The key to a really delicious tuna salad is keeping it simple. Buy fresh ingredients to mix with the canned tuna and everything will come together. For this low carb tuna salad recipe, we’re going to add in crunchy celery, snappy shallots and the secret ingredient: celery seeds. Take a look at the full recipe for how it all comes together.
This low carb tuna salad recipe is: Gluten Free, Paleo Friendly, Low Carb and really tasty.
A SUPER EASY LOW CARB TUNA SALAD RECIPE
I’ve been making tuna salad as far back as I can remember. It is one of my favorites for lunch or a quick afternoon snack. Over the years, I’ve been tinkering with the recipe… some days adding in different mustards, relishes and other combinations that sometimes turn out good and other times, not-so-good. The recipe in this post is the perfect balance of tuna, crunch, flavor and texture. You have to try it!
You’re going to see a couple ingredients in this low carb tuna salad that you might not see in a lot of recipes. The first of these ingredients is shallots. I love shallots with tuna. The mixture of mellow garlic and onion flavors really compliment the tuna while adding brightness to the overall dish. It’s a lovely ingredient. We’re also going to use celery seeds. These little seeds aren’t sold in every grocery store, so you might want to call to see if your local market stocks them before heading off to pick some up. I know that overseas you can search for days and never find celery seeds. Why add them since we already have celery? Because they provide a really vibrant celery flavor and aroma that is really delightful. When you open the jar of celery seeds you’ll see just what I mean. Lastly, we’re going to add lemon juice for brightness. Lemon and fish are perfect with one another…a relationship which is no different with this tuna salad recipe.
DIFFERENCES IN CANNED TUNA
Way back in the day, my mom told me that I should only buy canned tuna that was labeled as solid white Albacore tuna in water. She told me that the whole tuna is higher quality than the chunk type. She also said that if it was in water it was better for you than packed in oil. Pretty solid advice. I can’t say that I disagree with any of these points over 30 years later.
On a more practical note, I like using the tuna in water more than oil for two reasons. First, it stinks up my kitchen less. The oil tends to have a lingering smell that I don’t find appealing. Second, the tuna in oil has a richer flavor but I find it more difficult to control how much mayonnaise I add into the recipe. Sometimes it just needs less than my recipe calls for and I end up with a loose tuna salad. Nobody wants a loose tuna salad. Gross.
MAYO IN TUNA SALAD
For this recipe, I used Olive Oil Mayo off the shelf. I realize this is not a preferred paleo option. If you are strictly paleo, substitute in your own mayo and it will be even more delicious! I like to make a lemon shallot mayo that tastes incredible. If you make your own, the possibilities are just about limitless.
When you are choosing your mayo off the shelf, take a look at the ingredients and choose the one that has the LEAST amount of ingredients…and no high-fructose corn syrup at all! Leave the “whips” on the shelf. They’re just chock full of stuff that you don’t want to eat.
QUICK COOKING TIP: I like to add in everything to the bowl before I start to mix. Why? A couple reasons come to mind: first, I can see if I have added everything I need really easily. It’s harder to see once everything is mixed up. Second, I find that if you have to break up the tuna while you’re mixing everything together, the salad tends to bind together better than if you break up the tuna beforehand. I’m not sure why, but it just seems to work.
After everything is mixed up, I like to give it a quick taste and adjust the seasonings. Depending on the day, I add a little more lemon or a touch more mayo to taste. Remember that we are working with a lot of fresh ingredients that have different flavor potency. You have to taste, adjust and taste again!
Let’s mix it up with this delicious low carb tuna recipe.
The perfect low carb tuna recipe with delightful crunch, creamy texture and zippy flavors. I like to put my canned tuna in the refrigerator the day before I’m ready to use it. I love tuna salad that is really cold. Give it a try next time you make it!LOW CARB TUNA SALAD
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition Information
Yield
8 Serving Size
g
Amount Per ServingCalories 167
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE LOW CARB TUNA SALAD RECIPE:
When you first bite into this tuna salad you’re going to be sold. All the flavors just work really well with one another, begging you to take a second bite. And it’s going to taste incredibly fresh with the crisp celery and mellow shallot flavor. You’re going to love it.
Want a perfect pairing? If you’re a potato chip lover, buy some Sea Salt & Vinegar chips. When I was eating potato chips, this combination was my absolute favorite. The high acid on the chips balanced out the creamy deliciousness of the low carb tuna salad. Just perfect. If you’re not eating chips, add the tuna salad into a lettuce wrap. The crunch is delightful and the experience will bring a smile to your face.
As always, if you like what you’re reading, let me know! Happy eating.
Nutrition information is supplied by NutriFox and are based on estimates only.
I make all my tuna salad with cottage cheese instead of mayo. The result is high protein, spreadable and filling. Just smash the mix together with a fork and spread of rice cakes or apple slices.
Hi Ms. Carter:
I love substituting cottage cheese in for a ton of stuff. I’ve never made it with tuna before- do you use it in the same proportion as you would the mayo? I’m intrigued and would love to give this a shot.
Thanks for the suggestion-
Scott
I must try cottage cheese next time
It does sound intriguing- right?
Great comprehensive post! Will try this next time I make a tuna salad sandwich!
Hi Leah:
Thanks very much- I hope that you like it!
Scott
Looks delicious! I’ll definitely need to try celery seed next time!
Hi Lisa:
The celery seed really gives it an awesome flavor. I hope that you like it!
Take care,
Scott
You all must try adding or substituting chopped apple in the tuna salad.I always loved tuna salad but hated when my mom put chopped onion in it. The apple is a good substitute,a nice crunch without the burn!
Hi Harold:
Good suggestion. I don’t love the burn that some onions can have either, which is why I use shallot for so many recipes.
Have an excellent day in the kitchen!
Scott
I used to think Solid White tuna was superior too….but it has much more mercury than the chunk light stuff. So in that sense, I would say it is inferior to chunk light.
Hi Anon:
The mercury content in fish is something I’m going to have to research a bit more. I’ve been curious about it for a while. Thanks for posting!
Have an incredible day!
Scott
Ridiculously good. That’s all I have to say about this recipe. Oh- if you’re reading this- make it. So good.
Hey Deb:
Thanks for taking the time to write your thoughts about this deliciousness. It is truly amazing.
Have a fantastic day in the kitchen!
Scott
Do you have the nutritional value of your tuna salad? It sounds delicious but we’ve just started the keto diet and need to count everything! Thanks.
Hi Bonnie:
I just added the information and changed some of the information on the recipe itself. Please keep in mind that the service I use for nutritional data doesn’t allow me to choose how many ounces the cans of tuna might be… and it also doesn’t tell me what size they are using for the nutritional data either!
I’m on day 10 of transitioning full keto again and had this yesterday for lunch with my family. I hope you like it!!
Take care and let me know if you have any other questions.
Scott