Mediterranean Tuna Salad (No Mayo)
This Mediterranean Tuna Salad skips the mayo entirely, tossing canned tuna with roasted red pepper, olives, capers, and a red wine vinaigrette. It's a light, protein-packed lunch that holds up well for meal prep.
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This Mediterranean Tuna Salad is one of my favorite combinations, built on flavors I love and ingredients I always have in the fridge and pantry. It’s a no mayo tuna salad, with the dressing coming from red wine vinaigrette instead. Juices from the tuna, roasted red pepper, olives, capers, and pepperoncini add even more flavor.
I add in some chopped cucumber, red onion, and fresh parsley for a bit of freshness.
A No Mayo Tuna Salad
My classic Tuna Salad Recipe and the naturally sweeter Tuna Waldorf Salad both use a creamy mayo base. This one skips that, leaning instead on the briny flavors of the jarred ingredients. The result is a bright, acidic bite that feels lighter, too.
Leaving the tuna undrained helps here too. Those juices mix right into the dressing, along with the liquid from the roasted red pepper, so nothing about this salad feels dry or thrown together.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The full ingredient list with measurements is in the recipe card below. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need.
Canned tuna is the base, tossed with roasted red pepper, pepperoncini, kalamata olives, capers, red onion, cucumber, and parsley. The dressing comes together separately by shaking together olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper.
A note on the tuna: I buy Safe Catch wild yellowfin tuna at Costco by the 6-pack. The brand recommends leaving it undrained, which works especially well here. It carries the dressing’s flavor throughout the whole salad.
Serving Suggestions & Storage
I like serving this Mediterranean Tuna Salad over a bed of mixed greens with cherry tomatoes, as shown, for a low-carb and Whole30-compatible lunch. It’s just as good on its own with a fork, or scooped up with cucumber slices or crackers, if you’re not doing Whole30.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. As a no mayo tuna salad, this one also travels well, so it’s a solid choice for picnics or lunches on the go.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad (No Mayo)
Ingredients
- 2 5-ounce cans tuna, undrained (I prefer Safe Catch Wild Yellowfin Tuna)
- 1 roasted red pepper, diced, about 1 cup
- ½ cup chopped pepperoncini
- ¼ cup kalamata olives, halved or sliced
- 2 tablespoons capers
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ½ English cucumber, diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
For the Vinaigrette
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Add the tuna, with its juices, to a large bowl. Break it apart with a fork.
- Add the roasted red pepper, pepperoncini, olives, capers, red onion, and cucumber. Toss to combine.
- Make the vinaigrette: combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a small jar. Secure the lid and shake for 20 to 30 seconds, until combined. You can also whisk the ingredients together in a bowl until emulsified.
- Pour the vinaigrette over the tuna mixture and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Finish with the fresh parsley. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Notes
- I use Safe Catch Yellowfin tuna from Costco and skip draining it. The juices add flavor to the dressing, along with the liquid from the roasted red pepper and other pickled ingredients.
- Hold off on extra salt and pepper until the end. Many of these ingredients are naturally salty, so it’s easy to overdo it.
- Serve as is, or over a bed of greens with cherry tomatoes for a Whole30-compatible lunch. As a no mayo tuna salad, this one also travels well for picnics and lunches on the go.
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