The Best Tuna Salad Recipe for Sandwiches

This amazing tuna salad will make anyone who loves fresh, healthy sandwiches super happy! Busy families and health-conscious folks will absolutely love how this recipe gives you tons of protein and crunch in just 15 minutes.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Active Time: 15 minutes, Total Time: 15 minutes, Serves: 2 people.

Nutrition Profile: Diabetes-Friendly, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Heart-Healthy, High-Protein, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 119 Calories, 2g Fat, 10g Carbs, 18g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

No-salt light tuna in water: You’ll need one 5-ounce can, drained really well. I love using the light tuna because it has such a nice texture and mixes perfectly with all our fresh ingredients!

Apple: Just ¼ cup finely chopped will do the trick. Pick any crisp apple you love – Granny Smith, Gala, or Fuji all work great and add that perfect sweet crunch!

Celery: You’ll need 2 tablespoons finely chopped, which is about one small stalk. This gives our tuna salad that classic fresh crunch we all love.

Red onion: Just 1 tablespoon finely chopped adds the perfect little kick. Red onion is milder than regular onion, so don’t worry about it being too strong!

Greek-style yogurt: You’ll need 3 tablespoons of low-fat plain strained yogurt. This replaces mayo and makes everything creamy while keeping it super healthy.

Fresh herbs: Pick your favorite! 1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley, dill, or chives will make this taste so fresh and bright.

Lemon juice: Just 1 teaspoon brings all the flavors together beautifully. Fresh squeezed is best, but bottled works fine too!

Salt and pepper: You’ll need ⅛ teaspoon salt and just a pinch of ground pepper to make everything taste perfect.

How to Make The Best Tuna Salad Recipe for Sandwiches

Step 1: Grab a medium bowl and add your drained tuna. Make sure you’ve pressed out all that extra water first! Add the chopped apple, celery, and red onion right on top.

Step 2: Spoon in the Greek yogurt and sprinkle your chosen herbs over everything. Add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper too.

Step 3: Mix everything together gently with a fork until it’s all combined. You want to keep some nice chunks of apple and celery for that perfect texture!

Easy and Quick Tuna Salad Version

Want to make this even faster? You can totally skip chopping the herbs and just use ½ teaspoon dried herbs instead! Also, if you have pre-chopped celery and onion from the store, go for it. This saves you about 5 minutes of prep time and tastes just as amazing!

Serving Ideas

This tuna salad makes the most perfect sandwich filling on your favorite bread! Try it on whole grain bread with some crisp lettuce and tomato slices. You can also serve it over a bed of fresh greens for a light lunch, or stuff it into pita pockets for something fun and different.

Storage

Store your tuna salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get even better after sitting for a few hours! Just give it a quick stir before serving since the ingredients might separate a little.

Substitutions

No Greek yogurt? Regular plain yogurt works great too, just drain off any extra liquid first. You can swap the apple for chopped grapes or dried cranberries if that’s what you have. Regular yellow onion works fine instead of red onion – just use a little less since it’s stronger!

Pro Tips

• Drain that tuna really well: Press it with the can lid or use a strainer to get out every drop of water. This keeps your salad from getting watery!
• Chop everything small: Tiny pieces mix better and make every bite perfect on a sandwich.
• Let it chill: If you have time, let it sit in the fridge for 30 minutes before serving. The flavors blend together so nicely!
• Fresh herbs make a difference: Don’t skip them if you can help it – they really make this taste special and fresh.

FAQs

What variety of apples are best in a tuna salad?

You can use whatever type of apple you like best, but I suggest using one that’s crisp and tart! Some great varieties to try are Envy, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, and Pink Lady. They all hold their crunch beautifully in the salad.

Why is it called “light” tuna when it’s a dark color?

Great question! When shopping for tuna, the term “light” can be super confusing. It actually refers to the fish species rather than the color in the can. Light tuna is usually skipjack, yellowfin, or bigeye – these are darker, softer, and have more flavor than albacore. Albacore is the white, firm, mild-tasting tuna you might be thinking of!

Why is my tuna salad watery?

The key is really draining that tuna well! To get rid of excess liquid, you can use a tuna can strainer, a regular colander, or just press the tuna with the can’s lid. Take an extra minute to really squeeze out that water – your salad will be so much better!

What should I serve with a tuna salad sandwich?

This tuna salad pairs perfectly with so many things! Try it with tomato soup, some crispy sweet potato fries, homemade kale chips, or a colorful fruit salad. Simple carrot and celery sticks or some crunchy pickles on the side make it a complete, satisfying meal too!

I hope you love this healthy twist on classic tuna salad as much as my family does! Let me know in the comments how yours turned out – I love hearing about your favorite ways to enjoy it. Happy cooking, friends!