How Many Calories Are In A Tuna & Mayo Sandwich
A tuna sandwich makes a nutrient-rich lunch or dinner. Tuna contributes protein, vitamin B-12 and healthy omega-3 fatty acids. It fulfills one of the two servings of fish per week recommended by the American Heart Association to lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. Whole-grain bread delivers fiber, B vitamins and minerals. You can gain all of these nutrients for as few as 302 calories — or significantly more — depending on the types of ingredients you choose.
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How Long Does Tuna Salad Last
Tuna salad can last in your fridge for three to five days. Be sure to store it in a sealed container and refrigerate it right away to lock in freshness. If you notice that your tuna salad has changed in flavor, color or smell, pitch it.
Whether you try our recipe above or develop an original dish that incorporates your favorite crunch, seasonings and dressing, rest assured that a delicious tuna salad recipe is only a few minutes away. If you need more ideas, these canned tuna recipes are light, fresh and always tasty.
Putting It All Together
If you assemble a sandwich using the ingredients with the fewest calories — light tuna canned in water, light mayo and white bread — you will consume 302 calories. Using ingredients with the most calories, which includes tuna in oil, regular mayonnaise and whole-wheat pita, produces a sandwich that has 526 calories. You don’t need to worry about calories added from vegetables. Whether you add tomatoes, lettuce, grated carrots, sliced cucumbers or onions, you’ll gain nutrients, such as vitamins A and C, for very few calories. However, be careful about cheese. Just one slice, or 1 ounce, adds another 79 to 114 calories.
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How To Make Tuna Fish Salad
Now that you know what is in tuna salad to make it healthy and low calories, lets go over how to make tuna salad.
Salad with tuna fish is so easy to make, and it can make a delicious, healthy lunch!
Now that you know what to put in tuna salad to make it healthy, lets review how to make tuna fish salad healthy
The Healthiest Type Of Canned Tuna
Not all cans of tuna are created equal. When choosing between oil- or water-packed tuna, water is usually the healthier option. Oil-packed tuna usually has a richer taste but you wont know the quality of the olive oil used. Water-packed tuna may have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, as well as fewer artificial ingredients.
To buy more sustainable tuna, look for labels that say the tuna was caught by pole or line fishing. These methods are more environmentally sustainable than other options.
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Tips To Make Tuna Salad
Watch Out For Mayonnaise
When it comes to mayonnaise, portion control is important if you want to keep calories as low as possible. If you choose 2 tablespoons of light mayonnaise, you’ll consume 71 calories. The same portion of regular mayonnaise has nearly three times that amount, or 188 calories. Even though it doesn’t affect calories, another nutrient to watch for in mayonnaise is sodium. Regular mayonnaise actually has less sodium — 175 milligrams in 2 tablespoons — compared with 248 milligrams in light mayonnaise. At the lower amount, mayonnaise contributes 12 percent of your entire day’s recommended intake for sodium.
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What Youll Find In This Article:
- Tuna Salad Ingredients
- How to Make Tuna Fish Salad
- The Best Tuna Salad Recipe
- Nutrition and Calories in Tuna Salad
Different tuna salad recipes call for lots of unhealthy ingredients, but this low calorie, high protein tuna salad recipe is healthy for people looking to eat healthy without sacrificing flavor.
In the nest section we will go over healthy tuna salad ingredients, and below that how to make salad tuna recipes healthy. All of these sections come together in a sharable/printable recipe card that includes nutrition, measurements and more.
For healthy tuna salad ideas, see below this recipe is great for weight loss and weight maintenance.
Ingredients For Tuna Salad Recipe
Healthy tuna salad takes only 15 minutes of prep. Simply mix the ingredients, then place in the refrigerator to chill.
- Canned tuna: Canned tuna divides into 2 main categories: packed in oil or water. Then pick from based on your budget: Albacore tuna has less fishy taste and white meaty texture or yellowfin/skipjack/light tuna is tan to pink in color and has more strong fish taste. Lastly, the texture: chunky or whole.
I always buy canned light tuna packed in water as I do not see a need for extra oil as we drain it anyways. Also chunky one vs. whole because its cheaper.
- Mayo + plain Greek yogurt: The best combination to get that traditional tuna salad taste but with less calories. Use mayo made with avocado oil and Greek yogurt with at least 2% fat for the tastiest Greek yogurt tuna salad results. You can omit mayonnaise though.
- Dill pickles: Add a briny taste with sweet and sour notes that really make this tuna recipe outstanding.
- Celery and red onion: Add crunch with bold earthy and sweet taste.
- Fresh garlic: Because garlic is always a must in any dish, hands down.
- Lemon juice: Adds tang and brightness.
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How To Serve Healthy Tuna Salad
There are so many different ways to serve tuna salad, these are my favorites.
- Serve it open-faced on two slices of toast with lettuce, tomatoes, sprouts, and red onions. Melt some cheese on top for an open-faced tuna melt.
- Hollow out some tomatoes or cucumbers and fill them with this healthy tuna salad for a low carb option.
- Grab a big bowl of greens, tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, and carrots and then top with tuna for a great salad option.
- Pack for lunches with some lettuce wraps, low carb tortilla, pita bread, or crackers on the side.
- Double the dressing and create a quick and healthy tuna pasta salad. Add some extra veggies like cucumber and carrots for crunch and color.
Low Fat Yogurt Vs Mayonnaise
I love mayonnaise and I don’t consider it unhealthy but I do use it in moderation, recognizing that it’s basically pure fat. For a dish that requires a lot of mayo, it’s great to have a lighter, healthier alternative. Here’s the nutritional comparison of Mayonnaise vs Yogurt, using my favorite brands: Hellman’s mayonnaise vs Stonyfield Farm Organic Lowfat Plain Yogurt
1 TABLESPOON OF MAYO
- 100% of the calories are from fat
- 90mg sodium
- 21 mg calcium
- 6 different live active gut-healthy cultures
You can see from the numbers that mayo is more than ten times higher in fat and calories than plain yogurt. Adding loads of mayo to tuna salad can quickly add up to a daunting amount of fat, salt and calories whereas you can add as much yogurt as you want – make your tuna salad as creamy as you want – without worrying about maxing out on your RDA of fat or sodium.
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What Kind Of Tuna Is The Healthiest
There are so many options when it comes to canned tuna and it can be tricky to know what to choose. Solid albacore, skipjack, or yellowfin? Packed in water or oil? Wild caught or trolled? You get the idea – the options are endless, but here are some things to keep in mind to choose the best tuna option for you.
What Can I Mix With Tuna Instead Of Mayo
For making a tuna salad without mayonnaise, there are a few different options depending on your dietary needs. The most common substitute is using Greek yogurt. Personally, I don’t like using all Greek yogurt because it gets too tangy. Instead, I use a combination of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise. You could use a combination of Greek yogurt and sour cream as well if you don’t want to use mayo.
Another dairy-free option is to swap in mashed avocado for the mayo. Make sure to season the avocado with salt and pepper to make sure it has plenty of flavor. You could also use vegan mayo for a dairy free option.
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Variations Of Healthy Tuna Salad
Cold tuna salad over a sourdough rye bread toast, healthy tuna melt and tuna zucchini fritter has grown on me a lot. Here are a few variations I also tried:
- Curried salad: Add desired amount of fresh curry powder. I used the same yellow curry powder I make yellow chicken curry with and salad turns out so flavorful!
- Pasta salad: Mix with cooked whole wheat macaroni for healthy tuna pasta salad.
- Avocado: Love avocado? Substitute mayo with mashed avocado.
- Egg: Add a few chopped Instant Pot hard boiled eggs or leftover healthy deviled eggs .
The Best Tuna Salad Recipe
The best tuna salad recipe in this article is low in calories, and mayonnaise free thanks to this low calorie, high protein creamy ingredient swap.
Most tuna salad recipes are packed full of fat and calories, but this recipe with tuna is low fat, low in calories and packed with extra protein! All thanks to one metabolism boosting ingredient Greek Yogurt!
In this article youll learn how to make tuna salad healthy, low calorie, and low fat without sacrificing flavor or texture.
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This tuna fish salad recipe comes with a shopping list, printable recipe card and more.
Try this low calorie NO MAYO canned tuna salad recipe its low calorie, low fat, and packed with protein!
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Why You’ll Love This Tuna Salad Without Mayo
- Very easy to make – it takes less than 10 minutes to make the salad and enjoy a healthy, light lunch without much effort.
- Full of flavor – you don’t need mayo in tuna salad to make it extra tasty. The lemon juice, Dijon mustard and fresh herbs infuse the tuna with loads of flavor.
- Easy to make your own – You can easily add more veggies, olives or even nuts and seeds to this tuna salad to make it your own.
How To Make Healthy Tuna Salad
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the ingredients for the dressing: Greek yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and parsley until well combined.
- Add the drained tuna on top, along with the celery and red onions and gently mix
- You can serve it immediately or let it cool in the fridge for half hour.
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What Can I Use In Place Of Mayonnaise In Tuna Salad
While mayonnaise is almost always linked with tuna salad, it has no special powers that make it the only option for tuna salad magic. Mayonnaise is used to smooth out the tuna salad and bind the ingredients together, but these alternatives work just as well:
- Mustard
As you can see, the options are almost endless.
Recipe Notes And Tips
- This tuna salad with yogurt will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. It’s a great recipe for meal prep!
- Other things that you can add to this tuna salad include diced apples, bell pepper, chickpeas, fresh cucumber or chopped avocado.
- Add some red chili flakes to give the salad a bit of a kick.
- You can transform this recipe into a tuna pasta salad by mixing it with some cooked pasta.
If you liked this healthy tuna salad recipe, you might also like some of my other easy lunch recipes:
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Ingredients To Make Tuna Salad
- Tuna: I like to use white albacore as it has a great chunky and firm texture that doesnt disappear when you mix it with the other ingredients
- Celery: Celery adds a wonderful crunchy texture as well as a hit of freshness.
- Red onions: I prefer to use red onion in salads as it is much milder than white. Mince it finely so that its not overpowering.
- Greek yogurt: I use Greek yogurt rather than mayonnaise, to make this wonderfully creamy. Greek yogurt is also a great source of protein and probiotics.
- Lemon juice: Use freshly squeezed lemon juice for a wonderful zingy taste that cuts through the yogurt.
- Dijon mustard: Mustard adds some tang and spice and works so well with the other ingredients.
- Salt and pepper: To help bring out all of the other flavors.
- Parsley: Fresh parsley really lifts this dish and makes it light and fresh tasting. You can use other fresh herbs like cilantro or dill.
How To Make Healthy Tuna Salad With No Mayo
One 5-ounce can of tuna mixed with yogurt and chopped veggies serves two people as a snack with endives or crackers, or for a lunch when served in a sandwich or with a salad.
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Is Tuna Salad Healthy
Generally speaking – yes. Tuna salad, especially this healthy version, is packed with lean protein and Omega 3 fatty acids. One concern with classic tuna salad is the mayonnaise, which is high in saturated fats and calorie. This version uses Greek yogurt instead. The other main concern with tuna salad is mercury, but as long as you are not eating it daily, most experts believe eating tuna in moderation is fine for most people.
How To Make Tuna Salad:
Special Tip: If youre looking for healthy ideas for tuna salad recipes, try serving this low calorie tuna salad over greens, or on an open faced sandwich. We also love this low calorie tuna salad recipe over cucumber rounds, or apple slices .
In the next section you will find a recipe card for this tuna recipe. There you can find measurements, a how to guide and more Best of all, you can share this recipe card!
Up next, a sharable recipe card for healthy tuna salad recipes. You can email to friends and share on your Pintrest boards.
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What Goes Into This Low Calorie Tuna Salad
Tuna – Use chunky tuna in this salad. You don’t necessarily need to go for the expensive stuff, but it’s best to use a quality tuna that still retains its texture when mixed with the rest of the ingredients.
Red onion – Shallots or scallions are also good options for this tuna salad.
Celery – I love the crunchy texture of celery in tuna salad but you can leave it out if you’re not a fan.
Dill pickles – Some finely chopped dill pickles will add both flavor and texture to the salad.
Yogurt – Use a full-fat, thick Greek-style yogurt and feel free to add more than indicated in the recipe card if you’d like the salad creamier. Regular yogurt is a bit too watery for this salad.
Dijon mustard – The flavor of Dijon mustard truly elevates this tuna salad.
Parsley – Freshly chopped parsley adds both brightness and flavor. You can also use some freshly chopped dill.
A Healthier Tuna Salad
A lot people who are on a weight loss diet will turn to tuna because of its high level of protein 3 oz of albacore tuna has 20g of protein but only about 100 calories. However, if youre eating tuna as a traditional tuna salad with mayonnaise, you may be consuming unnecessary calories and fat. 1 cup of mayo has more than 1400 calories and 24g of fat.
This healthy tuna salad is full of flavor, light on calories and super easy to whip for lunch any day of the week! Swap the mayo for greek yogurt and dijon mustard and save those calories for a treat later.
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Recipes Ideas For Healthy Tuna Salad
- Add eggs: For a southern style tuna salad, consider add chopped hard boiled eggs and chopped dill pickles.
- Add chickpeas: One of my favorite things to add to tuna salad is chickpeas. Not only does it make it more filling with fiber and protein, the flavors just work, Trust me -you want to try this.
- Pickles or relish: Another classic tuna salad addition is chopped dill pickles or a few spoonfuls of relish. You can use sweet or sour relish, whatever taste you prefer.
- Make it spicy: For a spicy tuna salad, add some chopped jalapenos to the mix. Fresh or pickled jalapenos work. You could also use spicy mustard or a few squirts of Sriracha.
- Add extra veggies: Add crunch and nutrients to your tuna salad with extra veggies like carrots, cucumbers, cabbage, or red onion.
- Avocado: This salad can be made with avocado instead of the mayonnaise and Greek yogurt. You could also stir in chopped avocado for some additional healthy fats and creamy texture.