This high protein healthy tuna salad recipe contains a healthy combination of protein, carbs, and fat – with a selection of delicious vegetables – for a delicious, quick lunch or dinner.
Peeking out from the back of my store cupboard has been a pack of tuna that I’ve had in there for what feels like forever, and I’ve just never gotten around to using it. However, now seemed like the right moment to make a healthy tuna salad recipe that’s simple and delicious.
I’m not sure about elsewhere in the world, but here in the UK tuna tins are used primarily for tuna mayo sandwiches and pasta bakes. I wanted to take advantage of the high protein content within tuna to make a healthy but delicious high-protein salad, to enjoy time and time again.
This easy tuna salad contains a mixture of vegetables that I think taste delicious together. However, the recipe is also very versatile and can be changed depending on what salad veg you have available.
It is also a fantastic meal-prep option. Simply prepare the ‘wet’ dressings separately and mix them into your portioned salad just before eating.
I’m not sure about everyone else, but in the last couple of months, I’ve craved more healthy foods than ever. It’s so super-critical to be careful about what we eat and build up our immune systems during any cold/flu season – and right now more than ever.
One of the absolute best ways to do this combines a healthy sleep pattern with exercise and a plant-based diet. Focus on eating a whole range of plant-based foods, to build up a healthy gut. Now, I may not be the best with exercise at the moment, but I’m focusing on getting my 7 hours of sleep and eating lots of highly nutritional meals, like this fish salad.
Salad recipes are one of the easiest ways – I’ve found – to pull together a super quick and simple meal with a combination of protein, carbs, fat, and fiber without having to think about it too much. This particular tuna salad bowl is more of a classic salad. However, feel free to add in your favorite grain like couscous or quinoa for additional fiber and nutrients.
How to Make Tuna Salad
The Ingredients
- 1 tin of ethically sourced tuna (in olive oil),
- hard-boiled egg,
- green leaves – I used crispy lettuce leaves but choose your favorite (lettuce, roquette, baby spinach),
- cherry tomatoes and red bell pepper,
- chopped celery and black olives,
- boiled potato and sweet corn (grilled or oven-roasted),
- lemon and olive oil ,
- salt and pepper,
- pomegranate molasses (totally optional – I used homemade),
- omega seeds mix (sunflower, pumpkin, flaxseed) or some 5-Seed DIY Vegan Protein Powder / Blend – optional.
Optional: Red onion (some people don’t like to eat raw onion, so I’ll leave this as an optional item). You could also mix in some spinach salad leaves for additional nutrients. If you want to make this into more of a hearty “salad bowl”, you could also mix in some of your favorite grain like couscous or quinoa.
The Steps
Start by boiling the potato and the egg in separate pots for 10-12 minutes. These are ingredients I will usually meal prep, so I have some leftovers for various meals throughout the week.
To speed up the cooking process of the potato, you can chop it into small cubes. Boil until it is fork/knife tender.
If using corn on the cob, you can lightly char this/grill in the oven. Or, you could also use tinned if that’s all you have available.
In the meantime, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Drain the liquid from the tuna can. You can even pat dry the tuna bits with a paper towel to remove any excess liquid. Chop the red bell pepper and celery. Depending on the green leaves you use, slice those too. Make the salad dressing by mixing the lemon juice, salt and pepper, and pomegranate molasses (which is optional). Whisk well.
Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl.
Pour the dressing over the tuna salad. Stir well until combined.
Sprinkle the omega seeds mix (this is also an optional ingredient) and enjoy.
Other Recipes You May Like
- Baked Teriyaki Salmon (+ Broiled | Air Fried | Pan-Fried)
- Simple quinoa salad with walnuts and avocado
- Traditional Lebanese Fattoush Salad
- The Best Tuna Pasta Salad
- You can also check my list of 40 Easy Summer Salad Recipes!
If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments. You can also tag me in your recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie.
Healthy Tuna Salad with Mixed Vegetables
Ingredients
- 15 ounces tuna ethically sourced canned in olive oil
- 1 cup lettuce leaves crispy lettuce leaves or your favorite
- 1/4 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 egg hard boiled
- 1/2 red bell pepper
- 1 celery stalk
- a few black olives
- 1 potato boiled
- 1 sweet corn grilled – optional
- 1/2 lemon juiced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- pinch of salt
- pinch of pepper
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses totally optional
- 1 tablespoon mixed omega seeds mix sunflower, pumpkin, flaxseed (optional)
- Optional: Red onion some people don't like to eat raw onion, so I'll leave this as an optional item. You could also mix in some spinach salad leaves for additional nutrients. If you want to make this into more of a hearty 'salad bowl' you could also mix in some of your favorite grain like couscous or quinoa.
Instructions
- Boil the potato and the egg in separate pots for 10-12 minutes. *
For the potato, in order to speed the cooking process, you can chop it into small cubes. Boil until it is fork/knife tender. - If using corn on the cob you can lightly char this/ grill in the oven. Or, you could also use tinned if that’s all you have available.
- Drain the olive oil from the tuna can. You can even pat dry the tuna bits with a paper towel to remove any excess liquid
- Chop the red bell pepper and celery, and depending on the green leaves you use, slice those too.
- Make the salad dressing by mixing the lemon juice, salt and pepper, and pomegranate molasses. Whisk well.
- Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the tuna salad. Stir well until combined. Sprinkle the omega seeds mix. Enjoy!Â
nan for
delicious salad. i like mine salty so i use more lime juice and olive oil and never use the molasses
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Thank you for your comment. Glad you liked the salad and adjusted it to your taste 🙂
Arinna
This salad was so good! I love all of @alphafoodie’s recipes and I had all the ingredients for this so I figured, why not? I’m a simple salad person so I was skeptical that all of the ingredients would mesh, but they blended perfectly with the simple dressing. I did end up using red onion and omitting olives (bleh). I didn’t have any pomegranate molasses so I added a little dijon to my dressing. And the only recommendation I have is to roast the potatoes after you boil them! I like the texture more and you can throw em in the oven with the corn!
AlphaFoodie
Sounds delicious! Than you for the potatoes tip 🙂