Mediterranean Tuna Salad
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This Mediterranean Tuna Salad recipe has no mayo, so it’s healthier than a traditional recipe. Using Greek yogurt adds a boost of protein, while keeping the salad creamy and delicious. It’s a win-win for tuna lovers!
2025 Update: This recipe is still a family favorite and has been updated to simplify the instructions and add helpful tips for our readers. We hope you love it as much as we do!
Mediterranean Tuna Salad
You may think all canned tuna recipes are the same, but I think this recipe will surprise you! Aside from the delicious Mediterranean flavor, this tuna salad has plenty of crunchy veggies, and because it has a base of Greek yogurt, it’s higher in protein, too.
The texture and consistency of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise are super similar, and the flavors are alike too. Really, the main difference is that Greek yogurt has just a tiny bit of tanginess.
So, if you don’t like mayo, don’t have any in the fridge, or you just want a high protein lunch, this recipe is for you!
Why This Recipe is Worth Making
- Easy and fast meal prep recipe. Chop all of the veggies at the beginning of the week if you want to! Even if you don’t, it only takes 10 minutes to whip up a batch.
- Higher in protein than mayo-based tuna salad recipes. If you aren’t much of a meat eater and/or you need some extra protein in your diet, this is a tasty way to up your intake.
- Plenty of ways to serve it. You can enjoy the Mediterranean tuna salad as a sandwich, in lettuce wraps or cups, or make a stuffed avocado or tomato.
Another tasty way to enjoy it is on whole grain or gluten-free crackers. That’s how I usually eat high protein egg salad.
A couple of other high protein salad recipes that my kids enjoy are cobb salad and dill pickle chicken salad.
Ingredients
One of the reasons I enjoy making salads is because they’re so easy to customize. If you don’t have one of these ingredients on hand, just leave it out and swap in something similar!
- canned tuna: Tuna packed in oil is more flavorful, but it’s higher in fat and calories than tuna packed in water. Choose whichever you prefer. For a firmer consistency, use Albacore tuna instead of varieties like skip jack.
- unflavored Greek yogurt: If you want your tuna salad keto, use full fat Greek yogurt. Personally, I like to use nonfat, but whatever type you prefer will work out great.
- celery: Celery adds mild flavor and crunchy texture to tuna salad.
- red onion: Just a little red onion goes a long way! It adds zesty flavor and a little more texture.
- Dijon mustard: Mustard adds a punch of acid and bold flavor which helps to balance out the tang in the yogurt. You can use Dijon, grainy stone ground mustard, or even a simple yellow mustard.
- fresh dill and parsley: You can use either fresh or dried herbs, however, fresh herbs will provide the best flavor.
Other Variations of Tuna Salad
Add a bit of spicy heat. My spicy tuna salad lettuce wraps are really good! Or, you can simply add a pinch of cayenne or a splash of hot sauce or sriracha.
Use different veggies. If you like the crunchy texture but you aren’t a fan of onion and/or celery, you have other options. Substitute them with different crunchy vegetables, like diced bell peppers, cucumber, or scallions.
For a higher protein tuna salad, add some diced hard boiled egg whites and/or yolks to the mixture. Another tasty, high protein option that’s great with tuna fish is bacon.
Making Mediterranean Tuna Salad
I think the best thing about this recipe is how incredibly easy it is to make. There’s no cooking involved, just a little chopping and dicing and you’re in business!
Step 1: Do the prep work. First, chop the celery, onion, and fresh herbs. Chop them as finely as you’d like. If you prefer everything minced up in tiny pieces, go right ahead and do that! I prefer a little bit of a chunkier texture.
Drain most of the water or oil from the cans of tuna. You want the tuna to be moist, but you don’t want it soupy or overly dry. The best way to get there is to simply pour out any excess liquid from the cans, but don’t use a strainer.
Step 2: Combine the ingredients. Add all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl. Use a large spoon to stir everything well. Taste and add more seasoning if you think it needs it.
After that, your tuna salad is ready to serve! You can enjoy it right away, or cover and store in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat it.
Tips for Success
Here are a couple of tips to ensure that your salad has the perfect flavor and texture.
- Use fresh herbs. Fresh dill and parsley taste so much better than dried.
- For a creamier consistency, add another tablespoon or two of Greek yogurt.
- Be sure to taste it! You might want a bit more mustard or herbs to amp up the flavor. Check the spices too. Salt and black pepper are just as important as the other seasonings.
Serving Suggestions
Tuna salad is great served on toasted bread, in lettuce wraps, or collard wraps. I like to serve it with sliced cucumber, crackers, tortilla chips, and carrot sticks.
Tuna Salad FAQ
A typical tuna salad recipe contains approximately 375 calories per cup. By omitting the mayo and using Greek yogurt, the calories drop to approximately 195 per serving.
When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, tuna salad will keep for 3 to 4 days
The short answer is yes, but I don’t recommend it. While it’s safe to freeze tuna salad, both Greek yogurt and mayonnaise tend to separate when frozen, causing the salad to be mushy and watery after defrosting. It will taste better to make up a fresh batch whenever you’re ready to eat it.
Other High Protein Salads
- Mexican Tuna Salad. Another fun take on classic tuna salad, jam packed with healthy vegetables and Mexican flavor!
- Dill Pickle Chicken Salad. This is a fun take on traditional chicken salad. If you like pickles, this is for you!
- High Protein Egg Salad. A Keto and Whole30 compatible, absolutely delicious meal prep recipe!
Are you making this recipe? I’d love to hear about your experience with it!
Please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 14 ounces canned tuna with most of the liquid drained
- 1 cup Greek yogurt unflavored
- 1 cup diced celery ~2 ribs
- 2 tablespoons minced red onion
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1½ teaspoons fresh parsley or substitute ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 1½ teaspoons fresh dill or substitute ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Video
Instructions
- Do the prep work. Dice the celery and mince the onion. If you're using fresh herbs, mince the parsley and dill. Open the cans of tuna and drain most of the liquid.
- Add the tuna, Greek yogurt, celery, red onion, mustard, herbs, and salt and pepper to a large bowl.
- Use a spoon to mix the ingredients well until fully combined. Taste and add more seasoning, if needed.
- Serve right away, or store covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Notes
- To store: When stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, tuna salad will keep for 3-4 days, per USDA. For best flavor, do not freeze tuna salad.
- Tuna packed in oil will be more flavorful, but it will also be higher in fat and calories than tuna packed in water. Use whichever you prefer.
- Use unflavored (plain) Greek yogurt. I prefer nonfat yogurt, but whatever type you prefer will be great.
