think it would work just fine. There will be a tiny flavor change, but it won’t be a bad one.
I am on WW and this is perfect! I have made this recipe several times. It is delicious! Thank you!
This looks delicious! I plan on making it tomorrow for lunches for the week ahead. How long will the salad last in the fridge? Thank you!
Absolutely brilliant especially as I just received a stent after a blocked artery
As healthy and tasty as it is a quarter of a cup sounds like a lot of olive oil
But it’s on point for a clean fresh taste.And of course vastly healthier than mayo by comparison.
Take a bow and thanks for a delightful meal
Love the no mayo tuna recipe and have made it several times. However, now that my wife and I are on the keto diet we need nutrition information. It is not included on the page we have. Will you kindly provide the nutritional breakdown for us. Thanks, John & Ophelia