Mediterranean Style Tuna Salad
When it comes to lunchtime during the summer or on weekends, I like to give my family options especially when there are no leftovers. One thing that I’ve found is always a good choice is good old fashioned tuna salad, or tuna fish as we say in the South.
Tuna fish is a nostalgic nod to childhood & I don’t know anybody that didn’t grow up on the stuff. I had never even heard of tuna salad until I was a full grown adult even though the “tuna fish” we grew up with had all the things added to it, specifically mayo, onions, & relish or pickles!
These days, I still buy canned tuna for multiple reasons:
- disaster preparedness – it’s one of those things that’s perfect for those times when there’s no power, like every year at some point during hurricane season here in Houston.
- nutrient rich – tuna is a great source of protein, many vitamins & minerals, & omega fatty acids. Of course canned tuna is not as great as fresh, but it’s pretty darn good in a pinch.
- versatile – you can make tuna salad using any ingredients you love. Then you can have it on a salad, sandwich, wrap, lettuce wrap, or just by itself. When I was a kid, my mom used to snack on plain tuna with cottage cheese.
- NO COOKING! Unless you want to. I do make a yummy tuna tetrazzini that family absolutely loves.
I want to talk to y’all about point #4 – the versatility of tuna salad & a modern, Mediterranean version that we love.
I believe that you should cook with flavors that you actually like, not what you are told to use. Recipes are meant to be tweaked, rules can be broken in the kitchen. It’s fun to experiment with different flavors & I’ve learned what my grandmother was trying to show me all along – most mistakes can be fixed.
I’m lucky that none of my family has any food allergies, and that they are adventurous eaters – not picky at all. In fact there are very few things they won’t eat. Even what they claim they don’t like, they’ll make exceptions for – for example, Avery “hates” cream cheese but will eat it in a sushi roll, on a lettuce wrap, or in jalapeño poppers.
Since they’ll eat just about anything, I’ve made tuna salad so many ways I can’t even remember them all. But this particular “recipe” is one we have often because we love the flavors. And of course it’s super healthy.
Mediterranean Style Tuna Salad
Remember, these ingredients & measurements are a guide. If you don’t like something leave it out. If you really love something, add more. I’ve included some options for substitutions & I’ve made this with practically everything on this list as well. Use what you have on hand & have fun with it.
Ways to serve/eat it:
- on a bed of chopped romaine (or your favorite) lettuce with cucumbers, tomato, sliced onions & avocado.
- as a lettuce wrap with slices of cucumber, avocado, or other favorite toppings.
- as a traditional wrap.
Even though I’m giving you ways to eat this tuna salad for lunch, you can easily turn it into a light dinnertime meal by serving with chickpeas, kale, & quinoa. That would be a quick & delicious super powered dinner to serve the family.
Mediterranean Style Tuna Salad
Recipe details
- 4 servings
- Prep time: 5 Minutes Cook time: 0 Minutes Total time: 5 min
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