Mexican Tuna Salad is a healthy and delicious way to change up a traditional tuna salad. It's perfect for a quick and easy snack, lunch, or light dinner. It's also very customizable, so you can adjust the ingredients and seasoning to suit your liking.
The name of this recipe also translates to Ensalada de Atún. There are different variations of an authentic Mexican Tuna Salad. I think this one is pretty close to an authentic one, if not completely.
Tuna salad is a budget-friendly, high-protein dish that is great for meal prep. Just like my Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs and these Sticky Sesame Chickpeas.
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❤️Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Quick to make: It only takes a few minutes to prepare. Just chop the vegetables and mix the remaining ingredients.
- Flavorful: With delicious flavors from the jalapeños, tomatoes, red onion, and lime, there's a lot to love.
- Easy to meal prep: This will last in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Take a few minutes to whip it together, and enjoy it for lunch or even a snack over the next few days.
- Customizable: There are so many variations for this recipe. You can add more things you like, and leave out what you don't.
📝Ingredient Notes
- Canned tuna: I like using a higher quality tuna such as Wild Planet Albacore tuna, but I also use StarKist Solid White Albacore tuna for a budget-friendly option.
- Roma tomato: I recommend using a Roma tomato because they are less juicy. It's best not to increase the water content even more with juicy tomatoes, so use this variety! If you have to use a different tomato variety, just remove the seeds and innards.
- Pickled jalapeños and juice: Pickled jalapeños have a more mild level of heat, and they work perfectly for this tuna salad. You will also need some of the juice from the jar. It adds a really good flavor!
🌿Substitutions
- Tuna: You can use shredded or grilled chicken in place of tuna. For a vegan option, you can use chickpeas/garbanzo beans.
- Cilantro: If you don't like the taste of cilantro, leave it out. You can also use parsley if you want an herby flavor.
- Mayonnaise: Some people use Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise or use half mayo and half yogurt. For a dairy-free option, use your favorite Greek yogurt substitute. I like Plain Unsweetened Coconut Yogurt by SoDelicious. You can also make a vinaigrette dressing with oil, vinegar, and spices.
- Lime: Fresh lemon juice will also work in place of lime juice.
- Pickled jalapeños: You can use fresh jalapeños if you want more heat. I would carefully remove the seeds because they will make it even spicier.
🥑Variations
- Fresh corn
- Diced avocado
- Green or red bell peppers
- Black beans
- Slivered almonds
- Taco seasoning
- Lettuce: Some Mexican Tuna Salad recipes use lettuce. If you add lettuce, use one that's crunchy like romaine or iceberg.
- Fruit: For a sweet bite, add dried cranberries, sliced red grapes, or even diced gala apples.
🥒Serving Ideas
- Cucumbers
- Tortilla chips
- Saltines
- Lettuce wrap: Serve the tuna on lettuce and make a wrap. Use romaine lettuce.
- Tostadas: Make a layer of mashed avocado with a sprinkle of salt, then top it with the tuna salad.
- Sandwich: Make a Mexican Tuna Salad sandwich with your favorite sandwich bread. I like to pair it with whole wheat bread.
- Toast: You can also make it on toast. Similar to a tostada, I would top it with mashed avocado and salt.
🔪How to Make Mexican Tuna Salad
- Drain the liquid from the tuna cans, and place it in a bowl.
2. Chop the celery, red onion, cilantro, jalapeños, and tomato.
3. In a small bowl or ramekin, mix the mayo, garlic powder, fresh lime juice, and pickled jalapeño juice.
4. Add the chopped ingredients and the mayo mixture in with the tuna, and mix well to combine.
5. Enjoy with tortilla chips, saltine crackers, on a tostada, sandwich and more!
🧊Storing
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. For best quality, consume within 2 days.
✅Pro Tips
- Chop the vegetables finely: Make sure the red onion is diced the smallest. This way you aren't getting a bite of raw onion that stands out on its own.
- Drain the tuna well: If you don't drain the tuna well, you'll increase the water content of the tuna salad. You don't want it runny!
⁉️Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Mexican tuna salad is healthy. It's a good source of protein with vegetables and fresh cilantro.
No. Mayonnaise does not freeze well and neither does the onion and vegetables.
⭐️Before you go! If you enjoyed this recipe for my Mexican Tuna Salad, leave a review and share it with me! I love to hear from you. Also, if you aren't following me on Instagram, search @thedairyfreemenu for some more cooking inspiration!
📖 Recipe
Mexican Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cans white albacore tuna drained
- 3 tablespoons celery chopped small
- 2 tablespoons red onion minced
- ½ tablespoon cilantro finely chopped
- 1½ tablespoons pickled jalapeños finely chopped
- 1 small Roma tomato chopped small
- ¼ cup mayo
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- ½ tablespoon jarred pickled jalapeno juice
- salt and pepper to taste optional
Instructions
- Drain the liquid from the tuna cans, and place it in a bowl.
- Chop the celery, red onion, cilantro, jalapeños, and tomato.
- In a small bowl or ramekin, mix together the mayo, garlic powder, fresh lime juice, and the pickled jalapeño juice.
- Add the chopped ingredients and the mayo mixture with the tuna, and mix well to combine.
- Enjoy with tortilla chips, saltine crackers, on a tostada, sandwich, and more!
Nutrition
Note: The nutrition label is only an estimate. Amounts may vary.
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