Simple Mediterranean Tuna Salad (Printable Version)
A vibrant mix of tuna, crisp vegetables, olives, and zesty lemon dressing. Ready in 15 minutes for a light meal.
# What You Need:
→ Proteins
01 - 2 cans (5 oz each) tuna in olive oil, drained
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 1/4 red onion, finely sliced
05 - 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
→ Add-Ins
07 - 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
08 - 1/4 cup capers, rinsed
→ Dressing
09 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
10 - Juice of 1 lemon
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Place drained tuna in a large mixing bowl and flake gently with a fork to separate.
02 - Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, roasted red peppers, parsley, Kalamata olives, and capers to the bowl with the tuna.
03 - Whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified.
04 - Pour the dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 hours to allow flavors to meld.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It comes together in literally 15 minutes with zero cooking required
- The flavors actually improve if you make it ahead and let everything hang out together
- You can keep all these ingredients in your pantry for those I dont want to cook days
02 -
- This salad tastes infinitely better after it sits for an hour or two
- The tuna will continue to release oil so do not make this more than a day ahead
- Serve it cold or at room temperature but never hot
03 -
- Use tuna packed in olive oil rather than water for significantly better flavor and texture
- Let the salad rest for at least 30 minutes before serving so all the flavors can really get to know each other