Barley Free Lemon Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Bright, herby, and packed with Mediterranean flavor, this tuna salad is the kind of dish that feels like a vacation on a plate. Kalamata olives, capers, fresh cucumber, and a handful of chopped herbs come together with flaked tuna for something that's way more exciting than your average lunchtime scoop. The dressing is a simple whisk of extra-virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, zest, turmeric, and ginger — no grains, no fillers, nothing that doesn't belong. For anyone navigating a barley-free lifestyle, tuna salads can be a minefield when they're dressed with malt vinegar or bulked out with grain-based mix-ins, but every single ingredient here is naturally free of that concern. The result is a clean, vibrant bowl that gets its body from real vegetables and its depth from spice and citrus rather than anything processed. Fold it gently so the tuna stays in satisfying flakes, and don't skip the fresh mint — it's the detail that makes the whole thing sing. Serve it right away for the best texture, or let it chill for a day and let those flavors deepen even further.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 3 cans (5 oz each) tuna packed in water, drained
- 1 english cucumber, diced small
- ½ cup pitted kalamata olives, halved
- 2 tbsp capers, drained and rinsed
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced (green tops only)
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh basil, roughly chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, turmeric, ginger, and salt until combined.
- 2
Add the drained tuna to a large mixing bowl and break it apart with a fork into large flakes — not a fine mash.
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