Healthy Tuna Salad Recipe Loaded With Vegetables

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This healthy tuna salad recipe is loaded with vegetables and served with a plate of crackers.

We are in Scottsdale for our nephew’s wedding. The desert is in full bloom. I love this time of year in Phoenix. We are fortunate to be staying at my sister’s home. My Sunday favorites are all based on things I’ve discovered while being a guest in her home, including this delicious tuna salad packed with fresh veggies.


Next time you’re looking for a satisfying lunch that’s quick and full of flavor, try this healthy tuna salad recipe loaded with fresh vegetables. It’s everything you love about classic tuna salad but with the freshness and crunch of colorful vegetables. It comes together in minutes and is perfect for tossing together on a busy weekday!

What vegetables go well with tuna?

You can’t go wrong with adding any kind of crunchy fresh vegetables to tuna. Personally, I like to use colorful vegetables. Not only do they look good, but they also add a crunchiness that pairs perfectly with the tuna.

What’s the best kind of tuna to use?

Over the years, I’ve used different kinds of tuna—pouches, canned, and jarred. My favorite is the yellowfin tuna filets packed in spring water from Tonnino. I prefer tuna packed in spring water because I like to add my own olive oil to the dressing. I look for tuna with mercury levels well below the FDA limits.

Can I make this tuna salad ahead or save it for later?

Yes, you can. However, I would mix the amount of ingredients for what you will be serving and store the rest in an airtight container. The vegetables won’t maintain their crunchiness when combined with the dressing and left to sit for a while.

The simple ingredients for healthy tuna salad

  • Tuna (yellowfin filets are my favorite, but you can also use regular canned tuna)
  • Sweet bell peppers (I like to use yellow bell peppers, but feel free to use what you have on hand)
  • Cornichons
  • Persian cucumber
  • Carrots
  • Pickled red onion (optional)
  • Fresh herbs (my personal favorite is fresh chives, but if you don’t have any, some green onions would be nice)
  • Dijon mustard
  • Olive oil
  • Mayonnaise 

Directions for this easy lunch and the best tuna salad recipe

  1. Chop and dice all the vegetables except the carrots and radishes and place them in small containers. Shred the carrots and radishes on a box grater.
  2. Drain the tuna, shred it with two forks, and set aside.
  3. Add the tuna and the vegetables to a serving bowl.
  4. Add the Dijon mustard and mayonnaise, toss to coat, and mix everything together. 
  5. Add a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and toss again.
  6. Add individual portions to serving bowls, top with chives, add a few crackers on the side, and serve.
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Healthy Tuna Salad Recipe Loaded With Vegetables

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Next time you’re looking for a satisfying lunch that’s quick and full of flavor, try this healthy tuna salad recipe that’s loaded with fresh vegetables.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 6.7 oz. jars of tuna (yellowfin filets are my favorite but you can also use regular canned tuna)
  • 1 sweet bell pepper (I like to use yellow bell peppers but feel free to use what you have on hard)
  • 6 to 8 chopped cornichons
  • 1 Persian cucumber chopped
  • 1 medium carrot shredded
  • 2 radishes shredded
  • Chopped pickled red onion to your taste (optional)
  • A small handful of chives chopped (my personal favorite is fresh chives but if you don’t have any, some green onions would be nice)
  • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil drizzled over the tuna and vegetable mixture
  • 2 tablespoons good mayonnaise 

Instructions

  1. Chop and dice all of the vegetables except the carrots and radishes and place them in small containers. On a box grater, shred the carrots and radishes.
  2. Drain the tuna and shred it with two forks and set aside.
  3. Add the tuna and the vegetables to a serving bowl.
  4. Add the Dijon mustard, and mayonnaise, toss to coat, and mix everything together. 
  5. Add a pinch of salt and a few grinds of black pepper, drizzle with olive oil, and toss again.
  6. Add individual portions to serving bowls, top with chives, add a few crackers on the side, and serve.

Did you make this recipe?

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5 Comments

  1. I’m making that tuna salad today!! I KNEW your floral arrangements would be lovely. Have fun!

  2. I had tuna fish the other day and thought how lovely it was but this recipe looks terrific thank you Annie. I did Trader Joes flowers for my daughter’s wedding just like you and l made her bouquet very early on the morning following how to do it online! Love your Terrain containers !! One day l will make the journey to the store !Have a wonderful time xo

  3. Annie—Where do you find Tonnino tuna? A speciality store or local supermarket? This looks delicious. I would like to try that tuna.
    I also use a mix of veggies—red pepper, celery, shallot or onion, cucumbers, shredded carrot, and chopped pickle. I usually mix it using Greek yogurt instead of mayo and a little yellow, or Dijon mustard, pepper and dill. Sometimes I also add a mashed avocado to the mix.

  4. You do have a gift with making gorgeous flower arrangements! I love them! Because I have a cat that loves flowers, I haven’t developed any talent for arrangements.

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