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Sick of tuna salad made with mayo? Try this Tuna Salad made with NO MAYO! Dressed with an oregano vinaigrette, this Mediterranean tuna salad is a must-make recipe for anyone who enjoys tuna and is looking for quick lunch options.
Tuna Salad Without Mayo
This Mediterranean-style tuna salad is made without mayo OR yogurt (which is the all-too-often substitute for mayonnaise). Instead of mayo or yogurt, this tuna salad is dressed with a vinaigrette made with extra-virgin olive oil, lemon, Dijon and oregano.
What Kind of Tuna to Use
You can truly use whatever canned or jarred tuna you like, but be sure to get chunk tuna. Oil-packed tuna is always delicious but for a lighter option choose water-packed tuna. As for brands of tuna, we like Wild Planet or Ortiz.
If you’re worried about Mercury levels of tuna, you can learn more about mercury levels in tuna fish here.
Ingredients for Tuna Salad without Mayo
Here is a quick rundown of the ingredients you’ll need. Jump down to the recipe card for the full ingredient list with measurements.
- Vinaigrette: this tuna salad is dressed with a vinaigrette made from extra-virgin olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and Dijon. It’s simple but bright and flavorful.
- Oregano: for ease of preparation, this recipe uses dried oregano. You can use fresh if you’ve got it on hand! Start with 2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano and add more to taste from there.
- Tuna: you can use any canned or jarred tuna you like as long as it’s chunk tuna. Anything works! For a more flavorful tuna salad, use oil-packed tuna (it’s also great for a Tuna Nicoise Salad). For a lighter tuna salad, opt of water-packed tuna.
- Artichoke Hearts: this is one of a few key ingredients that give this tuna salad that Mediterranean flare. We use canned artichoke hearts, but marinated jarred artichoke hearts would also be delicious! We especially like the Marinated artichoke hearts from Trader Joe’s.
- Chickpeas: bulk up the salad, making it more filling and satisfying.
- Parsley: you’ll need an entire bunch of parsley for this salad (1 cup chopped). This adds a much needed pop of green color and loads of freshness.
- Olives: sliced green olives add a salty bite that pairs wonderfully with canned tuna. If you don’t like olives, you can substitute with capers.
- Roasted red peppers: dice up either jarred roasted red peppers or make roasted red peppers yourself. Roasted peppers add a earthy sweetness to the salad.
- Onion: round out the flavors with some minced red onion! Shallot is a great substitute.
How to Make Mediterranean Tuna Salad Recipe
- In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, Dijon and oregano. Season with a bit of salt and pepper.
- Add the drained tuna, artichokes, chickpeas, parsley, olives, red peppers and onion to the bowl with the vinaigrette. Give it all a toss to coat then season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Serve the tuna salad however you like! It’s great simply enjoyed on its own, piled onto a piece of toasted sourdough, or scooped into bibb lettuce leaves.
Tips for Making Mediterranean Tuna Salad
- Tuna needs quite a bit of seasoning—don’t be afraid to season to taste with more salt, pepper, lemon, and oregano!
- A tuna salad can only be as good as the quality of tuna you use. You don’t need to break the bank, but the cheapest tuna also won’t do this salad justice.
- Use a bold-flavored extra-virgin olive oil for the most flavorful salad. An olive oil that’s mildly fruity but spicy is ideal.
Variations
Use this quick and easy recipe as a basic formula to be riffed upon.
- Play around with different salty/tangy ingredients like capers, pickled peppers, pickled jalapeños and pickled red onions.
- Instead of parsley, add in a mixture of fresh herbs such as fresh oregano and fresh mint.
- Swap the Mediterranean ingredients for American standbys like cubed white Cheddar, chopped dill pickles, and chopped celery.
- Add some baked pita or pita chips the salad to add crunchy texture and create a Fattoush inspired tuna salad.
- Chopped hard boiled eggs, green onions, and even pasta are classic additions as well. Toss in some cooked pasta and you’ve got a tuna pasta salad.
More Fish Salads to Try
Fish & Seafood
Easy Fresh Crab Salad
Dinner Salads
Salmon Salad
Fish & Seafood
Sushi Salad with Wasabi Ahi Tuna
Storage: How Long Does Tuna Salad Last?
Tuna Salad will last up to 3 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. We recommend storing tuna salad in a glass container as opposed to a plastic container (plastic tends to hold on to flavors).
Serving
Here are a few side dishes that would pair well with this salad.
Baking Recipes
Nut and Seed Grain-Free Bread
Side Salad
Savory Citrus Salad with Peanuts
Sides
Honey Cornbread
Appetizers
Golden Polenta Fries Recipe
Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Description
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- 2 (6-ounce) cans tuna in water, drained
- 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
- 1 (14.5-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
- 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
- ½ cup sliced pimento-stuffed green olives
- ½ cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers
- ¼ cup minced red onion
- Optional: Bibb lettuce leaves or pita bread for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together ¼ cup olive oil, zest and juice of 1 lemon, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons Dijon, and 2 teaspoons dried oregano; season with salt and pepper.
- Add 2 drained (6-ounce) cans tuna, 1 drained (14 ounce) can artichokes, 1 drained (14.5 ounce) can chickpeas, 1 cup chopped parsley, ½ cup sliced olives, ½ cup chopped red peppers, and ¼ cup minced red onion; toss to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- If desired, serve tuna salad in bibb lettuce cups or pita bread.
Notes
Nutrition
I originally developed and photographed this recipe for Pompeian.
