Curried Tuna Salad

If you love quick lunches, you're going to adore this easy Curried Tuna Salad! Made with canned tuna, Greek yogurt, cilantro, and curry powder, it's full of flavor and comes together in about 5 minutes. 

Everybody needs a go-to quick lunch recipe, and this Curried Tuna Salad is just that. See, I adore "salads" made with mayo, like my Whole30 chicken salad and my mango chicken salad. So, I figured why not create a healthy tuna salad recipe? 

I opted to lighten it up a bit by using yogurt instead of mayonnaise, though you're more than welcome to use mayo if you prefer. Besides that, it's made with shallot, cilantro and of course curry powder, which takes the flavor profile of traditional tuna salad up a notch. 

This recipe can be enjoyed on it's on, on top of lettuce, in a wrap, or as a sandwich -- all are equally delicious. 

Recipe features

• A great way to use up canned tuna
• Easy lunch recipe that's ready in just 5 minutes!
• An overall great texture -- a little crunch from the shallot and scallion and sweetness from the raisins

Ingredients

• Tuna - Canned tuna in water, but make sure to drain the water out first. You can use any variety of tuna -- I typically opt for albacore or skipjack. 

• Yogurt - Plain Greek yogurt works best, but if you want to keep this dairy free, simply use your favorite dairy free yogurt. Or, if you prefer mayo, use my easy avocado oil mayonnaise. 

• Shallot - Or sub red onion. 

• Cilantro - No substitutions; cilantro is a must for this! 

• Golden raisins - You know I love savory-sweet combinations, and the raisins give this tuna salad a hint of sweetness. Trust me

• Lime juice - You can sub lemon juice if you're in a pinch, but with the flavor profile of this recipe, lime juice is really the way to go.

• Curry powder - Again, no substitution! 100% necessary. 

• Scallion - Can omit if needed, but I like the added texture it provides. 

Instructions

Step 1: Add the tuna. First, drain the water from the cans of tuna, then scoop it out with a fork and place it in a medium bowl. 

Step 2: Combine. In a separate large bowl, stir the yogurt, shallot, cilantro, raisins, lime juice, curry powder, and scallion together. Then, add the tuna into that bowl and stir to combine. 

Step 3: Taste test. As with most recipes, you'll want to do a final taste test to see if it needs any modifications (i.e. more lime juice/cilantro/raisins), and then add salt and black pepper to taste. 

Tips

• Want to make this Paleo? Simply use avocado oil mayo instead of yogurt. Want it to be dairy free? Use mayo or plain dairy free yogurt instead.
• If you love this, be sure to check out my cottage cheese chicken salad sandwich -- my healthier take on chicken salad.
• Ways to serve tuna salad:
  • On a sandwich: Grab a slice or two of bread, add some lettuce then a giant scoop of the tuna mixture
  • On a salad: Make your favorite salad recipe, then add a spoonful or two of tuna
  • A lettuce wrap: Kind of similar to my paleo cod wraps but with tuna! A great low carb option 

Can I use regular raisins instead of golden raisins? 

Technically yes, but golden raisins are all around just better and fruitier tasting. Plus, the texture of golden raisins is plump and soft, whereas regular raisins are shriveled and dry, which does make a big difference. 

How can this be made Whole30? 

Easy! Simply use paleo-friendly and Whole30-approved mayo instead of yogurt and you're good to go! Oh, and make sure to serve it on a lettuce wrap or in salad, too.

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. I don't recommend freezing this. You can, however, batch it if you want to meal prep for a few days.

More quick lunch recipes

• Pan-Fried Chicken Tenders
• Tuna Pasta Salad
• Lemon Orzo Salad

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!