• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
The Life Jolie logo
  • Thanksgiving Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
    • Work with me!
    • Video Production
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Thanksgiving Recipes
  • Recipes
  • About
  • Contact
    • Work with me!
    • Video Production
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    The Life Jolie » Main/Entree » Italian Tuna Salad (No Mayo!)

    Italian Tuna Salad (No Mayo!)

    Published: Jul 22, 2018 · Modified: Aug 31, 2022 by Jessy Freimann · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Italian Tuna Salad makes the perfect light and fresh lunch! This is a healthy (no mayo!) but satisfying option that is super easy to make and comes together in minutes so it's quick. Made with tuna, tomatoes, fresh basil and oregano, green onion, lemon juice and olive oil this will be your new favorite lunch option!

    Italian Tuna Salad makes the perfect light and fresh lunch! This is a healthy but satisfying option that is super easy and comes together in minutes.

    Italian Tuna Salad makes the perfect light and fresh lunch! This is a healthy (no mayo!) but satisfying option that is super easy to make and comes together in minutes so it's quick. Made with tuna, tomatoes, fresh basil and oregano, green onion, lemon juice and olive oil this will be your new favorite lunch option!

    Italian Tuna Salad

    This post contains Affiliate Links. Please see the disclaimer here.

    I've always been a big fan of tuna salad. Growing up, my mom would make it for us often. Hers was super simple; chunk light tuna with mayonnaise mixed in. Once in a while if she was feeling extra fancy she'd add chopped celery or top our sandwiches with dill pickles. It was the best tuna salad!

    I can also remember my Grandma Eve (my mom's mom) making these very same sandwiches on the days us kids would go spend the day at the pool at her apartment. Those were super special swimming days because Grandma would pack us a picnic and she'd always make sure we had some sort of sweet treats if we finished our lunches.

    Now that I'm an adult I still adore a good tuna sandwich. Nowadays my tuna salad recipe is pretty similar to those of my youth, although I like to add in some sweet relish. I actually craved tuna salad sandwiches when I was pregnant with my first daughter!

    But it's always fun to mix it up a bit and came up with a healthy tuna salad option so I figured a tuna salad without mayo was a good direction to head in. My theme was Italian because I really feel that the flavors you often find in Italian cooking would pair really well with canned tuna fish.

    I chose to serve this easy tuna salad in lettuce wraps but it make be a really great sandwich as well. My mom, happened to be over helping me on the day I shot the photos of these (and subsequently devoured a few of these tuna lettuce wraps after I finished taking photos). While she was eating them, she mentioned that this would also be excellent over a green salad and I agree!

    tuna salad recipe

    Tips for making Italian Tuna Salad

    • I used yellow fin tuna in water but you could totally use albacore if you prefer. My mom said she though it would be fantastic in tuna packed in oil. I haven't tried this but I'm sure it would be tasty, although maybe not as healthy.
    • Make sure you drain your cans of tuna really well (unless you're using tuna packed in oil, in which case you might leave the oil it's packed in and reduce the amount of olive oil you add to the tuna salad).
    • If you're not planning on serving it right away, you might consider waiting to add the basil as it will wilt over time. It will still taste delicious, but it might not stay as pretty.
    • This is a great meal prep option in you're looking for a light and healthy lunch option to bring to work.
    • As always, taste as you mix and adjust the seasonings according to your taste!

    tuna salad no mayo

    Helpful tools:

    1. Mixing bowl
    2. Wooden spoon
    3. Chef's knife
    4. Cutting board
    5. Citrus reamer

    easy tuna salad

    Italian Tuna Salad makes the perfect light and fresh lunch! This is a healthy (no mayo!) but satisfying option that is super easy to make and comes together in minutes so it's quick. Made with tuna, tomatoes, fresh basil and oregano, green onion, lemon juice and olive oil this will be your new favorite lunch option!

    Italian Tuna Salad

    Jessy Freimann
    Italian Tuna Salad makes the perfect light and fresh lunch! This is a healthy but satisfying option that is super easy and comes together in minutes.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Total Time 10 mins
    Course Salad
    Cuisine Italian
    Servings 6 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 2 cans tuna in water, well drained and broken up
    • 1 can Great Northern Beans, rinsed and drained
    • 1 medium tomato, diced
    • 1 bunch green onions, chopped (green parts only)
    • 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, chopped
    • 2 Tablespoons fresh basil, chiffonade
    • ½ lemon worth of juice
    • 3 Tablespoons olive oil
    • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

    Instructions
     

    • In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients.
    • Mix well and taste.
    • Adjust seasonings to your taste.
    • Serve immediately.

    Notes

    This lasts covered in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    If you tried this recipe please comment and rate it 🙂 I love hearing your feedback and answering your questions!

    Looking for some other tuna recipes?

    • Tuna Macaroni Salad
    • Tuna Casserole aka Tuna Wiggle
    • Open Face Tuna Melt

    You can find a full index of my recipes here.

    Don’t forget to follow The Life Jolie on Pinterest for more recipe inspiration!

    Or if Pinterest isn’t your style, bookmark this post!

    Let’s keep the conversation going- join my Facebook group! Italian Tuna Salad makes the perfect light and fresh lunch! This is a healthy (no mayo!) but satisfying option that is super easy to make and comes together in minutes so it's quick. Made with tuna, tomatoes, fresh basil and oregano, green onion, lemon juice and olive oil this will be your new favorite lunch option!

    « Zucchini Pancakes
    Antipasto Italian Pasta Salad »
    1089 shares
    • Share
    • Flipboard
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Christy says

      April 13, 2020 at 7:50 pm

      I didn’t have lemon juice, but I had lemon olive oil. I put 2 tbsp instead of 3, and it tasted great!
      Reply
      • Jessy Freimann says

        April 14, 2020 at 2:25 pm

        So glad you loved it Christy!
        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Jessy in a kitchen holding a white casserole pan and smiling.
    Hi, I'm Jessy!

    Welcome to The Life Jolie! I share simple, delicious recipes and ingredient prep tips to make your weeknight cooking a breeze!

    More about me →

    Fall Recipes

    • A spoon holding a scoop of potato ham soup.
      Creamy Ham and Potato Soup
    • A bowl of chicken and egg noodles soup with sliced bread and another bowl behind it.
      Hearty Chicken Noodle Soup
    • A square image of the Toll House Cookie Recipe
      Easiest Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Say goodbye to dry and tough pork chops: these Smothered Crock Pot Pork Chops are the ultimate fall-apart tender comfort food. With just 4 ingredients, this easy dinner will be your new go-to dump dinner!
      Fall Apart Slow Cooker Pork Chops
    • An overhead image of sliced turkey on a platter surrounded by fresh herbs in the middle of a Thanksgiving table.
      Roasted Spatchcock Glazed Turkey with Bourbon
    • Side angle image close up of Brie Phyllo Cup on a sheet pan
      Baked Brie Phyllo Cups

    Popular Recipes

    • A square image of how to melt chocolate chips in the microwave showing the chocolate once it's melted.
      How to Melt Chocolate Chips in the Kitchen
    • Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats are the healthy weeknight meal you'll want to make again and again. This is a seriously easy recipe that's full of delicious flavor without all the guilt!
      Italian Stuffed Zucchini Boats
    • Shrimp Macaroni Salad
      Very Best Shrimp Macaroni Salad Recipe
    • A square image of a white pot pouring cheese sauce over a bowl of broccoli with a blue towel behind it.
      Cheese Sauce for Broccoli Recipe
    • Do you love the Cheesecake Factory's Thai Lettuce Wraps! Well then why not make them at home? They're easy to make and totally delicious!
      Reader Request: Copycat Cheesecake Factory Thai Lettuce Wraps
    • A square image of Greek Yogurt Roasted Chicken Thighs.
      Greek Yogurt Roasted Chicken Thighs Recipe

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • Privacy Policy + Disclaimer

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Video Production

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright 2014-2021 - Jolie Ventures, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy.