CRANBERRY APPLE TUNA SALAD

This cranberry apple tuna salad is a delicious blend of tuna, crisp apples, and sweet cranberries. This tuna salad has both sweet and tart notes for the perfect balance of flavors. The apples and celery add crunch while the cranberries add a burst of juicy, delicious flavor to each bite. We have put our spin on the classic Whole Foods apple tuna salad and lightened it up. Serve this tuna salad on top of sliced apples or right out of the bowl. This tuna salad is incredibly flavorful and a must-try!

Why You Will Love Apple Tuna Salad

• The apple and cranberries add flavor and sweetness.
• It has the perfect balance of textures and flavors.
• This tuna salad is lightened up and high in protein.
• There is no mayonnaise or oil in this recipe.
• It is the perfect salad to meal prep and have on hand!
• It comes together quickly and easily in one bowl.

What Is Cranberry Apple Tuna Salad?

This tuna salad features the vibrant flavors of dried cranberries, diced apples, chopped celery, and green onions. It all comes together with a creamy and tangy sauce. We were inspired by the Whole Foods apple tuna salad recipe, which features similar ingredients. To lighten it up, we made the sauce with Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise.

Ingredients Needed For Cranberry Apple Tuna Salad

• Tuna: Use two cans of tuna in water, not oil. We used albacore tuna.
• Apple: Use one large apple for this recipe. We love the flavor of pink lady apples. Core the apple and evenly dice it.
• Cranberries: Roughly chop the dried cranberries to disperse them throughout the tuna salad.
• Celery: Chop the celery into small even pieces.
• Green Onions: Slice the green onions.
• Parsley: As an option, finely chop fresh flat-leaf parsley to add to this tuna salad.
• Greek Yogurt: The base of the sauce is 0-fat Greek yogurt.
• Lemon: Freshly squeeze the lemon juice.
• Mustard: A small amount of mustard adds flavor and dimension to the sauce. Use stone-ground mustard or Dijon.
• Garlic Powder: Adds flavor to the sauce.
• Salt and Pepper: Salt and pepper to season the sauce and bring out the flavors of this tuna salad.

The Best Apples For Tuna Salad

This tuna salad with apples is incredible! The apples add a crispy, crunchy, and slightly sweet flavor profile that complements this tuna salad. We used a pink lady apple because it has a delicious sweet and tart flavor. Some other options are Honeycrisp, Fuji, and Gala. Or, use a Granny Smith apple for a more tart flavor.

How To Make Cranberry Apple Tuna Salad

Step 1: Wash, dry, core, and dice the apple. After that, roughly chop the dried cranberries, chop the celery, and slice the green onions.

Step 2: Drain the canned tuna and flake it with a fork. Then, add it to a large bowl.

Step 3: Add the chopped apple, dried cranberries, chopped celery, sliced green onions, and optional chopped flat-leaf parsley to the bowl.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, add the 0-fat Greek yogurt, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. After that, mix the sauce.

Step 5: Add the sauce to the tuna salad.

Then, thoroughly mix and enjoy!

How To Serve

There are so many ways you can serve this tuna salad. Enjoy it right out of the bowl, with crackers, over a greens salad, or in a sandwich! Or, make lettuce wraps with it or serve it inside of an avocado.

Serve Tuna Salad On Apple Slices

You can serve this tuna salad on apple slices! To do this, core an apple and slice it into rings. Then, scoop the tuna salad on the apple rings. We used a large ice cream scoop to easily scoop the tuna salad on the apple slices.

Then, serve and enjoy!

Expert Tips

• Evenly Chop: To evenly distribute the flavors throughout this tuna salad, evenly chop the celery and apple. You can use this chopper to make it easy. It ensures everything is the same size and makes it easy to chop the ingredients.
• Roughly Chop The Cranberries: Roughly chop the dried cranberries before adding them to the bowl. It helps distribute cranberry flavor throughout and reduces the amount of cranberries you need while still getting the delicious flavor.
• Thoroughly Mix: Ensure that the sauce is combined before adding it to the tuna salad. Then, thoroughly mix the tuna salad to ensure it is evenly coated with the sauce.
• Flake The Tuna: Use a fork to flake the tuna so you don’t have chunks of tuna in this salad.

Storage Instructions

Store leftover apple tuna salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Variations

• Green Onions Substitution: If you don’t want to add scallions, you can replace them with two tablespoons of diced red onion or sweet onion. Keep in mind that red onion will have a stronger onion flavor.
• Add Mayonnaise: You can add some mayonnaise to the Greek yogurt sauce for flavor and creaminess. Or, replace half or all of the Greek yogurt with mayonnaise if you prefer. The Greek yogurt makes this sauce creamy and it is delicious even without any mayonnaise.
• Make More Tuna Salad: Double this recipe to make more tuna salad to have on hand for meal prep!
• Tuna Substitution: If you don’t have canned tuna, you can use rinsed and drained fully cooked canned chicken, fully cooked shredded chicken, or fully cooked chopped chicken breast in this recipe instead.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is This Apple Tuna Salad Healthy?

This tuna salad with apples and cranberries is a lighter and healthier option. We have put our spin on the Whole Foods version and made the sauce with Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. Also, there is no oil in this recipe. It is made with fresh and simple ingredients.

Do I Need To Peel The Apple?

No, you don’t need to peel the apple for this recipe. Just core the apple and dice it. If you prefer, you can peel the apple, but it is not necessary.

How Long Does Cranberry Apple Tuna Salad Last?

This cranberry apple tuna salad is best enjoyed within three days of making it. Keep it stored in the refrigerator. You can make it ahead of time for meal prep.

More Recipes To Try Next!

• Healthy Tuna Salad
• Tuna Salad With Capers
• White Bean Tuna Salad
• Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
• Waldorf Chicken Salad
• Buffalo Chicken Salad
• Broccoli Salad With Cranberries
• Air Fryer Apples

If you try this recipe please be sure to leave us a comment and star rating ★★★★★ letting us know how it turns out for you.