Tuna Salad, Lightened Up
Tuna salad is one of my go-to foods for a party or casual luncheon, but I never drench my mix in mayonnaise or oils. Besides upping the calories, adding gobs of mayonnaise drowns out the tuna flavor. Next time you plan on making tuna salad, try these variations.
Nutrition Facts
Some folks think they’re eating healthier when they order a tuna salad sandwich. Wrong! A deli tuna sandwich can have anywhere from 600 to 800 calories and 30 to 40 grams of fat. The cheapest and smartest option is just to make your own and toss it in a packed lunch.
Straight-up tuna is packed with heart-healthy omega-3 fats, but the benefits don’t end there. Three-ounces of canned tuna (that’s half of a regular-sized can) contains 100% of your recommended daily amount of selenium, an antioxidant that may protect against some forms of cancer. It also has significant amounts of B-vitamins, such as niacin and vitamin B-12.
If you’re worried about the mercury in canned tuna, choose chunk light tuna over solid white varieties; it has less mercury. As a general rule, limit your weekly fish intake (of all fish, including tuna) to 12 ounces to play it safe.
The Lighter Side
First off, always opt for tuna packed in water, not in oil. Three ounces of water-packed tuna contains 109 calories and 3 grams of saturated fat, while oil-packed tuna contains 165 calories and 9 grams of saturated fat. Canned foods can be full of sodium; to cut your sodium by about 75%, rinse the tuna for a minute.
Using less mayo or a water-packed tuna are not the only ways to keep the calories down. Believe it or not, mayo is not a required ingredient for a good tuna salad. Try adding a touch of olive oil (about a half tablespoon per person), mustard, balsamic vinaigrette, hot sauce, lemon juice, plain yogurt, spices or even tahini (sesame seed paste) instead.
Other good-for-you additions: fruits, fresh veggies and even beans. Dana loves using bits of apple in her tuna salad; I prefer mixing in chopped veggies such as celery and scallions. I really love tossing in some olives, too. Give your tuna salad a Mediterranean makeover by adding some sun-dried tomatoes and cannellini or great northern beans.
What to Serve It On
Tuna salad on Trader Joe’s soft 100% whole-wheat bread is my favorite, but you can go beyond the loaf. Wrap a couple spoonfuls in a tortilla or stuff some in a pita pocket. You can also enjoy your new tuna delight on a bed of greens or with three or four crispbreads — I like Wasa or Ryvita. And remember, just because the deli piles it on, doesn’t mean you should. Stick to the three-ounce portion of fish and boost you meal with a bunch of added veggies or a side salad.
- Recipes to try:
- Tuscan Tuna Salad
- Tuna Salad Undone
- Middle Eastern Tuna Salad
- Mediterranean Tuna Wrap
- Italian Tuna Salad
- Mexican Tuna Salad
TELL US: How do you prep your tuna salad?
I always use plain nonfat greek yogurt to thicken my tuna sandwiches. And sometimes I add a little peanut butter in. It made seem like a weird combination but the combo is to die for
When I visited Barcelona, Spain a few years ago, they always served this appetizer salad with tuna, and I just loved it. So, I made my larger version to make it a lunch size: spread about 4 cups of iceberg (or your favorite) lettuce (sometimes I put some baby spinach too) on a large plate; top with 2 thinly sliced peeled carrots, 1/2 cup Julienne style canned beets (or you can cook your own), 1/2 cup corn kernels (I used canned), 1 can of white tuna fillet (drained and flaked), and about 2 tbsp of sliced red bell pepper-stuffed green olives (Spanish style olives). Drizzle with red wine vinegar and extra virgin olive oil to taste; add salt and pepper to taste. I call it "Ensalada Catalana". One of my favorite lunches! Healthy and very filling!!
What salad is in the picture?
I'd like to know the ingredients for the salad pictures above– it looks yummy
Once again we’re getting advertisements that support health benefits of eating tuna. What are sales dropping again because people like me are concern about the unsafe level of mercury in tuna? Yes, tuna is safety to eat in moderations, but be carful not to consume too much, you could get mercury poison. The studies have already be done.
I would also like to know what is in the tuna salad. I never use can tuna. I use fresh tuna and cook it accordingly. If one were to use a vinagrette, what would you suggest? I never use bottled salad dressing or vinagerttes, I make my own.
Where is the recipe for the tuna salad photo at the top of this page? It looks heavenly!
Love your site. Could add some recipes & comments about cooking healthy using a crock pot? Also, what about health "soup" selections. It's getting cold in the midwest! Thanks!
I'm with Cheryl–what is the recipe for tuna salad in the picture at the top of this page?? I would make it right now if I had the recipe! Thanks
Where is the recipe for the tuna salad photo at the top of this page? It looks wonderful! Also, it would be great it you could include a picture with each recipe!
I cannot find the recipe for the tuna salad in the picture either.
I use a light/low calorie salad dressing ranch or blue cheese to mix with the tuna and veggies
Hi guys, we don’t have a specific recipe for the above tuna salad, but it’s an example of the kind that Toby makes (she loves olives in hers). To try your own, just throw together a mix of diced tomatoes, cucumbers, sliced red onions, corn, a few olives (whichever kind you prefer) and then a handful of croutons or toasted bread chunks. Then just mix in canned tuna packed in water — stick to about 3 ounces per serving. A squeeze of lemon juice on the mix will add some moisture and more flavor.
Well I have to say that does look good. __I generally don't use mayo. I use nonfat sourcream with some nonfat yogurt to make my tuna/chicken salads.
The salad at the top of the page looks delicious,but where is the recipe?Please post this recipe.Thanks
Jan, see my comment just above yours.
thank you for the heads up on the recipe for the picture of that yummy looking Tuna Salad at the tope of the page.
I used water-packed albacore tuna and add nonfat plain yogurt and some sweet pickle relish. It's really good on salad greens or on whole grain bread.
Thanks for the recipe of the picture. I will be making this soon.
Does fresh tuna have less mercury than canned?
Hi Sue,
Great question! The tuna's mercury content does not change when they are canned. You will find differences in mercury between different varieties of tuna–for example, albacore and bluefin have less mercury than bigeye tuna.
Sometimes I'll mix a bit of tuna with some vinegrette type salad dressing and eat it like that as a bit of a protein snack. But I like the idea of mixing beans and chickpeas in it since I love beans and chickpeas.
I like mixing tuna with a chunky salsa! I got the idea when in college and have just continued it because I like it so much. It does make the bread soggy though so I add the mixture right before I'm going to eat.
Great article! I use low fat yogurt in place of mayo, add chopped celery and apples for extra crunch! Less guilt