Healthy tuna salad is a light, refreshing meal packed with fresh herbs, crunchy garden celery, and the delightful twist of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
We spend much of our time outside enjoying the weather, gardening, playing with the goats, and wading through the creeks.Â
So, many nights I come in from our adventures not really wanting to cook a full blown meal, but I still want something that will nourish our bodies.
This healthy tuna salad is perfect. It literally takes minutes to pull together, with a few fresh ingredients I can grab right from the garden. It is light and doesn’t involve me heating up the stove. In the heat of the Missouri summers, not having to heat up the house is a good thing.
If you have five minutes, you can easily throw this simple meal together. Pair it with some fresh fruit, a green salad topped with honey mustard dressing, and some crispy skillet potatoes.
You could also turn it into sandwiches with sourdough English Muffins or sourdough artisan bread, or wrap it up with homemade tortillas.
It’s never precise. Don’t have celery? No worries! Just use cucumbers or even peppers. Swap the lemon juice for lime juice.
It’s a simple meal that just looks and tastes fancier than it really is.
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Tips For Making Tuna Salad
- I really like using Wild Planet Tuna (usually purchased in bulk). It’s wild caught tuna that is packaged in BPA-free cans.Â
- Fresh cilantro is my favorite herb to add, but you could also add a handful of fresh parsley or basil.
- This recipe utilizes the best homemade avocado mayo. You could substitute it for store-bought, if needed. Always opt for avocado mayo, because most other types are made with unhealthy, refined vegetable oils.
- For extra lemon flavor, add the zest of one lemon.
What kind of tuna do I use for Tuna Salad?
Tuna packed in water, olive oil, or just salt will work with this recipe. Make sure to drain the tuna before making this recipe.
Try to pick the best quality tuna you can afford. Wild and sustainably caught fish is the top choice.
What can you mix with tuna other than mayo?
I have also made a version of this recipe using a little bit of olive oil drizzled over the top, rather than adding the mayo. You could even swap out the mayo for greek yogurt.
What is the safest tuna to eat?
Light tuna or skipjack tuna is going to have less mercury than albacore tuna.
Wild Planet only uses line-caught tuna. The fish are generally younger and smaller, so they contain less mercury than larger and older tuna.
How To Make Healthy Tuna Salad
Make a batch of my favorite homemade avocado mayo. I promise you it is super simple.
In a large bowl, add canned tuna (drain, if needed) and mayo.
Dice onions and celery. If you have kids, I suggest dicing the onions into really small pieces.
Chop herbs and add to bowl. This step is totally optional, but fresh herbs add so much brightness and flavor to the salad.
Squeeze lemon juice over the top.
Mix well. Done. Simple and fresh.
How To Make A Tuna Salad Sandwich:
- Mix up a batch of the tuna salad.
- Slice bread. I love to do this on artisan sourdough bread or rye bread.
- Toast the bread with a little butter in a cast iron skillet.
- Add tuna salad mixture to the toast, and serve.Â
How To Make A Tuna Melt:
Add the tuna salad directly to the butter-toasted bread in the cast iron skillet.
Add cheese (and cooked bacon, if desired) and place another slice of bread on top. Put a lid on the cast iron skillet. Heat gently until the cheese is melted.
Other Tuna Salad Ideas
- Serve as a dip with carrots, celery, and crackers.
- Add to the top of a bed of fresh lettuce.
- Place sliced cheese on crackers with a small dollop of tuna salad on top.
- Pita pocket with lettuce, tomato, and tuna salad.
- Make it a wrap with some homemade sourdough tortillas, fermented salsa, lettuce, and sliced tomatoes.
- Serve it over some cooked pasta. This homemade einkorn pasta is my favorite.
Variations:
Swap out the celery for cucumber.
Make a Mexican version by adding cilantro, lime juice (instead of lemon), and a dash of cumin.
For some sweet crunch, dice up some fresh apples to add to the salad. Add walnuts for some Waldorf inspiration.
Add diced hard boiled eggs.
How Long Does Tuna Salad Last?
It will last three days stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
This recipe works well to prep ahead of time. Make it the night before, along with some sourdough English muffins, for a picnic or day in town (pack it on ice).
Find More Delicious Recipes Straight From The Farmhouse:
- Southwest Chicken Salad
- Vegetable Hash
- Sourdough Oven Fried Chicken
- Sourdough Biscuits And Gravy
- Honey Lavender Ice Cream
If you try this recipe and love it, I would love if you gave it 5 stars! Also, tag me on Instagram @farmhouseonboone.
Healthy Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cans tuna I like Wild Planet
- 1 recipe homemade avocado mayo
- 1 lemon juiced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1/2 onion finely diced
- Handful fresh herbs optional
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Make a batch of my favorite homemade avocado mayo. I promise you it is super simple.
- In a large bowl, add canned tuna (drain, if needed) and mayo.Dice onions and celery. If you have kids, I suggest dicing the onions into really small pieces. Chop herbs and add to bowl. This step is totally optional, but fresh herbs add so much brightness and flavor to the salad.
- Squeeze lemon juice over the top.Mix well and serve.
Notes
- Fresh cilantro is my favorite herb to add, but you could also add a handful of fresh parsley or basil.
- This recipe utilizes my favorite homemade avocado mayo. You could substitute it for store-bought, if needed. Always opt for avocado mayo, because most other types are made with unhealthy, refined vegetable oils.
- For extra lemon flavor, add the zest of one lemon.
Roxie Meiske says
My mother made ‘tuna gravy’ for us often. It was a cheap meal. It was simple but tasty too. Just make a white gravy and add tuna to it. Serve it over saltine crackers. (this is how we ate it) This was a very budget friendly meal for our family.
BB says
My husband introduced me to tuna gravy! His mom served it over torn toast, it’s yummy! The other day I served it over Einkorn pasta and added some veggies for a homemade Tuna Helper. It was good, but I might add some sourcream next time.