Simple Mediterranean Tuna Salad (Printer-friendly)

Tuna, crisp vegetables, olives, and zesty lemon dressing create this bright Mediterranean dish ready in 15 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Proteins

01 - 2 cans (5 oz each) tuna in olive oil, drained

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
03 - 1 medium cucumber, diced
04 - 1/4 red onion, finely sliced
05 - 1/2 cup roasted red peppers, sliced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

→ Add-Ins

07 - 1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
08 - 1/4 cup capers, rinsed

→ Dressing

09 - 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
10 - Juice of 1 lemon
11 - 1 garlic clove, minced
12 - 1/2 tsp dried oregano
13 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

# How To Make It:

01 - Place drained tuna in a large bowl and flake gently with a fork.
02 - Add cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, roasted red peppers, parsley, olives, and capers to the bowl.
03 - In a small bowl or jar, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper until well combined.
04 - Pour dressing over salad ingredients and toss gently to coat evenly.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 2 hours for flavors to meld.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The zesty lemon-olive oil dressing comes together in seconds but tastes like something from a seaside taverna
  • You can prep everything ahead and the flavors actually get better after a few hours in the fridge
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of tasting before serving—the saltiness varies wildly between brands of olives and tuna
  • This salad sits beautifully for a few hours but gets watery if refrigerated overnight due to the vegetables
03 -
  • Use a box grater to shred the red onion instead of slicing it for a more subtle onion flavor that distributes evenly
  • If the tuna seems dry, add an extra tablespoon of olive oil before tossing with the dressing

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