Healthy Tuna Salad Recipe

Healthy tuna salad is a classic lunchtime recipe, and it takes a mere 10 minutes to make! This version is dressed up with roasted peppers and pepperoncini.

Healthy tuna salad is a long-time favorite of mine. Yep, I was that kid who brought tuna salad sandwiches to school! As much as I love my mum’s version, these days I lighten things up by cutting back on the mayo and pumping up the flavor with other ingredients.

In my low-fat salmon salad sandwich recipe, I used capers to add flavor and seasoning. In this tuna salad, I opted for roasted peppers, pepperoncini and celery. Simple, but so flavorful!

If you love tuna salad, but want something more substantial to serve for dinner, try my Tuna Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette. It’s fantastic for picnics, too!

What you need for this Healthy Tuna Salad recipe:

These are the main components of this recipe (affiliate links included):

• Tuna: Look for canned tuna packed in water, which is available in any grocery store. Drain off and discard the water.
• Mayonnaise: You’ll need just a couple of tablespoons of light mayonnaise.
• Roasted peppers: Either store-bought or homemade roasted peppers will work.
• Pepperoncini: Jars of pepperoncini can be found near the pickles and olives in almost any grocery store.
• Crackers: Wasa crispbreads are a long-time favorite – multigrain, whole grain, rye or light ‘n crisp. I used multigrain, but any of these are fantastic for open-faced lunches.
• Cucumber: Sliced cucumber or tomato are both good options.

How to make tuna salad healthy:

• Since it’s the overabundance of mayonnaise that turns tuna salad from healthy to…well, not…the easiest way to lighten up tuna salad is by cutting back on the mayo.
• However, since the mayo adds moisture and helps to bind the tuna together, you need something to fill this role.
• In this case, that’s veggies – plenty of them. Mix the tuna with a couple of tablespoons of low-fat mayonnaise, then add diced celery, roasted peppers and pepperoncini.
• The veggies add moisture, but also add a wonderful layer of flavor and a little zip! Season to taste with kosher salt.

Frequently asked questions:

How long does tuna salad last?

According to the U.S. government food safety site, tuna salad lasts for 3 to 4 days in a refrigerator set to 40 degrees F or below. I store mine in an airtight container like this one.

Unfortunately, salads with mayonnaise don’t tend to freeze well.

What can I use in place of mayonnaise?

If you prefer to veer away from mayo altogether, use Greek yogurt instead. It has a tangier taste, so you could add a small drizzle of honey to balance out the flavors, if desired.

Alternatively, dress the tuna with a white or red wine vinaigrette.

How to serve tuna salad:

Serve it as an open-faced sandwich on whole grain crackers, like I did in this recipe, or on whole grain bread. Alternatively, serve it over mixed greens, along with some chopped cucumber and tomatoes. You could also make lettuce cups with butter lettuce leaves or serve it in endive leaves as tuna boats.

Other healthy lunch recipes:

Turkey Panini with Apple, Cheddar & Arugula
Kale, Mushroom & Goat Cheese Quesadillas
Sweet Potato Toast with Tahini Arugula

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.