This delicious rice salad with tuna is a lunchtime game-changer! It's ideal for meal prep, plus it's packed with chopped vegetables and tossed with lemon vinaigrette.
Healthy Meal Prep Lunch Recipe
This rice salad with tuna is a fantastic option for an on-the-go lunch. Pack it with a freezer pack to take to work or on picnics, or serve it with an array of soups and salads for a potluck lunch with friends.
- This salad is really versatile, and the rice and tuna are a good base for a variety of flavors. Got some leftover veggies? Toss them in. Want to add some extra herbs? Go ahead and mix in some fresh mint or oregano.
- I adore a rice salad with vegetables, and this one is packed. This recipe includes cucumber, tomato and bell pepper, but raw cauliflower, broccoli or snap peas would also work well.
Tips and substitutions
- Cool it: Make sure to cool the rice completely before mixing it with the other ingredients. This prevents the salad from becoming mushy.
- Drain well: Drain the canned tuna well to remove any excess liquid.
- Season to taste: Adjust the seasoning to suit your tastebuds. Add more salt, pepper, or extra herbs like fresh dill for extra flavor.
- Switch up the protein: Not a fan of tuna? No problem! You can easily substitute it with cooked chicken, shrimp, or even chickpeas or white beans for a vegetarian version.
- Capers or olives: The recipe calls for capers, but chopped kalamata olives can be swapped in for a similar briny flavor.
- Swap the rice: If you don't have brown jasmine rice on hand, any type of cooked rice will work. Opt for white rice, brown or white basmati, or even cooked sorghum or farro.
See recipe card below for full ingredients list & recipe directions.
How to make rice salad with tuna
- Make the rice: I used brown jasmine rice for this salad, but any type of white or brown rice works. Follow my directions for How to Cook Jasmine Brown Rice. Both stovetop and Instant Pot directions are included.
- Cool the rice: Fluff the rice and spread it on a large baking sheet to cool to room temperature. If you're in a hurry, pop the baking sheet into the fridge. If you freeze rice (directions in this post), defrost the rice before using.
- Add other ingredients: Drain and flake the canned tuna. Stir it into the rice, along with chopped cucumber, tomato, red bell pepper, celery, green onions and capers.
- Make the dressing: Whisk together the ingredients for the lemon vinaigrette - lemon juice, agave nectar, olive oil, salt and pepper.
- Combine: Pour the dressing into the rice salad and stir well to combine. Serve it up!
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Meal Prep and Storage
This salad is perfect for meal prep! You can make a big batch ahead of time and portion it out for quick and easy lunches over the next couple of days.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 to 3 days. I like to use these glass meal prep containers.
Since rice salads tend to absorb the dressing as they rest in the fridge, I recommend making an extra batch of the lemon vinaigrette to freshen up the salad for future meals. Stir in the extra dressing just before serving. For storing individual servings of dressing, I like these sealable condiment containers.
What to serve with it
This salad is a complete meal on its own, but here are a couple of serving suggestions:
- Mix in some greens, such as spinach, romaine lettuce or kale to bulk up the salad. If adding greens, make extra lemon dressing to accommodate the additional ingredients.
- Serve an array of salads to keep lunchtime interesting, either when you're dining solo or hosting some friends. Others to include: Lentil Tabbouleh Salad, Thai Chicken Salad and Mediterranean Cucumber Salad.
- A soup and salad combo is a fantastic lunch option. Try my Vegan Hummus Avocado Sandwich or Egg Salad Collard Green Wraps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Canned salmon works just as well in this recipe. Or try it with chopped poached chicken, seared shrimp or chickpeas.
Yes, this salad holds up well in a lunchbox or container. Keep it refrigerated until you're ready to eat. I like these containers.
Other Lunch Recipes You'll Love
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and comment underneath the recipe card below. Thank you!
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Rice Salad with Tuna
Ingredients
- 3 cups cooked brown jasmine or basmati rice cooled (see Note 1)
- 4 ounce tuna canned in water drained and flaked
- ¾ cup chopped English cucumber
- ¾ cup chopped tomato
- ¾ cup chopped bell pepper red, yellow or orange
- 1 large celery stalk chopped
- 2 green onions thinly sliced (white & green sections)
- 1 tablespoon capers
- ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
The vinaigrette:
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons agave nectar or honey
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the cooled rice, tuna, cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, celery, green onions, capers and parsley. Stir to combine.
- Pour in the lemon vinaigrette. Stir again to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste. Serve.
The vinaigrette:
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, agave nectar, oregano, salt and pepper. While whisking, slowing pour in the olive oil
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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John-Paul DeRosa
For years I have been trying to find a cold tuna rice salad like I had in Milan in an arcade just next to La Scala in the '90s. I am unable to tolerate a strong dose of lemon for health reasons, so I used 1/3 of the amount in this recipe. This is a superb dish. I don't think it is the same taste as in Milan, with the strong agave flavor, but it is a keeper. Next time I will use salmon instead of tuna. I think it is good without any fish, too.
Dara
That sounds like a wonderful memory from Milan! I'm so glad you enjoyed the recipe. And yes, salmon would work equally well in this salad.
Susy
Really enjoyed this tasty salad. I used maple syrup as the sweetener. Is a keeper