Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 300 g canned tuna chunks, drained well
- 50 g celery, finely diced
- 30 g red onion, finely diced
- 10 g capers, drained and roughly chopped
- 5 g fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Lemon Vinaigrette
- 30 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 15 ml fresh lemon juice
- 10 g dijon mustard
- 2 g kosher 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
- 140 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbohydrates
- 2 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 1 g
- Sodium
- 477 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 27 mg
- Potassium
- 197 mg
- Calcium
- 25 mg
- Iron
- 1.5 mg
- Magnesium
- 23 mg
- Phosphorus
- 114 mg
- Zinc
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin A
- 21 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 4 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 30 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.04 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.08 mg
- Niacin
- 7.7 mg
- Folate
- 12 mcg
- Water
- 86 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Thoroughly drain the canned tuna using a fine mesh strainer, pressing down gently to remove excess liquid. Transfer to a medium mixing bowl and flake gently with a fork, leaving some chunks intact for texture.
Add the finely diced celery, red onion, chopped capers, and parsley to the bowl with the flaked tuna.
In a separate small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is completely emulsified and slightly opaque.
Pour the vinaigrette over the tuna and vegetable mixture. Fold gently with a spatula or spoon until all ingredients are evenly coated. Do not overmix, or the tuna will turn into a paste.
Allow the salad to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes so the tuna absorbs the lemon and olive oil dressing before serving.
Chef's Notes
- High-quality, oil-packed tuna (such as Ortiz or solid white albacore) is highly recommended for this preparation. The oil preserves the rich flavor and firm texture far better than water-packed alternatives.
- The Dijon mustard is critical here; it doesn't just provide flavor, it binds the lemon juice and olive oil together to prevent the salad from weeping or separating in the fridge.
- For a lower-carb serving vessel, scoop this mixture into hollowed-out bell pepper halves, wrap it in crisp butter lettuce leaves, or use it as a dip with thick cucumber slices.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. The flavors will deepen overnight.
Troubleshooting
Tuna salad is watery and leaks liquid onto the plate or bread
Cause: The canned tuna was not properly drained, or too much dressing was used relative to the meat.
Fix: Drain excess liquid from the bowl and gently stir in a small amount of extra flaked tuna to absorb the moisture.
Prevention: Press the tuna firmly in a mesh strainer or squeeze it using the can lid before mixing.
Raw onion flavor is overpowering the delicate tuna
Cause: The red onions were particularly pungent or cut too large.
Fix: Add more celery and another can of drained tuna to dilute the onion concentration.
Prevention: Ensure onions are finely diced. If sensitive to alliums, soak diced onions in ice water for 10 minutes and drain thoroughly before adding.
Cultural Context
In Mediterranean coastal communities, high-quality preserved fish has been a culinary staple for centuries. Rather than masking the fish in heavy mayonnaise, traditional preparations highlight the core ingredients by dressing them simply with local olive oil, fresh citrus, and briny additions like capers or olives.
