Here’s a quick mid-week recipe that you can whip up in a couple minutes flat. This Healthy Mediterranean Tuna Salad is full of flavor. I add fresh lemon juice for tartness, fresh basil for an herby flavor, and celery for crunch. Olive oil replaces heavy, and often processed, mayonnaise. Season the mixture generously with salt and pepper, and you’ve got a fresh tuna salad with a twist. You won’t miss the mayo!
Growing up I would take a brown bag lunch to school, and I always looked forward to my mom’s tuna sandwich on white bread with mayo. Now that I have my own kitchen, I often make tuna salad to add a protein boost to my lunch. Over the years I came up with a lighter, more Mediterranean-style preparation to change things up. I still love Mom’s mayonnaise tuna salad, but this version is equally crave-worthy in its own way.
This tuna salad works great with a Mediterranean diet, or for those who are going low carb. I like to serve it on top of a kale salad, or as an open-faced sandwich on whole grain or pumpernickel toast. Spread a piece of bread with a thin layer of hummus, then top with lettuce, tomato, and tuna salad. Oh the possibilities!
Ditch the mayo for a lighter, fresher take on tuna. Super filling, heart healthy and so tasty! Your body and your taste buds will both say “thank you.”
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Food Photography and Styling by Kelly Jaggers
Healthy Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 5 ounces olive oil packed tuna, drained (if you're watching your fat intake, use water-packed tuna)
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped basil
- 1/2 stalk celery, minced
- 1 finely chopped scallion - green part only (optional)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice, or more to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pour the tuna in a small mixing bowl. Use a fork to break the tuna chunks into very small pieces.
- Add the basil, celery, scallions and lemon juice to the bowl. Use the fork to stir all the ingredients together till well mixed.
- Add extra virgin olive oil to moisten the tuna to your liking. I usually use between 1 and 2 tbsp. Season with salt and pepper to taste; sea salt and freshly ground pepper is best. Serve.
Nutrition
My husband absolutely loved it. I loved the lemon and oil in this recipe. Like others I added chopped radish and red bell pepper. I think next time I will add chopped pickling cucumbers as well. Looking fwd to more healthy and delicious recipes.
I make it this way as well as my Italian family made it my entire.
But why throw away the oil from the can then add oil?
You may be throwing away away lots of flavor and food vitamins etc.
Hi Mike! You can certainly use the oil from the can, if you prefer. In my experience (with certain brands of tuna) the oil in the can– or jar– may retain a very fishy flavor. Replacing it with fresh olive oil gives a better and less fishy end result, in my experience.
My mom made a tuna salad with lemon juice, and it was my favorite. I think she used parsley instead of basil, but basil is better. Thank you for the recipe, it’s so fresh and delicious!
I used 1/4 of an avocado instead of olive oil and diced red radish instead of scallions. So crunchy and good!
Excellent recipe and delicious! Quick, easy and healthy. Thanks for publishing.
This was delicious!
So simple and I agree the possibilities are endless.
I ate half and thought. Maybe. I’ll add a few olives. It was great, but next time I will not add salt because the olives have plenty. Thanks for a great recipe.
This sounds great! If I’m making them for lunches, how long do you think it will last in the fridge?
I generally don’t keep fish salads longer than 2 days, or it can start to turn overly “fishy.”