Celery Free Lemon Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Bright, herby, and packed with bold Mediterranean flavors, this tuna salad is the kind of dish that feels far more impressive than the effort it takes to pull together. Kalamata olives, capers, fresh mint, and parsley bring a punchy, briny depth, while a lemon-turmeric dressing ties everything together with warmth and a little citrus zing. The cucumber adds satisfying crunch, and using only the green tops of the scallions keeps the flavor fresh and light without any harsh bite. Many store-bought or restaurant versions of tuna salad sneak in celery for texture, but this recipe skips it entirely — the cucumber does that job beautifully, so nothing is missing. Flaking the tuna into large pieces rather than mashing it gives the whole salad a more satisfying, substantial texture that holds up well against all those bold mix-ins. A quick whisk of olive oil, lemon juice, and spices is all you need for the dressing — no complicated steps, no hard-to-find ingredients. Serve it straight away for peak freshness, or let it chill briefly to let those Mediterranean 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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