Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Tuna Base
- 300 g canned tuna, packed in olive oil, thoroughly drained
- 60 g celery, finely diced
- 40 g red onion, finely diced
- 15 g capers, drained and roughly chopped
Lemon Herb Dressing
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 30 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 2 g salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 142 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbohydrates
- 3 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 509 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 27 mg
- Potassium
- 218 mg
- Calcium
- 29 mg
- Iron
- 1.6 mg
- Magnesium
- 24 mg
- Phosphorus
- 116 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 27 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 8 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 51 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.08 mg
- Niacin
- 7.7 mg
- Folate
- 17 mcg
- Water
- 96 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Drain the canned tuna thoroughly using a strainer to remove excess moisture. Transfer the drained tuna to a large mixing bowl.
Finely dice the celery and red onion on a cutting board using a chef knife. Roughly chop the capers and fresh parsley.
Use a fork to gently flake the drained tuna into bite-sized pieces in the large mixing bowl, being careful not to over-mash it into a paste.
In a small mixing bowl, vigorously whisk together the extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper until perfectly emulsified and smooth.
Add the diced celery, red onion, chopped capers, and parsley to the flaked tuna. Pour the emulsified lemon dressing over the mixture and fold gently to combine.
Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the aromatics and dressing to permeate the tuna.
Chef's Notes
- Using high-quality, sustainably caught tuna packed in olive oil drastically improves the mouthfeel and flavor compared to water-packed varieties, which can dry out without mayonnaise.
- Soaking diced red onions in cold water for 10 minutes before draining and adding to the salad removes their harsh, pungent bite while keeping their satisfying crunch.
- This mayonnaise-free base is an excellent canvas for customization. Consider folding in chopped Kalamata olives, toasted pine nuts, or swapping the parsley for fresh dill depending on your pantry.
- The Dijon mustard acts as a crucial emulsifier for the olive oil and lemon juice, ensuring the dressing clings evenly to the tuna rather than separating.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Stir gently before serving as the olive oil and lemon juice dressing may separate slightly over time.
Troubleshooting
Salad is too watery or liquid pools at the bottom of the bowl
Cause: Tuna was not thoroughly drained, or the celery released excessive water
Fix: Drain the excess liquid from the bottom of the bowl and stir in an additional 15g of finely diced celery to absorb remaining surface moisture
Prevention: Press the tuna firmly against the strainer when draining and thoroughly pat washed celery dry before dicing
Raw onion flavor is overpowering the delicate tuna
Cause: The red onion used was particularly pungent or aged
Fix: Cannot be fixed once fully mixed, but serving the salad over sturdy, bitter greens like arugula can help balance the harshness
Prevention: Soak the diced red onion in ice water for 10 minutes, then drain and dry completely before adding to the salad
Cultural Context
Traditional mayonnaise-based tuna salads became deeply entrenched in the United States during the early 20th century as commercial mayonnaise became widely available. However, in Mediterranean culinary traditions, preserved tuna has long been dressed simply with local olive oil, fresh citrus, and brine-cured ingredients like capers or olives. This approach celebrates the pure flavor of the fish rather than masking it behind heavy condiments.
