The Best Tuna Salad Recipes, Whether You Like Them Creamy or Filled with Veggies
Would you rather dive into a nostalgic tuna melt or a thoroughly-modern kale and quinoa bowl with grilled tuna steak? We have recipes for both—and much more.
These tuna salad recipes range from creamy, mayo-tossed blends to seared tuna steaks atop a bacon-studded spinach. Tuck into our best tuna salad recipes to feature as part of open-face tuna melts, wrap sandwiches, grain bowls, scoopable appetizers, and beyond.
Chickpea Salad with Tuna
We’ll coach you through how to transform canned food into something that looks and tastes like you’d snag it at a gourmet grocery store. A bright lemon vinaigrette, crunchy green onions, verdant fresh parsley, smoky roasted red peppers, and salty feta perk up the often-plain-tasting canned beans and tuna. Available with zero special trips required, for far less money, and after just 20 minutes of hands-on time, this refreshing tuna and chickpea recipe is “perfect,” according to one BHG fan who enjoyed a serving for lunch with pita crackers and hummus.
Avocado Ranch Tuna Melts
This open-faced sandwich is at the center of the matrix of craveable creamy tuna salad and a nutritious, well-balanced lunch. Instead of mounds of mayo, the tuna salad recipe is accented by smashed avocado, a splash of light ranch dressing, Dijon-style mustard, and just enough light mayo. Surrounding that hearty protein-packed salad: a nutty slice of whole wheat bread, crunchy broccoli slaw, and a crown of melted cheddar cheese.
White Bean Tuna Salad
“Healthy and light, but with lots of flavor” plus “easy to prepare,” BHG home cooks confirm that this is one of the best adult lunch ideas in our archives. Canned tuna and cannellini beans join forces for a seriously satisfying and high-protein main, that’s ideal to enjoy over a bed of greens or a slice of crusty toasted bread. The supporting cast is certainly worth mentioning too. According to one five-star reviewer, “fresh parsley and lemon juice absolutely make this dish.”
Tuscan Tuna Salad
This easy 10-minute recipe takes that last white bean tuna salad recipe and leans into the leaves. Tuna, white beans, lemon, and red onion are still on the menu. But rather than letting the cannellinis take the lead, we aimed for similar-sized roles for the beans, greens, and tuna—then add a couple handfuls of juicy tomatoes for a burst of acidity and enticing color.
Lemony Tuna Salad
We turn to this light and colorful tuna salad recipe as an appetizer or as a starting point for a healthy lunch. It’s short on ingredients (just six) but not on flavor. After combining the greens, fennel, tomatoes, onion, flake tuna, and a squeeze of lemon, the stage is set to stuff this inside a pita, pair it with a side of pasta, or enjoy alongside a sandwich.
Kale-Quinoa Bowls with Miso Dressing and Tuna
Creators of those ho-hum, skimpy bowl recipes and menu items, take notes. This is how you build a bowl that’s actually a meal! Atop a base of quinoa and edamame, we showcase miso-massaged kale, slices of seared tuna steak, orange and cucumber slices, and a shower of sesame seeds.
Tuna and Hummus Wraps
Mayo shouldn't get all the glory in tuna salad recipes. Two tablespoons of olive oil are all you need to bring flaky tuna, chopped tomato, chopped cucumber, and fresh dill together into one fantastic sandwich filling. Enjoy that, plus a handful of lettuce, tucked inside a tortilla or a couple slices of bread slathered with hummus, and you’re seconds from tasting why this 20-minute masterpiece is a BHG editor favorite.
Tuna-Ramen Salad
Chances are high that you’ll never think of two of the most affordable pantry staples in the same way after digging into this Asian-inspired tuna and ramen noodle recipe. Blanched snap peas and carrots get the flavor party started. Crushed ramen noodles (no need to cook!) act as pleasantly-crunchy “croutons,” which are ideal to accent the napa cabbage, Thai basil, and green onions that round things out. Finish with our signature ingredient, tuna, and a generous drizzle of sesame-miso vinaigrette.
Bacon, Egg, Spinach and Tuna Salad
We’re suckers for a thoughtfully-constructed BLD. By that, we mean a recipe that works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner; this tuna salad recipe certainly does! Jammy eggs meet crispy bacon (hey, breakfast!). Mustard vinaigrette-dressed greens usher in the lunch energy, and the seared tuna steaks deliver a dose of dinner vibes. Regardless of the time of day you choose to consume it, this low-carb recipe is high in flavor.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad with Olive Dressing
Salade niçoise, which has roots in the French city of Nice, has grown to become one of the most popular tuna salad recipes around the globe. Traditionally, this features Niçoise olives, tomatoes, hard-boiled eggs, green beans, potatoes, anchovies, olives, and (you guessed it!) tuna. We like to think of this Mediterranean tuna toss as a remix of that concept. Skip the tomatoes, eggs, and anchovies, and add a beautifully-briny dressing made with pimiento-stuffed green olives instead.
Niçoise Salad Sandwich
For another fan-favorite riff on that timeless French salad, try this no-cook lunch idea. Between two pieces of bread (or inside a pita or wrap), invite the starring cast members: lettuce, thin green beans, sliced tomato and red onion, olives, sliced hard-boiled eggs, and lemon-pepper marinated tuna. The hits just keep on coming—this sandwich-style tuna salad recipe jumps from awesome to irresistible status once it’s garnished with a spoonful of zippy fresh parsley gremolata.
Sicilian Potato and Green Bean Salad
This tuna salad recipe is what we imagine might happen if we invited that niçoise salad on vacation to Southern Italy. One small addition, fresh basil, makes a world of difference to transform this tuna salad recipe into something new. Since it’s too good not to share, we also adjusted the line-up to omit the lettuce and add even more of one potluck-perfect ingredient: potatoes.
Tuna or Salmon Salad
Listen up, pickle lovers. This tuna salad recipe might look like a fairly standard creamy tuna salad. Don’t be fooled, though. Hiding behind the chopped celery and sliced green onions, you’ll find both fresh dill and chopped sweet pickles. We suggest serving it over greens, and pairing this protein-rich dish with crostinis or crackers—and an extra side of pickles. (“Too many pickles” is a concept we’ve yet to experience.)
Rosemary Garlic Flatbread with Spicy Tuna Salad
Pretend like you’re at a trendy Asian fusion or sushi restaurant with this vibrant raw tuna salad recipe. As the semi-homemade flatbread bakes until golden and bubbly (psst…you can, and should, take a shortcut by snagging pizza dough at the supermarket or a local pizza parlor), toss together the almost-instant tuna mixture. This is one simple yet impactful party snack, so the high-quality tuna can really shine. Lemon juice perks things up, while sriracha brings the heat. The results are worthy of a very large tip, if you ask us!
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