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Here’s a quick mid-week recipe that you can whip up in a couple minutes flat. I love tuna salad. Growing up, my mom would pack my lunch, and I always looked forward to her 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. While I still love Mom’s mayo version, I recently came up with a lighter, more Mediterranean-style recipe to change things up. I added fresh lemon juice for tartness, fresh basil for an herby flavor, and celery for crunch. Olive oil replaced the heavy (and high cholesterol) mayonnaise. Season the mixture generously with salt and pepper, and you’ve got a fresh tuna salad that is packed with flavor. You won’t miss the mayo!
I like to serve this tuna 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. Super filling, heart healthy and so yummy! Your body and your taste buds will both say “thank you.”
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Healthy Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 1 can (5 oz) water packed tuna, drained (if you're not worried about the healthy fat content, get the Italian olive oil packed tuna in jars-- the flavor is terrific!)
- 1 tbsp fresh chopped basil
- 1/2 stalk celery, minced
- 1 finely chopped scallion - green part only (optional)
- 2 tbsp lemon juice, or more to taste
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Pour the tuna in a small mixing bowl. Use a fork to break the tuna chunks into very small pieces.
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Add the basil, celery 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. 
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!
Simple and delicious! I didn’t have fresh basil on had, so I used about half the amount of dried basil instead. I didn’t have any scallions on hand either – but believe it or not – my own home-pickled ramps (tiny wild leeks with a very pungent flavor). I chopped up a couple of them very finely to add to the recipe. Like some other reviewers, I didn’t have to add any extra salt.
I used a melon-baller to make pretty scoops of the tuna salad, which I served on a bed of baby spinach leaves, ringed by a border of cherry tomatoes with a drizzling on my homemade Italian salad dressing on top. A wonderful result!
Just made this and I love it. I drained the tuna really well! I put boiled eggs and pecans in mine and extra celery. I wa looking for a substitute for the mayo/Miracle Whip and other Canoka Oil products.
The flavors are not masked by the heavy oil. I also used a Grapeseed/Garlic oil instead of olive oil only because I had it.
Thank U!
You can also try adding hummus, I tried roasted red pepper with also lemon and pepper and it was really good!
Me too! The key is adding just a little hummus and finding the right kind/flavored hummus that won’t compete too much with the tuna 😉 I also always use black olives (just a personal preference) and add chopped up “broccoli slaw” to the top of the sandwich or in with the mix to give crunch, instead of celery
What a wonderful recipe. Thank you!
Love this! I just started eating tuna and I’ve been looking for some low cal recipes that actually taste good-this is a one. I didn’t have fresh basil, but I used some dried basil from the spice cabinet. I also added a little fresh spinach. Delicious!
What a lovely take on tuna salad! I have never been a fan of traditional tuna salad recipes due to the mayo. I didn’t have basil, so I subbed fresh parsley. Also, I zested some of the lemon. No salt or pepper needed. I intended to take this to work for lunch, but stood in the kitchen and ate most of it.
Oh my. I had no idea tuns salad could be made so many different, healthy way! Thanks everyone!
Doesn’t even need salt and pepper it’s awesome without it. First time making it and I love it.
I am in my forties and had heart valve replacement, this is a perfect heart healthy recipe. Thanks for posting this.
I make a version similar to this. I use Genovo Tonno (yellowfin) in olive oil, squeezing out oil, which is not extra virgin. I use red onion instead of green onion, and celery. Also add arugula (whole if making sandwich, chopped if eating with crackers), some extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper, salt, and dried rosemary. When making for myself, I like adding larger amounts of the veggies–it makes for a bigger meal and feels l I’m making up for using olive oil.
Don’t squeeze out the olive oil that the tuna is packed in. It’s loaded with nutrients and other good stuff from the tuna. Use it instead of extra evoo.
Yes, Ana, it is so good to see that you point out that “olive oil” could be as unhealthy as many other less healthy oils. So many manufacturers try to fool consumers with “olive oil” on the ingredients label. “Extra Virgin Olive Oil” is a different product with all the health benefits.
I too prefer adding the stronger “bite” of chopped onion, and I add sweet pickle relish (without chemical coloring or other additives). Sometimes I add some chopped toasted almonds, or pine nuts, and non-sulfured raisins.
Thank you so much Ana for the suggestion! i added arugula, it made it so much more fresh and super green. I also added a little bit of red wine vinegar for more tang.
Instead of celery I try with apple and cranberries. I do the same for the chicken salad.
I am going to make this for a dinner as an appetizer. I am thinking of putting a tablespoon or so on a piece of romaine or bib lettuce and topping it with slivered cherry tomato slices.
Really good
Great recipe, thanks. Try adding some curry powder and cayenne if you want a different flavor, or substituting canned salmon if you’re worried about mercury.
I made this for lunch since I need to eat heart healthy meals, and it’s AMAZING. THANK YOU SO MUCH for sharing this!!
This is amazing and so yummy. I did exactly as the recipe said minus the basil because I didn’t have any at the moment. Very simple and quick, yet very tasty, thank you for this recipe!
Great to hear that AKH 🙂
This recipe is perfect. I absolutely loved it. Made it exactly as instructed. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome! 🙂
i will never go back to putting mayo in my tuna salad, this was delicious and healthy.
Great salad I add tarragon. Just a bit as tarrago can be overpowering.
That’s a nice Mediterranean tuna recipe and I’m tempted to give this one a try. I love the taste of olive oil in a salad so this recipe will definitely hit the spot. Thank you for sharing this and I look forward to trying more of your recipes in future.
Hi well I was wondering does the olive oil really matter? If I would exclude it out of the recipe would the flavor change? Hope you answer this because I plan to make this anytime soon it looks so good.thanks for the recipe.
Hi Mildred– yes, the olive oil matters, if you don’t include it the salad will taste somewhat dry. You can add a little at a time if you like till the texture is to your liking.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. For anyone craving the creaminess of mayo in a tuna salad, add a can of white beans (cannelini) instead. It not only mimics the mouth feel of mayo, it also adds extra protein and fiber to the salad. I also include some finely chopped red onion and a bit more lemon juice and olive oil.
Sounds like a great recipe! I sometimes mash up a bit of avocado in with the tuna in place of mayo and it’s super yummy. Avocado is a “good” fat, right?
Right Cheryl! 🙂 That’s a yummy idea, I’m going to try it for lunch today.
This is such a tasty version. I added olives to mine…now that I have given up dairy this version will be my go-to prep style.
This sounds delicious! I am in college, and now that I have total freedom to buy my own groceries I am becoming an amateur health nut, if you will; so being in college, I am concerned with this: How long would a batch of this last refridgerated in a tupperware?
Hi Jared, I have already answered that question. Please read the comment directly above. 🙂
This looks great! I like to prepare food ahead when I can – how long do you think this would last in the fridge? Thanks!
Hi Emily, while tuna generally tastes best freshly prepared (the flavor tends to get fishy over time), it should hold up for 24-48 hours in the fridge. You may need to add a bit more olive oil to refresh it after refrigeration. Try to make it fresh if you can, though. Enjoy!
Oh my gosh- this is fabulous! Didn’t have fresh basil so I used the Tuscan Herb Olive Oil I had and fell in love with this recipe. Thank you so much for sharing!
Great idea on the her olive oil Gloria! Glad you liked it 🙂
I hate mayo, so this was an awesome find. I absolutely loved it!
Happy to hear that Tabitha! It’s a great alternative for those who aren’t into mayo.
Love this recipe! Thanks!
You’re welcome Anne!
Thanks for the recipe. I have food allergies and am on a special diet with no soy or eggs, so normal mayo was out of the question. Oh, and it gives me a good excuse to use some fresh basil. Yum.
I made this today for lunch; it is yummy!
I put chopped dill in my tuna salad. It gives it great flavor.
Great idea Rhona!
I’m not Jewish but my ex was, and he couldn’t have Mayo so I would use Miracle Whip. Also I put an hard boiled egg in and that helps hold it together along with celery and us a reminder you can also used your differnt spices. It does make it yummy.
This will surely be a hit, healthy and easy. Gotta try out this salad.
This sounds just wonderful. I love the addition of the olive oil. I can’t wait to try it.
What, there’s such a thing as tuna salad without mayo? The lemon and celery are such a great addition to tuna salad. Yum!
I often add chopped olives & walnuts to our tuna salad; anxious to substitute olive oil for the mayo.
Mmmm, walnuts… we add them to all kinds of dishes in our home! They add a warm, nutty flavor to so many dishes. I bet they’d be heaven in tuna salad!
My mother’s tuna salad was so delicious, other kids in my class used to trade me their lunches for it. For years as an adult, I wondered why my own tuna salad wasn’t as good as I remembered from my childhood! Finally I figured it out — water-packed tuna just doesn’t cut it. I went back to oil-packed — specifically, Genova Tonno brand “solid light tuna in olive oil,” and what a difference! It’s so tasty I even like it plain.
Hi Nina, I totally agree with you! The olive oil packed tuna is fantastic. However, using the water packed allows people to add the olive oil to taste and gives more control over the fat content. That said, if fat content is not an issue, then the olive oil packed tuna is the way to go! I especially like the Italian jarred varieties. I’ll update the post so people know it’s an option. 🙂
Nice! Sometimes I use cottage cheese blended up smooth to make the dressing – just enough to create some “stick” without a gloppy mayo feel.
That’s a good tuna salad – medeterranean-y for sure.
If you don’t like med. you can do a more traditional
tuna salad and use plain (unflavored) yogurt for most of the mayo. I’ve found that very satisfactory.
I love this recipe but since I can’t have citrus ( Lemon) I am wondering what I could substitute? I too love Mayo but gave up all fatty foods many years ago and have had Tuna mostly) plain/ except for the occasional cut up Vadilia Onion and a bit of celery on Matzo…….Thanks for the great recipes
I’ve used plain non-fat greek yogurt in place of mayo – tastes great! Can’t wait to try this recipe.
Try substituting seasoned rice vinegar.
I second the idea of using plain yogurt. It will give you that little bit of tartness that lemon would have, with the creaminess of mayo
Maybe some vinegar might do the trick.
Can you eat vinegar? White balsamic maybe? or any other infused balsamic would be a nice substitute. Even rice vinegar would work well.
try red wine vinegar its amazing!