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This healthy tuna salad is light, flavorful, and packed with fresh vegetables and herbs. Made without mayo or yogurt, it combines flaky tuna with crisp carrots, crunchy celery, red bell pepper, and fresh parsley and dill. It’s the ultimate protein-packed, satisfying lunch or snack option.
This healthy tuna salad holds a special place in my heart. My favorite grocery store, Mother’s Market, makes the best tuna salad, and I wanted to recreate it at home so I could enjoy it anytime. I love that it’s loaded with vegetables and fresh herbs, making it vibrant, flavorful, and delicious.
For more delicious tuna salad recipes, try our cranberry apple tuna salad, cottage cheese tuna salad, Mediterranean tuna salad, tuna salad with capers, and white bean tuna salad next!
🔍 Quick Look: Healthy Tuna Salad
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- ⏱️ Cook Time: 0 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 10 minutes
- 🍽 Calories: ~83 kcal per serving
- 👥 Servings: 4 servings
- 🥣 Key Ingredients: Canned tuna, celery, carrots, onions, herbs
- 📖 Dietary Information: Dairy-free, gluten-free, high-protein
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Easy to Make: This tuna salad is easy to make in about 10 minutes. Just prep the ingredients, add them to a bowl, mix, and serve!
- Flavorful: This healthy tuna salad is bursting with flavor from the fresh veggies, herbs, and seasonings. Also, the red wine vinegar and lemon juice brighten the flavors.
- Meal Prep: It is great for meal prep! We love having this tuna salad ready to go and stored in the refrigerator for a quick and delicious meal throughout the week.
- Healthy: This tuna salad is lightened up and made with wholesome ingredients. Also, it is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free!
- High-Protein: This tuna salad is protein-packed!
- No Mayo: There is no mayonnaise or oil in this tuna salad!
“I wasn’t expecting much as I’m used to mayonnaise-based tuna salad but it is really tasty. Will definitely make this again.”
– jim
Key Ingredients
- Tuna: Use two cans of albacore tuna in water, not oil, and drain the tuna. For another delicious recipe, try our tuna burgers with canned tuna next!
- Celery: Chopped celery adds crunch to this salad.
- Carrots: Use shredded carrots or grate whole carrots.
- Green Onions: Slice green onions and use the green parts only.
- Herbs: Fresh flat-leaf parsley, fresh or dried dill, and dried basil.
- Red Wine Vinegar: Add red wine vinegar for flavor. It adds depth, complexity, and a slight tanginess.
- Lemon Juice: Freshly squeeze some lemon juice. It brightens the flavor of this tuna salad and adds acidity.
Find the full measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Red Onion Substitution: If you don’t like the flavor profile of red onion, you can omit it from this recipe and use the sliced green onions. Or, replace the red onion with diced white or sweet onion.
- Add Cucumber: Add diced English cucumber to this tuna salad for a crunchy and refreshing element. Or, try our Mediterranean tuna salad!
- Tuna to Use: We used albacore tuna in water. Another great option is skipjack tuna. For another option, try our salmon salad with canned salmon!
- Double the Recipe: Easily double this recipe to make even more for meal prep!
How To Make Healthy Tuna Salad
- Drain two cans of albacore tuna. Add the drained tuna, chopped celery, grated carrots, sliced green onions, diced red bell pepper, diced red onion, finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, chopped dill, dried basil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a large mixing bowl. Then, add the red wine vinegar and lemon juice to the bowl.
- Thoroughly mix the tuna salad and serve.
Expert Tips
- Low-Sodium Tuna: If you use low-sodium canned albacore tuna use 1/2 teaspoon of salt instead of 1/4 teaspoon or salt to taste. Make sure to use tuna in water.
- Freshly Squeeze the Lemon Juice: For the best flavor, freshly squeeze the lemon juice.
- Dice the Vegetables: Finely dice the vegetables to evenly distribute them throughout this tuna salad.
Serving Suggestions
There are so many delicious ways to serve this tuna salad. Here are some of our favorites:
- In a Bowl: Enjoy this tuna salad right out of the bowl!
- With Crackers: Dig into this tuna salad with your favorite crackers or make lavash crackers.
- Add to Toast: Add some of this tuna salad to toast.
- Make a Sandwich: Make a tuna salad sandwich with your favorite bread. Or, make a tuna salad croissant sandwich.
- Lettuce Wraps: For a low-carb option, serve this tuna salad in lettuce leaves.
- Avocado: Eat this tuna salad inside an avocado.
- Tomato or Bell Pepper: Add this tuna salad to the inside of a large tomato or bell pepper.
- Tuna Melt: Make a tuna melt with your favorite cheese.
Storage Instructions
Store leftover tuna salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Healthy Tuna Salad FAQs
Is Tuna Salad Healthy?
This tuna salad is a healthy option. There is no oil or mayonnaise in this tuna salad! Also, we used tuna in water, not oil. This tuna salad contains many fresh vegetables, such as celery, carrots, and red bell peppers.
What is Tuna Salad Made Of?
Tuna salad is a classic! It typically consists of tuna, onion, celery, and mayonnaise. This healthy tuna salad is lightened up and made without mayo or oil! We used red wine vinegar and lemon juice instead of oil, mayonnaise, or Greek yogurt.
More Tuna Salad Recipes to Try!
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.
Healthy Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cans of albacore tuna in water
- 1/2 cup chopped celery
- 1/3 cup grated carrots
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions, green part only
- 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion
- 1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped dill or 1/4 teaspoon dried
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
Instructions
- Drain the albacore tuna. Then, add the drained tuna, chopped celery, grated carrots, sliced green onions, diced red bell pepper, diced red onion, finely chopped flat-leaf parsley, chopped dill, dried basil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice to a large bowl.
- Thoroughly mix the tuna salad and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Storage: Store leftover tuna salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Tuna: Use two cans of albacore tuna in water, not oil, and drain the tuna. Also, use low-sodium canned tuna.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Mayo IS dairy free. Eggs are not dairy. A comment about your note for the Tuna Salad. Eggs are lactose free as are SOME yogurts.
Is This Tuna Salad Dairy-Free?
This tuna salad is naturally dairy-free since there is no mayonnaise or Greek yogurt. Also, it is gluten-free!
Hi Barbara, thanks so much for the feedback. I have fixed the writing so it is more clear. You are right, mayonnaise is already dairy-free. Feel free to use dairy-free yogurt in place of the Greek yogurt in this recipe if needed.
This healthy tuna salad is packed with fresh, crunchy veggies like carrots, celery, and red bell peppers, plus a burst of flavor from dill, parsley, and basil. Lightly tossed in red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and seasoning, it’s a refreshing, no-mayo option that’s perfect for lunch or a quick, healthy meal!
I wasn’t expecting much as I’m used to mayonnaise-based tuna salad but it is really tasty. Will definitely make this again.
Hi Jim, I’m so happy you tried this tuna salad recipe and enjoyed it! The inspiration came from one of my favorite grocery stores, Mother’s Market, and I would always get it when I went there. I decided it was definitely time to make my own version, it’s great when you don’t want to use mayonnaise or any dairy.