Keto tuna salad bursts with flavor from Dijon mustard, hot sauce, garlic, and cilantro. It's wonderful on its own, even better when piled on top of 90-second keto bread.
You can make a big batch and refrigerate it - this salad lasts for several days in the fridge. And it's ready in just 15 minutes!
What do you usually eat for lunch? Most of us (in the USA at least) eat sandwiches, wraps, or perhaps leftovers from last night's dinner.
Needless to say, tuna salad is perfect for lunch, and this keto version, served on low-carb bread, is so very flavorful! In fact, it's so good, that I sometimes make it for a light dinner. Leftovers are excellent too, so I often double the recipe.
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this tasty salad. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Canned tuna: I prefer water-packed tuna since many oil-packed cans contain soybean oil.
Mayonnaise: I use avocado oil mayonnaise (Sir Kensington's brand, available at Whole Foods and Walmart, is wonderful) in this recipe.
Since I use water-packed tuna, I add quite a bit of mayo - 3 tablespoons. Otherwise, I find it too dry. But oil-packed tuna is usually packed in soybean oil, which I'd rather avoid.
Dijon mustard: This traditional French mustard is creamier, thicker, and less vinegary than yellow mustard. I highly recommend it in this recipe.
Hot sauce: It doesn't make the salad very spicy - it merely adds an interesting layer of flavor.
Minced garlic: Mince it yourself, or use the stuff that comes in a jar. Both work.
Kosher salt and black pepper: If using fine salt, you should reduce the amount you use, or the salad could end up too salty.
Chopped cilantro: Personally, I happen to love the bold flavor of cilantro. But if you're not a fan, parsley works too.
Instructions
Making this keto tuna salad is truly easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
Your first step is to drain the tuna well, place it in a bowl, and flake it with a fork.
Next, you add the remaining ingredients and mix everything to combine.
That's it! Serve the salad on toasted keto bread or in a lettuce wrap.
Frequently asked questions
A good alternative to mayonnaise is sour cream, although I do believe that mayonnaise tastes better in this particular recipe.
Another option is Greek yogurt, but I actually don't recommend it, even if you use whole-milk yogurt. I tried it once and felt that it was too tangy.
Yes, but make sure it's packed in pure olive oil and not in soybean or cottonseed oil. If using oil-packed tuna, you could probably use a bit less mayo - try two tablespoons.
I prefer chunk light tuna (which is usually skipjack). Here's some good advice on choosing fish and seafood.
Variations and substitutions
Here are a few ideas for you for varying this recipe:
- Use sour cream instead of mayonnaise.
- Use more hot sauce to make the salad spicy.
- Use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic and add a pinch of onion powder as well.
- Add a pinch of dried thyme.
- Use parsley instead of cilantro.
- Mix in diced red onions.
- Add a tablespoon of bacon bits.
Serving suggestions
I usually serve this salad on toasted 90-second bread (as shown in the photos and in the video), on thick slices of almond flour bread, or on a bed of lettuce.
Sometimes I stuff it inside a hollowed-out tomato or pack it into a bell pepper:
It also makes a great filling for a lettuce sandwich. And keto tuna melt made with it is the perfect comfort food!
Needless to say, there's absolutely nothing wrong with serving this salad in a bowl and eating it with a spoon! Sometimes I use it to make a lazy tuna melt - I place it in a shallow bowl, sprinkle with cheddar, and heat it up in the microwave to melt the cheese. Mmm good.
Storing leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Mix the salad again before serving it.
Related recipes
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Recipe card
15-Minute Keto Tuna Salad
INGREDIENTS
- 1 (5-oz can) tuna in water, no salt added
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup chopped cilantro or parsley
INSTRUCTIONS
- Drain the tuna well.
- Transfer the drained tuna to a medium bowl.
- Flake it well with a fork.
- Add the remaining ingredients and mix well.
- To serve, stuff the tuna salad inside a bell pepper or a large tomato, serve in lettuce wraps, or on toasted 90 second bread.
WATCH THE VIDEO:
NOTES
- Use sour cream instead of mayonnaise.
- Use more hot sauce to make the salad spicy.
- Use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic and add a pinch of onion powder as well.
- Add a pinch of dried thyme.
- Use parsley instead of cilantro.
- Mix in diced red onions.
- Add a tablespoon of bacon bits.
NUTRITION PER SERVING
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 