Our favorite Healthy Tuna Salad recipe packed with veggies that we make all the time at home for quick lunches! Delicious between toasted bread or wrapped in lettuce.
I pour my heart into this space and have built my brand on transparency so I want to be honest about what’s happening and how I’m processing it. I know getting these feelings off my chest is a much-needed release and I hope reading about them can help you, too.
Right now I’m grieving the closing of our restaurants and the fact that I won’t be marrying Jeff this Saturday.
I know countless people and businesses are enduring far worse situations than this and I’m so grateful (more than ever, really) for what we have. But pain is not a competition.
Over the past week, I’ve wanted nothing more than to sit with my own thoughts, feel my feelings, pause, and process the magnitude of what’s happening in the community, around the nation, and across the globe.
Life without the restaurants, even though it’s just temporary, feels like I’m missing an arm.
I’d be lying if I said I haven’t wondered how I’d do with having “just” the blog to focus on. The irony of having next to no desire to write or be on social media lately has not been lost on me.
I have several recipes with photos locked and loaded, but this morning was the first day I felt the ability to put words behind them.
Talking about spaghetti or banana bread when my team and I are filing for unemployment and life as we know it has flipped upside down felt like lifting a 300 pound weight.
All that aside, I have always used Hummusapien to uplift, inspire, and educate. I realize that people rely on online content, resources, and recipes more than ever right now and I want to be able to deliver that to you.
I want to help relieve anxiety and fear and restore a sense of normalcy for you as much as I can.
I want to post new recipes with pantry staples, take you with me as I bake bread for the first time, and help you find the same stillness in the kitchen that has helped healed me.
I’m working on finding the balance between respecting the space I need and maintaining this blog that I love more than anything.
If you’re feeling similarly for any reason, I hope you know that you have permission to pause.
You don’t need to reorganize your whole house, find three new hobbies, and read a new book. Maybe you’ll feel inspired to do those things tomorrow or next week or next month or not at all. Nature is truly calling us to slow down.
Maybe you’ll feel like going on a run at 11am and then like crying at 1pm. Those emotional ups and downs have defined my experience.
Feelings aside, let’s talk tuna. WHEW!
Earlier this year you fell in love with this Healthy Tuna Noodle Casserole. I have no doubt that our staple tuna salad recipe will become a total fave of yours, too!
How to make healthy tuna salad:
The best thing about this tuna salad is that we usually have everything on hand to make it without taking an extra trip to the store. It’s also pretty customizable.
Not feeling bell pepper? Omit it or use carrot instead. No fresh dill? Use a pinch of dried dill, to taste.
Start with high-quality tuna. My favorite is this albacore tuna. More on that below. Quality ingredients bring the best flavor!
Add sauerkraut + veggies for flavor and crunch. Sauerkraut is key here. One day I had the bright idea to put it in tuna for moisture, texture and nutrition.
Sauerkraut is fermented , meaning it’s super good for your gut. We need gut-friendly foods more than ever right now, considering 70% of our immunity lies in our gut. Celery, onion, and bell pepper add flavor, color, crunch, and nutrients.
Add quality mayo + Dijon. For creaminess and moisture! This healthy tuna has amazing tanginess and moisture without a ton of mayonnaise. I like to use a couple spoonfuls for that classic flavor. A little goes a long way! Finally, season with freshly ground pepper.
My favorite sustainable & delicious tuna:
I love Wild Planet albacore tuna, which we buy in 5-packs at Costco. It’s pole and line caught in the northern Pacific Ocean or off coastal New Zealand, maintaining natural fish populations and preserving the local oceanic habitats. It contains no added oil, water, or fillers.
Safe Catch is another excellent choice, which has the lowest mercury of any brand. The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch is my favorite resource when it comes to science-based recommendations for ocean-friendly seafood choices.
They even have printable guides to find the most sustainable options for your state! The seafood to avoid means that “they’re overfished, lack strong management or are caught or farmed in ways that harm other marine life or the environment.”
Tis the season of making the most of our pantry staples. I hope this recipe is useful for you during these unprecedented times!
Stay safe and healthy, friends. Thinking about you!
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My Favorite Healthy Tuna Salad
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4-6 servings 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Description
The healthy tuna salad that we make all the time at home for quick lunches! Delicious between toasted bread or wrapped in lettuce.
Ingredients
- 2–5oz cans tuna, drained
- ½ cup sauerkraut*
- 2 tbsp quality mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp finely chopped dill (I used freeze-dried dill)
- 1/3 cup finely chopped bell pepper
- 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
- 1/3 cup finely chopped celery
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt (optional depending on how salty your sauerkraut is, taste before adding)
Instructions
- Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mash together with a fork. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve between two slices of toasted bread with lettuce.
Notes
*Sauerkraut is crucial here! It adds moisture, texture, and tang. If you don’t have sauerkraut, you could try some finely chopped pickles and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Recipe by Alexis Joseph of Hummusapien™. Photos by Eat Love Eats.
Delish! I didn’t have dill or celery on hand so i used chopped dill pickles for the dill flavor and crunch. Call me crazy but it tastes like a burger!
★★★★★
That is SO smart. I love pickles in tuna!!!
My husband and I LOVE this recipe. I make a big batch and we have it for lunch and easy dinners through the week.
★★★★★
This recipe is so delicious and easy to make. It’s my new go-to lunch recipe.
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Wahooo thanks, friend!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this recipe. Kimchi was the perfect substitute for sauerkraut.
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Yayyy!!! You da best, Christiane 🙂 Keep up the good cooking.
LOVE this recipe!! I made a double and used it for tuna melts TWICE for me and the hubs and he devoured it both times!!! This will become a staple in my home!
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YAY!! Also…the hubs! So cute.
This is amazing! I’ve been meaning to make it for a week and just had it for lunch today. We don’t have any dill on hand and, but it was delicious even without. I would have never thought to put kraut in tuna salad, but now I’m excited to try it in egg salad as well. Thanks for another healthy, tasty recipe!
★★★★★
Wahooo!! Isn’t kraut so magical? Thanks a ton for reviewing, Jenny 🙂
Made this twice last week and it’s awesome! I love it on toasted English muffins. I do have a question though, do you have experience prepping this earlier in the week and eating it through the week? I want to prep a big batch but I have only made and eaten it fresh and I don’t know how it will hold up. Thanks!
★★★★★
Thanks, Candace! Yes, you can definitely make it at the beginning of the week and eat it throughout the week. It sits well!
Wow this Tuna Salad is amazing. I never would have thought to add sauerkraut but it really does MAKE this recipe. I had it between two slices of gluten free bread and loved it. My fiancé who normally doesn’t like tuna salad tried it and loved it. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
★★★★★
Isn’t it so weirdly good? You made my day!
I make tuna salad all the time & have been meaning to try this spin – I finally remembered to buy ‘kraut this week & am so mad it took me so long! I used full-fat greek yogurt instead of the mayo & omitted the dill & it was fabulous! Will be my new go-to. Can’t wait to try it with different flavored sauerkrauts. Thanks Alexis!
★★★★★
How wonderful! So glad the yogurt sub worked. Great idea!
Hummusapien, thanks for changing my life. Thanks to this blog, I managed to lose weight and learned to be happy again! In addition to this blog I also found something that helped me a lot on my journey, I hope it will also help other people in the same situation – https://bit.ly/loseweightwithoutexercise2020.
Thank you so much for the teaching!
★★★★★
wow! its looking so tasty and great tips you shared to make it at home.
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Thank you for being so open with us, Alexis. You are experiencing a lot of routine and expectation changes that cannot be easy to process. I am currently pregnant and working remotely for what my Company said is initially is a month, but I suspect it will be much longer. I have felt a great deal of calm as a lot of friends (some I talk to often, some I don’t) and family have been checking in on and offering emotional support to me and baby. Somehow it feels like I do not have to worry as much as those around me are offering to do it for me. I hope people around you are able to offer the same.
I’m so sorry you are going through a lot of hard situations, all at the same time. I truly hope you are able to find some peace while weathering this ‘storm.’ I cant wait to hear all about your re-openings soon and see beautiful wedding pictures, as well.
This is such a great recipe ! It’s so easy to make and there is always plenty for several days of lunches!! Easily a part of my weekly routine!
★★★★★
Thank you tons, Tara!
You are such an inspiration – thank you for all you’re doing for everyone, your readers and staff and I’m sure your family and friends. Please take care of yourself and know people are thinking of you!!
You’re so kind, thank you Michelle. I am definitely doing that. Sending love your way!