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
Delicious! We’ve just had this tuna salad for supper on a hot evening. Refreshing. ‘Will make it again. Many thanks.
Well, your Mediterranean tuna looked so delicious & I had a large can of Albacore packed in water, so I squeezed it dry & broke it up as small as possible, I had no basil, celery or scallions, however, I had been in the process of making some Pico de gallo, so I squeezed a bit of the juice out of the tomato chunks rather than pick them out, I took a bit of olive oil & the juice of a freshly squeezed lime & moistened the Pico de gallo with it & mixed it into my tuna. I added no salt or pepper but I did fudge & ate part of it with five crackers & it was delicious as I love spicy foods. I don’t feel too guilty about the five crackers because it was the largest flat can of Albacore you can purchase here & I was a good girl & did not eat the entire can. Next time, I will have your ingredients on hand & make your Mediterranean version. I will never have tuna with mayonnaise again. I am so glad that I receive your blog, it is always beautifully done & I get so many great food ideas from you! Thank you so very much for all of the love & hard work that you pour into it! For some reason, the stars do not look solid when I click on them. Just in case they do not show solid after posting I gave your recipes 5 stars! Margo
Thank you for the kind words Margo!
I’m curious about what you would think adding a diced Fiji or other tart apple would taste like with this recipe. Is this a good or bad idea?
It might be good. The dominating flavors here are lemon and basil; I recommend first trying it as written, then if you feel you want more or different flavor, add the apple.
I have used many of your recipes . I like them a lot. Looking forward to more!!!
This is the kind of recipe that would take well to being dressed up with more healthy additions. I’m thinking lemon zest, diced red pepper, and avocado would all be delicious added to the basic formula. Toss it all together with some whole wheat pasta shells to make a substantial main-course macaroni salad.
My family loves salads and yours look so. Appetizing . We will try them all. Thank you for sharing them with us.
Tori –
You don’t say at what point in the Healthy Mediterranean Tuna recipe that you add the (optional) green onion. Would it go in at the same time as the celery? Please advise. Thanks!
Sorry about that! The green onion is added with the celery.
Actually Tori, two tablespoons real mayonnaise has less calories than 2 tablespoons olive oil ;o)
Hi Marsha! I have nothing against basic mayonnaise made from whole ingredients, but most brands (especially the lower calorie versions) are high on additive and processed seed oils, which are too high in Omega 6. Olive oil is a cleaner, healthier and more Mediterranean diet-friendly fat alternative. Also you don’t need to use a full 2 tablespoons of olive oil here, if you are watching your calories– and you can use water packed tuna, as described above, which would make it a much lighter choice overall. But if your only dietary concern is calorie intake and you prefer mayo, feel free to use that instead!
Hi! I make something similar to this but I add canelini beans to the tuna!
Tori, your recipe sounds delightful. I also add an avocado to replace the mayo. YUM! And Good for your cholestral!
I serve it on a corn tostada for a yummy alternative.
Fantastic! Light AND soooo tasty. Just put it on a bed of Bibb lettuce, sliced tomatoes and chickpeas. I love tuna and this is my new favorite.
Amazing recipe, but how many calories is it?
Thanks Esmerelda! We are working on upgrading all recipes on my site to a system that includes nutritional information, but we do not have all of the recipes updated yet. Check back soon!
Update: the recipe now includes nutritional information. Enjoy!
Living here in Philippines. Can’t find any good mayo Hellman’s doesn’t exist here. Tried making my own but also choice of oils is limited. It’s just not America. BTW loved you’re recipe. Just added onions also.
Mike,
You can make good mayonnaise with olive, avocado or even some palm oils and first pressing coconut butter…some first pressing peanut oil is mild enough as well. What kinds of oils are available on the shelves of Pilifino markets? ;’)
I have been searching for days for a new recipe for tuna salad to serve at a bridge luncheon. I am so excited to find this recipe. I will add black olives and the walnuts. I know we will love it.
Love this! So light and fresh and lemony. Served it over arugula. It tastes like summer!
Did not appeal to my tastebuds.
Sorry to hear that T! A lot of readers love this one. Better luck next time.
I just made this and it is delicious! I wanted a little sweetness, so I added a few squirts of Strawberry Balsamic Vinaigrette. Sooooo good!!!
This is awesome!! Thank you for this. I also appreciate all the added ideas from everyone. I am making this today!!
Delicious! I also added some chopped pickles to this. The lemon juice tastes amazing! Thanks for the recipe! I was looking for a healthier option for tuna salad without the mayo and this is perfect!