This Mediterranean tuna salad is fresh, flavorful, and healthy lunch or dinner! This mayonnaise-free tuna salad is fast and easy to make and the leftovers are delicious too!
Looking for another tuna salad recipe? Try this avocado chickpea tuna salad.
Why I love it
No mayo tuna salad – As much as I love classic tuna salad, I love an alternative that doesn’t use mayonnaise. Instead of mayo, this tuna salad uses a red wine vinaigrette.
Fresh and flavorful – Tuna salad can sometimes be a little one note in the flavor department. This Mediterranean version is packed full of fresh, briny, salty flavors and has lots of texture.
Meal prep – If you like to have lunches or dinners ready to go at the beginning of the week, this tuna salad is a great option. It holds up well for several days in the fridge.
The ingredients
- Tuna – You can use canned tuna in water or olive oil. I find that tuna packed in olive oil is more flavorful.
- Cucumber – English or Persian cucumbers work best. If using English, use a spoon to scrape out the seeds so the salad doesn’t get watery.
- Red onion – They have a sharper taste than yellow onions and work well raw in salads.
- Roasted red peppers – Naturally sweet, tender, and full of flavor.
- Kalamata olives – Deep brown in color and almond shaped. They’re grown in Greece and have briny, salty flavor and meaty texture.
- Chickpeas – Chickpeas are a great way to bulk up tuna salad with extra protein and fiber.
- Flat leaf parsley – Fresh herbs always brighten up the flavor of salads.
- Red wine vinegar – The acidic component of the vinaigrette.
- Dijon mustard – The emulsifier in the vinaigrette.
- Olive oil – Another emulsifier for the vinaigrette.
- Garlic powder and dried oregano
How to make Mediterranean tuna salad
Prep the vegetables – Start by chopping the cucumber, onion, roasted red peppers, olives, and parsley. I like to keep the cucumbers, red peppers, and olives fairly similar in size so that you get a little bit of everything in each bite.
Make the vinaigrette – In a jar with a lid or bowl, add all of the ingredients including salt and pepper. Whisk or shake until well combined.
Combine Ingredients – Add all of the ingredients for the salad into a bowl. Pour on the vinaigrette and toss everything together until combined. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
Make ahead tips and storage
Make ahead – To save time, the vegetables can be chopped a day in advance. You can also make the vinaigrette 2-3 days in advance. Wait to combine everything on the day you plan to serve it.
Storage – The Mediterranean tuna salad will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Ways to serve it
This salad is hearty enough that you can eat it as is, but if you’re looking for ways to change up the leftover, here’s a few ideas.
- Serve on top of romaine lettuce or make lettuce wraps with it.
- Make a wrap out of it with tortillas.
- Stuff it inside of pita bread or wrap it up in a piece of naan.
- Add a grain to it such as farro, Israeli cous cous, or quinoa.
Variations and substitutions
- Instead of tuna use canned salmon.
- Roasted red peppers can be replaced with a regular red bell pepper.
- Switch up some of the vegetables. Try using cherry tomatoes and/or celery.
- Add additional fresh herbs. I love using fresh dill.
- Instead of red wine vinaigrette make a lemon vinaigrette like I used in this strawberry spinach quinoa salad.
More Mediterranean recipes
Did you make this Mediterranean tuna salad? I’d love if you’d leave a recipe rating and review below.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad
This Mediterranean tuna salad is fresh, flavorful, and healthy lunch or dinner!
Ingredients
Tuna Salad
- 5 ounce can tuna, drained and flaked apart
- 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 cup chopped English or Persian cucumbers
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley
Red Wine Vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients for the vinaigrette to a jar with a lid or a bowl. Shake or whisk until well combined.
- Add all of the ingredients for the tuna salad to a serving bowl. Pour on the vinaigrette and toss together. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 304Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 783mgCarbohydrates: 34gFiber: 9gSugar: 7gProtein: 19g
Nutritional information is an estimate. Please consult a registered dietician for the most accurate nutritional information.
I love this mediterranean tuna salad recipe, it’s so delicious and makes me happy.
I’m so glad you like it! Thanks for making it.
I absolutely love this recipe, it’s so delicious! It includes my favorite ingredients, red onion and flat leaf parsley. perfect quick dinner!