This 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 keto bread.
You can make a big batch and refrigerate it - this salad lasts 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 United States eat sandwiches, wraps, or leftovers from last night's dinner.
This keto tuna salad is perfect for such a lunch, and this version, served on low-carb bread, is so flavorful!
In fact, it's so good that I sometimes make it for a light dinner. The 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 since many oil-packed cans contain soybean oil.
- Mayonnaise: I use avocado oil mayonnaise in this recipe.
- 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 by half, or the salad could become too salty.
- Chopped cilantro: Personally, I happen to love the bold flavor of cilantro. But if you're not a fan, parsley works too.
Variations
- You can use sour cream instead of mayonnaise. I like both options, although I do prefer mayo.
- Use more hot sauce to make the salad spicy.
- Use garlic powder instead of fresh garlic, and add a pinch of onion powder.
- Add a pinch of dried thyme. I love the flavor it adds to the salad.
- Use parsley instead of cilantro.
- Mix in diced red onions. They add sharpness and crunch to the salad.
- Add a tablespoon of bacon bits. They're very flavorful!
Keto Tuna Salad Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
- First, drain the tuna well, place it in a bowl, and flake it with a fork. (Photos 1-2).
- Next, add the remaining ingredients and mix everything to combine. (Photos 3-5).
- That's it! Serve the salad on toasted keto bread or in a lettuce wrap. (Photo 6).
Expert Tips
- Since I use water-packed tuna, I add quite a bit of mayo - 3 tablespoons. Otherwise, I find that the salad is too dry. But oil-packed tuna is usually packed in soybean oil, which I'd rather avoid.
- When choosing a hot sauce, it's best to use one with the first ingredient listed as hot peppers rather than vinegar. Those tend to be the most flavorful.
Recipe FAQs
A good alternative to mayonnaise is sour cream, although mayonnaise tastes better in this recipe.
Another option is Greek yogurt, but I don't recommend it, even if you use whole-milk yogurt. I tried it and felt that it was too tangy.
Yes, but make sure it's packed in pure olive oil, not soybean or cottonseed oil. You can use less mayo with oil-packed tuna - two tablespoons.
Following the FDA's recommendations for eating fish, I prefer chunk light tuna (usually skipjack).
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve this salad on toasted 90-second bread (as shown in the photos and video), on thick slices of almond flour bread, or on a bed of lettuce. It also makes an excellent filling for a lettuce sandwich.
Sometimes I pack it into a bell pepper or stuff it inside a hollowed-out tomato:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for up to 3 days. Remix the salad before serving it.
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Recipe Card
Keto Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 5 ounces canned tuna - packed in water, no added salt
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise - I use avocado oil mayo
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- ½ teaspoon fresh garlic - minced
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup cilantro - chopped; or parsley
Instructions
- Drain the tuna well.
- Transfer the drained tuna to a medium bowl.
- Flake it well with a fork.
- Add the mayonnaise, mustard, hot sauce, garlic, salt, pepper, and cilantro. Mix well.
- To serve, stuff the tuna salad inside a bell pepper or a large tomato, serve it in a lettuce wrap, or use low-carb bread.
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
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
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. 
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