Mediterranean Tuna Salad
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This lighter tuna salad is made with Greek yogurt, fresh dill, and plenty of olives for a decidedly fresh and Mediterranean-inspired twist on the classic. I love that it’s easy to whip up as a flavorful, nourishing, no-cook lunch or dinner. Serve in a sandwich, with crackers, on greens, or with crunchy veggies for an all-around pleasing plate.
If you’re a fan of my chickpea tuna salad or of Mediterranean flavors in general, you’re likely to love this one, as well! The veggies are crisp, the dressing is light. Tuna and chickpeas are convenient yet satisfying, while olives and red wine vinegar ensure every bite has tang and zip.
Serving this Mediterranean tuna salad over lightly toasted bread or big leaves of butter lettuce makes for a dreamy lunch. I also love to pair it simply with a handful each of Triscuits and baby carrots. This is low-effort, high-satisfaction meal prep, if you ask me!
Why You’ll Love This Mediterranean Tuna Salad
- The light, tangy dressing adds flavor without weighing down all the veggies
- Takes just about 15 minutes to make—zero cooking required
- Convenient, everyday, whole food ingredients
- Helps you meet any protein and fiber goals you may have for the day
- Easy to customize to preferences—or what’s in your fridge
Ingredient Notes
- Canned chickpeas. Economical, convenient, and nutritious! One can is perfect for this recipe, or a little less if you’ve got some left over from another meal.
- Two cans tuna. Skipjack, albacore, or any other kind that you like. I prefer water-packed but don’t find oil-packed makes a huge difference in flavor, as long as it’s drained well.
- Finely-chopped celery, bell pepper, cucumber, and red onion. These add lovely color and crunch to the salad.
- Pitted olives. Although we ride or die for Kalamata olives in this house, green olives or a medley are also delicious.
- Fresh dill. This is a key component of my favorite Greek salad dressing and adds a similar flair here.
- Greek yogurt. Whole milk or 2%. You can use mayo as an alternative.
- Staples and seasonings: extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, dried oregano, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Sustainable Shopping
If you’re searching for the most sustainable tuna, look for cans labeled “pole-and-line caught.” Pole-and-line fishing catches each fish individually, dramatically reducing the risk of bycatch, which is the technical term for accidentally netting unwanted and possibly endangered species such as sharks or turtles.
Smash a Little, Smash a Lot
Assembling a tuna salad is not exactly rocket science, but keep a few simple things in mind to make it as easy as possible for yourself.
Begin by whisking the dressing together directly in a large prep or serving bowl. This way you can layer ingredients in without having anything extra to wash.
Use something even larger than what is shown here—I eventually did have to transfer for more stirring room. Not the end of the world, but why make more work?
Add chickpeas. This is your chance to control the texture of the salad.
To make the salad a little more creamy, smash at least a few forkfuls of the chickpeas against the side of the bowl. The more you smash, the more the broken down bits of chickpea will loosely bind together the other salad ingredients. I learned this trick from Smitten Kitchen’s sesame meatballs with smashed chickpea salad and have found it useful many times over.
Now add everything else, give it a good toss, sample and add seasoning to taste. A little more salt, pepper, dill, or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice may be just what the doctor ordered to finish this off to your liking.
Enjoy right away, or chill in the fridge for a few hours to allow the flavors to meld. It’s also a great meal prep. Though it doesn’t last all week in my experience, it’s still quite good on day two and day three.
Serving Ideas
- Mediterranean tuna salad sandwiches. Pile on top of or in between slices of your favorite sandwich bread (or whole grain pita!) for a quick, tasty classic.
- With crackers and more crisp veggies. Something about this crunchy + creamy combination is super satisfying! We especially love it with Triscuits + carrot or more celery sticks.
- In lettuce wraps or over salad greens. Big, sturdy butter or green leaf lettuce leaves make a good base for wraps. Arugula or spring mix is better left as the base for a bowl salad situation.
More Quick, Satisfying Salads
- Jennifer Aniston Salad
- Berry Pecan Spinach Salad with Chicken
- Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
- Greek Salmon Greens and Grains Bowl
Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 3 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons minced fresh dill
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- kosher salt and black pepper
Salad:
- 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
- 2 (5 ounce) cans tuna drained, see note
- 2-3 stalks celery finely chopped
- 1 bell pepper any color, seeded and chopped
- 1 English cucumber chopped
- 1 cups olives pitted and halved
- 1/4 medium red onion finely chopped
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add the Greek yogurt, olive oil, vinegar, dill, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Whisk well to combine into an even dressing.3 Tablespoons plain Greek yogurt, 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar, 2 Tablespoons minced fresh dill, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, kosher salt and black pepper
- Add chickpeas to the dressing and stir well. As an option, you can smash some of the chickpeas against the side of the bowl—the more you smash, the creamier the overall texture of the overall salad will be.1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas
- Add tuna, celery, pepper, cucumber, olives, and red onion. Stir again to combine. Sample and season with more salt, pepper, and dill to taste. If you want an extra touch of brightness, stir in a small squeeze of lemon juice.2 (5 ounce) cans tuna, 2-3 stalks celery, 1 bell pepper, 1 English cucumber, 1 cups olives, 1/4 medium red onion
- Serve with crackers and baby carrots or more celery sticks, in a sandwich or wrap, or over a bed of greens. Enjoy!
Notes
- Tuna: Use skipjack, albacore, or any kind that you like. I tend to prefer water-packed but it does not make a huge difference in the taste or texture here in my opinion, as long as it’s well-drained, which you should always do regardless. For the most sustainable option, look for tuna labeled “pole-and-line caught.” Pole-and-line fishing catches each fish individually, dramatically reducing the risk of bycatch, which is catching unwanted and possibly endangered species such as sharks or turtles.
- Dill: Don’t let the rest of your dill go to waste—it’s also dreamy in this Greek chickpea salad, a white bean tomato cucumber salad, or topping this delicious creamy smoked salmon pasta.
- Cucumber: Use two Persian cucumbers instead, if you like. If using a “regular” (not English or Persian) cucumber, I like to scoop out some of the seeds and water from the middle before chopping, just so it doesn’t water down the dressing too much, but this is a matter of taste.
- Olives: I always use Kalamata olives because half my family loves them, one-quarter will eat them, and the final quarter won’t try any olive, no matter what. Green olives or a medley are also terrific!
- Storage: In my experience this salad keeps well in the fridge for 2-3 days.
- Make Ahead: Add everything except the celery and red onions to a bowl and store in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Stir in veggies and an extra pop of fresh lemon juice, then serve cold.
