If you’re searching for a vibrant, fresh, and flavorful Mediterranean Tuna Salad made with mayo, you’re in the right place. This salad combines crisp vegetables, tender cannellini beans, flaky albacore tuna, and tangy feta, all dressed in a creamy herbed lemon mayonnaise. It works beautifully on its own, stuffed into pitas or wraps, or served over mixed greens — ideal for a light lunch or a simple dinner and a great option during Lent.
Choosing a tuna for tuna salad
With so many canned tuna choices, picking the right variety for a tuna salad can be confusing. I prefer canned albacore in water. Albacore is meatier with a firmer texture and milder flavor, and it flakes into pleasant chunks rather than becoming pasty like some chunk light tunas. It’s usually priced between chunk light and yellowfin, making it a practical, tasty choice.
You might also enjoy these simple salad recipes:
- Sriracha Shrimp Pasta Salad
- Old Fashioned Kidney Bean Salad
- Curried Couscous Salad
- Pesto Pasta Salad
Herbed Lemon Dressing with Mayo
This salad’s dressing is a creamy herbed lemon mayonnaise rather than a yogurt-based dressing. While Greek yogurt can work, it sometimes thins and changes texture as it sits; mayonnaise provides a richer, more stable base. Fresh parsley and basil, garlic, oregano, and bright lemon juice elevate the mayo for a lively dressing. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor. To make it, combine the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth, or finely chop the herbs and whisk everything together by hand.
If you cannot use mayo, substitute equal parts mashed avocado, or for a lighter version use half mayo and half Greek yogurt.
Most of the effort for this salad is in prepping the vegetables. I recommend seeding cucumbers and tomatoes to prevent the salad from becoming watery as it sits. Also be sure to drain canned ingredients well and remove excess liquid from artichokes to keep the salad crisp.
Feel free to adapt this salad to your tastes or pantry. Suggested substitutions and additions include:
- Red onion
- Garbanzo beans (can substitute for cannellini)
- Capers
- Bell peppers
- Roasted red peppers
- Pepperoncini
- Avocado
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Celery
Serving suggestions
This salad is delicious on its own, tucked into pita or wrap bread, spooned onto crackers, or served over a bed of mixed greens. If preparing ahead, wait to add the dressing until just before serving so the tuna doesn’t overpower the other ingredients and the vegetables stay crisp.
Mediterranean Tuna Salad with Mayo
Ingredients
Creamy Lemon Herb Mayonnaise Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 3 Tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
- 3-4 fresh basil leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
- 2 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
For the Salad
- 1 12 ounce can albacore tuna
- 1 15 ounce can cannellini beans*
- 1 13.75 ounce can quartered artichoke hearts
- 1 English cucumber
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- 2 shallots*
- 1/2 cup chopped Kalamata olives
- 2 ounces feta cheese crumbles
Instructions
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Combine all dressing ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. If you don’t have a processor, finely chop the herbs and whisk the dressing until well combined. Set aside.
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Thoroughly drain canned items and rinse the beans. Squeeze excess liquid from the artichoke hearts if needed.
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Seed and chop the cucumber and tomatoes.
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Finely chop the shallot.
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Combine all salad ingredients in a large bowl and gently fold in the dressing, taking care not to break the tuna into tiny pieces.
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Serve on its own, in pita bread, or in a wrap.
Notes
Garbanzo beans can be substituted for the cannellini beans.
If you don’t have shallots, use 1/4 cup chopped red onion instead.
Nutrition
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