Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Mixed with marinated artichokes, bell peppers, Greek olives, parsley, and lemon juice, this Mediterranean tuna salad is anything but boring! An easy make-ahead dinner or lunch that is full of flavor and gluten free and dairy free, too.
It’s technically fall…. but it doesn’t quite feel like it outside. (At least not around here – we’re still getting days in the 90s!)
The back to school activities have started, so we need quick and easy weeknight dinners. My children may only be 4 and not quite 1.5, but we still have weeknight activities after preschool and daycare, which mean we often aren’t getting home and starting dinner until after 7.
Given the warm weather, though, we just can’t get into the slow cooker/crockpot meals, we’re seemingly months away from soups and stews, and the Instant Pot still takes too long to come up to pressure.
What are we supposed to do for warm weather, make ahead, back to school, early fall meal prep? This Mediterranean tuna salad is the answer to all our weeknight woes. And the best part? My kids love it.
It checks off all the requirements for me, too:
- no cook
- make ahead
- easy
- works for leftovers
- serve with veggies
Ready to see just how easy this is? Let’s go!

How to Make Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Kitchen Chemistry
What makes mayo shelf stable? Commercially made mayonnaise is generally made from pasteurized egg yolks, oil, lemon juice, and vinegar. The low pH levels prohibit bacterial growth, meaning mayo can sit on the shelf for extended periods of time.

Substitutions for Mayonnaise in Tuna Salad
How to Serve Mediterranean Tuna Salad

How to Store Mediterranean Tuna Salad

Tips and Tricks for Mediterranean Tuna Salad
- Use “chunk light” tuna packed in water — chunk light tuna has lower mercury content than white albacore and tuna packed in water has one-third the fat as tuna packed in oil.
- Save a little bit of the marinade from the artichokes to toss with the tuna salad if it’s a little too dry (or use instead of mayo a mayo-free option!).
- Make the tuna salad a day or two ahead of time for extra flavor.
- Try substituting za’atar for the dried Italian herbs for a slightly different — and delicious — flavor!
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- Classic Italian Pasta Salad
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Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Mixed with marinated artichokes, bell peppers, Greek olives, parsley, and lemon juice, this Mediterranean tuna salad is anything but boring!
Ingredients
- 3 (5-ounce) cans light chunk tuna, packed in water
- 14 ounce can marinated or grilled artichoke hearts, drained, two tablespoons of marinade reserved
- 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
- 3/4 cup sliced Greek olives
- 1/2 red onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb seasoning
- 2 cloves garlic, diced or pressed
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Drain the tuna well and add to a large mixing bowl. Use a fork to flake the tuna.
- Quarter the artichoke hearts and add to the bowl. Add the bell pepper, olives, red onion, and parsley.
- In the center of the bowl, add the rest of the ingredients (dried Italian herb seasoning, garlic, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and salt and pepper). Use a fork to stir until well combined. If tuna salad is too dry, add reserved marinade from artichokes.
Notes
Plain regular or Greek yogurt can be substituted for the mayonnaise. To keep the tuna salad dairy free, use 1/4 cup of the oil from the marinated artichoke hearts to start, mix, and add an additional 2 tablespoons at a time until desired consistency is achieved.
Ensure all ingredients are gluten free if necessary.
Cover and refrigerate all leftovers. Tuna salad is best made 12-24 hours ahead of time.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6Amount Per Serving: Calories: 319Total Fat: 23.8gCarbohydrates: 12.4gProtein: 16.5g
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