This recipe is: dairy freeegg freegluten freenut free
This healthy tuna salad recipe is made with no mayo, but it’s still full of flavor. It’s dairy free, paleo friendly and super easy to make. Serve it as a sandwich or in a lettuce wrap for a great heart healthy lunch. Makes about 8 servings.
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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.
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More tuna recipes: tuna cakes
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How to make tuna salad without mayo
Prep the ingredients. Slice your celery, chop your onion and peppers. Grate your carrots. Open and drain your cans of tuna. Place them all in one big mixing bowl.
Make the dressing. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon, herbs and salt in a small bowl or mason jar.
Mix the salad. Pour the dressing into the mixing bowl and mix with a fork until the salad is combined. Adjust the seasoning to your liking with salt and pepper.
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FAQs and tips for making the best tuna salad
Can you eat canned tuna raw?
You can definitely eat canned tuna without heating it. Tuna is cooked before it’s canned so it really isn’t possibly to eat raw canned tuna.
Is canned tuna healthy?
Absolutely! Everything is healthy in moderation, but tuna is a lean protein and works in many different recipes, so it’s a great choice for a healthy meal. Since it’s a large fish, it tends to be high in mercury, so you should be cautious not to eat too much, too often.
What can I mix with tuna instead of mayo?
Instead of using mayonnaise in your tuna salad, you can use a simple olive oil based dressing like this one that uses lemon juice and Dijon mustard.
What can you eat tuna with besides bread?
You can serve this tuna salad recipe on a bed of lettuce, in a tortilla wrap, on your favorite bun, or even in a lettuce wrap.
What goes with healthy tuna salad?
- Mojito fruit salad
- Creamy vegetable soup
- Shrimp macaroni salad
- Instant pot baked beans
- Rose sangria
More easy lunch recipes
- Peanut chicken wraps
- Turkey club sandwich
- Chicken salad with grapes
- Easy sesame noodles
- Mediterranean chickpea salad
Healthy Tuna Salad Recipe
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
4.8 from 12 reviews
This healthy tuna salad recipe is made with no mayo, but it’s still full of flavor. It’s dairy free, paleo friendly and super easy to make. Serve it as a sandwich or in a lettuce wrap for a great heart healthy lunch.
- Author: Melissa Belanger
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
Scale
- 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.
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 198
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 471.4 mg
- Fat: 10.6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 3.7 g
- Fiber: 1.1 g
- Protein: 22.8 g
- Cholesterol: 41.3 mg
Published: January 23, 2014. Updated: November 28, 2023.
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Melissa Belanger
