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    Home » Salads » Tuna Salad Without Mayo (Dairy Free)

    Published: Aug 9, 2017 · Modified: May 14, 2022 by Zerrin & Yusuf

    Tuna Salad Without Mayo (Dairy Free)

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

    This healthy tuna salad without mayo is an incredibly quick and easy recipe to make. Canned tuna is combined with red onions, fresh herbs, basic spices, and an olive oil and lemon juice dressing. It is a dairy free and low-calorie salad that makes a great light lunch.

    Tuna salad in a white bowl and a spoon in it.

    If you love healthy tuna recipes without mayo, you might want to see our potato tuna salad recipes too.

    You love spontaneous picnics, but don’t know what to take with you? We got you covered! This no mayo tuna salad is a perfect picnic food too. You can easily prepare sandwiches or lettuce wraps with it and take them to your picnic. 

    Jump to:
    • Why You Should Make This Recipe
    • About The Ingredients and Substitutions
    • How To Make It
    • Variations
    • How To Store It
    • Expert Tips
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • More Summer Salads
    • More Recipes Without Mayo
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why You Should Make This Recipe

    • Quick and easy to make. It takes less than 5 minutes and only contains a few basic ingredients. It can be made fresh every day so that you don’t have to compromise on quality.
    • Easy to customize with your favorite ingredients. You can change the herbs in the recipe with your favorite ones and more veggies.
    • Healthy and nutritious. Because we don’t add a ton of ingredients or mayonnaise, this is a low calorie tuna salad. It contains a good amount of  protein, healthy fats, vitamins, fiber and minerals.  

    About The Ingredients and Substitutions

    This healthy diet tuna salad recipe calls for 4 ingredients and a simple lemon dressing. 

    Tuna meat, lemon, onion, fresh dill, arugula, olive oil, salt and pepper on a dark background.
    • Tuna: We use canned tuna in sunflower oil. Tuna in brine or spring water works fine too. 
    • Herbs: Fresh dill and arugula (rocket) pair wonderfully with tuna and add refreshing flavors. Chopped fresh parsley, lettuce and green onions would make great substitutes.
    • Onion: We use red onion, but you can use white or brown onions too. 
    • Dressing: And finally, for our mayo and yogurt substitute, we use a simple olive oil (extra virgin) and lemon juice dressing. They add flavor while also making the tuna mixture moist and (to a certain extent) creamy. Optionally, you can add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard too.

    How To Make It

    You can make delicious tuna salad without mayo. And, it takes less than 5 minutes. It is one of the best recipes for weight loss and is packed with loads of nutrients. You can even add more veggies or carbs to alter the flavor or nutritional content!

    Flaked tuna meat in a white bowl and a fork inside it.
    1. Prepare the tuna meat: Drain the tuna to remove the oil in the can as much as possible. You can learn how to drain canned tuna here. In a large mixing bowl, start flaking your tuna meat using a fork. You can even use two forks to make the job a lot easier and quicker. Make sure that you have relatively uniform pieces.
    Tuna salad ingredients in a bowl.
    1. Make the salad: Once your tuna has been completely flaked, add in chopped onion, arugula and fresh dill. 
    2. Make the dressing: In a small bowl, mix together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Optionally, you can add a little red pepper flakes too.
    3. Assemble: Pour the dressing over the salad and give it a stir.
    4. Serve: You can enjoy this healthy tuna salad on its own or turn it into a delicious tuna sandwich without mayo.  
    Tuna salad served on a toasted bread slice and accompanied by lettuce leave and lemon wedges.

    Variations

    There are a few variations of this healthy tuna salad recipe. And, they are all extremely easy! This way, you can use our base recipe as inspiration to create hundreds more! Here are some of our favorite alterations to this recipe:

    • Add Greek Yogurt: If you are after a creamy tuna salad without mayo, then you can substitute Greek yogurt for mayonnaise. It is healthier and gives a tasty touch to the salad. It makes a perfect substitute for mayo in tuna salad. You can just add in 1-2 tablespoons of yogurt in the dressing and mix well before pouring it over the salad. 
    • Add More Veggies: There are a ton of vegetables you can add to this tuna salad with no mayo. We love adding some celery, capers, pickles, red peppers and Kalamata olives. These will completely change the flavor profile of your recipe. But, for more subtle changes, add vegetables like tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers and additional fresh herbs.  
    • Add Carbs: By adding some carbs, you can easily bulk up this Mediterranean tuna salad without adding a lot more flavors to it. We like to add some pasta, orzo or rice.

    How To Store It

    You can store the leftovers in an airtight container  and keep it in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. And we don't recommend freezing this salad. 

    Expert Tips

    • If you are looking for a diet tuna salad recipe, you might prefer tuna in water. It will add fewer calories, but unfortunately also less flavor. This is easily fixable though by adding spices or herbs (which contain very few calories and lots of flavors).
    • When using tuna in oil, make sure to drain it well before flaking it. This will make your tuna salad less oily and help enhance the accompanying flavors.
    • Do not cook or heat canned tuna. It is already cooked and you can have it at room temperature. This is what makes canned tuna a perfect ingredient for salads and sandwiches.  

    Serving Suggestions

    There are loads of ways you can use this tuna salad without mayo. Naturally, you can serve it as is and it is already so delicious this way.

    Tuna salad sandwiches accompanied by lettuce leaves and lemon wedges.

    You can enjoy it as a tuna sandwich without mayo. It makes wonderful lunch box food too.

    You can also make a lettuce wrap, serve it as a low-calorie tuna salad, or use it as a topping for crackers. 

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the best substitute for mayo in tuna salad?

    The best mayo substitute for tuna dishes is by far Greek yogurt. It has a similar consistency, creaminess level, and even tangy flavor. Another option is, as in this recipe, to make a mixture of lemon juice, olive oil, and optionally Dijon mustard.

    How long does tuna salad last without mayo?

    On average, a tuna salad (no mayo) will last between 2-3 days inside a cold refrigerator. But it tastes way better on the day it is made. 

    Can you freeze no mayo tuna salad?

    It is not a good idea to freeze this tuna salad. For the best flavor and texture, always make a tuna salad fresh. Our recipe is quick and easy enough!

    More Summer Salads

    • Turkish White Bean Salad
    • Wheat Berry Salad
    • Turkish Pasta Salad
    • Turkish Bulgur Salad
    • Olive Salad Recipe

    More Recipes Without Mayo

    • ​Deviled Eggs without Mayo
    • Greek Yogurt Coleslaw without Mayo
    • Turkish Chicken Salad without Mayo

    As always: If you make this recipe, let us know what you think by rating it and leaving a comment below. And post a pic on Instagram too—tag @give_recipe so we can see!

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    📖 Recipe

    Tuna Salad Without Mayo (Dairy Free)

    Tuna salad garnished with lemon wedges and fresh dill served in a white bowl.
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    This no mayo tuna salad is a perfect light lunch idea. It is made with onions, herbs and a lemon based dressing. It is healthy and low-calorie yet so tasty and filling.

    • Author: Zerrin & Yusuf
    • Prep Time: 5
    • Total Time: 5 minutes
    • Yield: 2 1x
    • Category: Salad
    • Method: Mixing
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Scale

    Salad:

    • 1 5-ounce can tuna (145g), drained
    • 1 small red onion, chopped finely
    • ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
    • ½ cup chopped arugula

    Dressing:

    • Juice of half lemon
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon black pepper

    Instructions

    1. In a large bowl, flake the tuna fish meat using a fork. 
    2. Add in chopped onion, fresh dill and arugula.
    3. Make the dressing by simply whisking lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper.
    4. Pour the dressing over the salad and give it a good stir.
    5. Serve it on its own or make a sandwich.

    Notes

    1. If you are looking for a diet tuna salad recipe, you might prefer tuna in water. It will add fewer calories, but unfortunately also less flavor. This is easily fixable though by adding spices or herbs (which contain very few calories and lots of flavors).
    2. When using tuna in oil, make sure to drain it well before flaking it. This will make your tuna salad less oily and help enhance the accompanying flavors.
    3. Do not cook or heat canned tuna. It is already cooked and you can have it at room temperature. This is what makes canned tuna a perfect ingredient for salads and sandwiches. 
    4. You can store the leftovers in an airtight container  and keep it in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. And we don't recommend freezing this salad.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 bowl
    • Calories: 171
    • Sugar: 1.9 g
    • Sodium: 852.1 mg
    • Fat: 9.2 g
    • Carbohydrates: 4.7 g
    • Protein: 17.4 g
    • Cholesterol: 29.8 mg

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