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Extra-Flavorful Tuna Salad
5 from 18 votes

Extra-Flavorful Tuna Salad

Extra-Flavorful Tuna Salad combines water-packed tuna with a generous amount of avocado oil mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and hot sauce, creating a creamy, tangy base brightened by garlic, celery, red onion, and cilantro. The hot sauce adds subtle heat without overpowering. This salad can be served on its own or spooned onto fresh lettuce leaves for a light meal or snack.

Prep Time
15 mins
Total Time
15 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 214 kcal
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 2 ounce cans tuna I use skipjack, in water
  • 6 tablespoons mayonnaise made with avocado oil
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
  • ¼ cup celery diced
  • 2 tablespoons red onion diced
  • ¼ cup cilantro chopped
Optional, for serving:
  • lettuce leaves

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Drain the tuna well. Add it to a medium bowl and flake it with a fork.
  2. Add the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, hot sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix with a fork and then with a rubber spatula until well combined.
  3. Add the garlic, celery, red onion, and cilantro. Mix to combine.
  4. Serve the salad in a bowl or spoon it on lettuce leaves.

Notes

  • The hot sauce provides flavor complexity without making the salad very spicy; use generous mayo when using water-packed tuna to prevent dryness.
  • Prefer hot sauces listing hot peppers first for better flavor; sriracha is a good choice.
  • If using oil-packed tuna, choose pure olive oil packed, and reduce mayo accordingly to about four tablespoons.
  • Best to use chunk light tuna (skipjack) in line with FDA fish consumption recommendations.
  • Keep leftovers refrigerated up to three days and remix the salad before serving; do not freeze.

Nutrition Information

Serving 0.5cup Calories 214kcal (11%) Carbohydrates 1g (0%) Protein 14g (28%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Sodium 567mg (24%) Sugar 1g (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 214

% Daily Value*

Serving 0.5cup
Calories 214kcal 11%
Carbohydrates 1g 0%
Protein 14g 28%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Sodium 567mg 24%
Sugar 1g 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.