This healthy tuna salad without mayo is one of my go-to lunches. It’s made with Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise, so it’s creamy, protein-packed, and a little lighter. Tossed with crunchy veggies and a squeeze of lemon, it’s fresh, flavorful, and comes together in under 10 minutes. Perfect on toast, in a wrap, open-faced tuna melt, or with crackers for an easy, satisfying meal.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- ✅ Recipe Name: Tuna Salad Without Mayo (Healthy!)
- 🕒 Ready In: 10 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 4
- 🍽 Calories: ~83 per serving (without bread or crackers)
- 📋 Protein: ~20g per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Canned tuna, Greek yogurt, celery, red onion, lemon juice
- 📖 Dietary Info: High-protein, gluten-free, low-carb, healthy
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: Creamy, tangy, and made without mayo! This tuna salad is fresh, satisfying, and perfect for quick lunches, lettuce wraps, or meal prep.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
I’ve tested a lot of tuna salads over the years, and this is the one I keep coming back to. It’s creamy without being heavy, thanks to Greek yogurt, and has the perfect crunch from fresh veggies. Whether I’m heading out the door or need something quick after a workout, this high-protein tuna salad always hits the spot.
If you're into no-mayo recipes like this, you'll love my no-mayo chicken salad—another light and satisfying lunch option. And when I want something a little different but just as easy, I go for my tuna pesto pasta and air fryer tuna melts—both recipes are quick, flavorful, and a great way to mix things up.
Jump to:
- A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Ingredients
- Need to substitute an ingredient?
- Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Tuna Salad without Mayo (Step-by-Step)
- 1 Minute Video Tutorial
- Top Recipe Tips
- Is Tuna Salad Healthy Without Mayo?
- What to Serve with Tuna Salad
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storage & Meal Prepping Tips
- More Mayo-Free Recipes You'll Love
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I love that this recipe has Greek yogurt and not mayo! The tuna salad tasted great, and you can't tell it's healthier than the classic recipe. Thanks!
- Saskia
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Light but filling: This no-mayo tuna salad is fresh, satisfying, and won’t leave you feeling weighed down.
- Protein-packed: Between the tuna and Greek yogurt, you’re getting over 20g of lean protein per serving.
- Simple & flexible: Made with pantry staples and easy to customize with what you have on hand.
- Quick to make: It comes together in 10 minutes—perfect for meal prep or last-minute lunches.
- No mayo: Greek yogurt keeps it creamy without added fat and random ingredients.
Ingredients
- Canned tuna: I always reach for white albacore in water—it's firm, mild, and doesn’t get mushy. If you're using chunk light, just drain it really well so the salad doesn’t get watery.
- Plain Greek yogurt: My favorite mayo swap. I usually stick with 2% for the best balance of creaminess and tang. Go for 5% if you want it extra rich, or 0% to keep things lighter.
- Red onion: Brings that perfect sharp crunch. If raw onion isn’t your thing, a quick soak in ice water for 5–10 minutes will mellow it out.
- Celery & carrots: The classic crunch combo. I like using baby carrots—they’re always in my fridge and easy to grate or finely chop.
- Fresh parsley: Adds a bright, herby flavor that makes the whole salad taste fresh. Dried parsley won’t cut it here.
- Dijon mustard: My not-so-secret ingredient for getting that classic tuna salad flavor without mayo. It adds a subtle tang and ties everything together.
- Fresh lemon juice: This makes a big difference. It cuts through the richness and brightens up every bite. Fresh is key.
- Salt & pepper: Just enough to season everything and bring the flavors forward.
Scroll down to the recipe card for exact quantities.
Need to substitute an ingredient?
Ask AI for suggestions on how to substitute the particular ingredient.
Substitutions & Variations
- Make it gluten-free: This tuna salad is naturally gluten-free!
- Make it dairy-free: Use a dairy-free yogurt or plant-based mayo instead of Greek yogurt. I like Kite Hill’s Greek-style yogurt for its thick texture and mild flavor.
- Add mix-ins: This tuna salad is super versatile. Try mixing in chopped pickles, capers, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, air fryer hard-boiled eggs, or even diced apples for extra crunch and flavor.
- Make it spicy: Add a dash of hot sauce or use spicy mustard for a little kick.
- Make into a pasta salad: Stir in cooked pasta shells to turn this into a protein-packed pasta salad, or try my tuna pesto pasta recipe!
- Herbs swap: Don’t have parsley? Try fresh dill, basil, or cilantro instead.
- Lemon juice swap: Lime juice works in a pinch, or use a splash of white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar for brightness.
- Make it a wrap or sandwich: Serve it in lettuce wraps, a pita pocket, an open-face tuna melt, or on toasted sourdough for a quick lunch.
How to Make Tuna Salad without Mayo (Step-by-Step)
- Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, combine the tuna, Greek yogurt, celery, red onion, carrots, parsley, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
- Step 2: Gently mix until well combined. Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, then taste and adjust with more if needed.
1 Minute Video Tutorial
Top Recipe Tips
- Use high-quality tuna: White albacore in water gives the best texture and flavor. Drain it really well so the salad doesn’t get soggy.
- Chop your veggies finely: Smaller pieces mean more even bites and better texture throughout.
- Start light on the lemon juice: Add 1 tablespoon, then taste and adjust—it can overpower if you add too much up front.
- Don’t skip the Dijon: It’s subtle, but brings that classic “tuna salad” flavor without mayo.
Is Tuna Salad Healthy Without Mayo?
- No mayo: Swapping mayo for Greek yogurt keeps it light, boosts protein, and cuts down on saturated fat.
- Packed with veggies: Celery, carrots, and red onion add crunch, fiber, and extra nutrients.
- High in protein: Each serving delivers 20+ grams of lean protein from tuna and Greek yogurt.
- Low in calories: Just 83 calories per cup—perfect for a light, satisfying, and feel-good meal.
What to Serve with Tuna Salad
- In a sandwich: Load it onto toasted sourdough or a soft brioche bun, or turn it into an easy air fryer tuna melt for a cozy lunch.
- Lettuce wraps: Spoon it into romaine or butter lettuce leaves for a light, low-carb option.
- With crackers or pita chips: Great for a snack board or quick meal—pair it with crispy air fryer pita chips or even air fryer hard-boiled eggs for extra protein.
- Stuffed avocados: Slice an avocado in half and fill the center with tuna salad for a fresh, satisfying bite.
- Over salad or grains: Serve it on top of greens or mix it into a grain bowl for a wholesome, make-ahead lunch. Try it with this quinoa sweet potato bowl or this avocado & grilled corn salad for a summery twist.
Frequently Asked Questions
I recommend using white albacore tuna packed in water. It has a firm texture and mild flavor that holds up well when mixed with Greek yogurt and crunchy veggies. Just be sure to drain it well so the salad doesn’t get watery.
If you want to skip both mayo and yogurt, try mixing your tuna with a little olive oil, mashed avocado, or even hummus (try this easy blender hummus). Each adds creaminess in a different way—olive oil keeps it light, avocado makes it rich and buttery, and hummus adds extra flavor and fiber. You can also try just a squeeze of lemon juice with Dijon mustard for a lighter, vinaigrette-style tuna salad.
Plain Greek yogurt is my go-to healthy swap—it’s creamy, tangy, high in protein, and much lower in fat than traditional mayo. For a dairy-free option, try an unsweetened plant-based yogurt or a clean ingredient vegan mayo.
I don’t recommend it. Freezing changes the texture of both the yogurt and the veggies, making the salad watery and less enjoyable. It’s best kept in the fridge and eaten within 3–5 days.
Storage & Meal Prepping Tips
Store any leftover tuna salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It’s best served cold, so no need to reheat—just scoop and enjoy! This recipe is great for meal prep lunches, quick snacks, or adding to wraps and bowls throughout the week.
More Mayo-Free Recipes You'll Love
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📖 Recipe
Tuna Salad Without Mayo
Ingredients
- 2 (5-ounce) cans tuna stored in water, drained
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt, 0%, 2% or 5%
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 - 3 tablespoon red onion, minced
- 3 - 4 baby carrots, thinly sliced
- 1 - 2 tablespoon parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt, more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, more to taste
- 1 - 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Drain the liquid from the tuna cans.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the tuna, yogurt, celery, red onion, carrots, parsley, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
- Gently stir together until well combined.
- Mix in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Then, taste and add more if desired.
- Enjoy the tuna salad in a lettuce wrap, on its own, on an open-face piece of toast, or in a sandwich. I love this open-face tuna melt.
Saskia says
I love that this recipe has Greek yogurt and not mayo! The tuna salad tasted great and you can't tell it's healthier than the classic recipe. Thanks!
Dan says
Hello,
thank you for all the recipes, but regarding the nutrition is it calculated for each 100g?
or per x1?
Tati Chermayeff says
The recipe makes 4 servings, its about 1 cup per serving.
Dan says
ok, but if I eat all 4 servings, it means I consumed only 83 Calories?
Tati Chermayeff says
332 calories for the whole recipe