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This Easy Simple Apple Tuna Salad makes for flavorful salad that is so simple to make. Crisp apples, chunky albacore tuna, crunchy celery and onions, nutty walnuts and sweet dried cranberries. All tossed in a creamy and zesty dressing to make one tasty and nutrient-dense salad.
Easy Apple Tuna Salad
This Easy Apple Tuna Salad is one of the easiest recipes you will find on this blog. That’s not to say though that it’s not one of the tastiest. The combination of flavors and textures makes this simple salad so good. You will find yourself making it over and over again. Made with crisp apples, chunky albacore tuna, crunchy celery and onions, nutty walnuts and sweet dried cranberries. All tossed in a creamy and zesty dressing to make one tasty and nutrient-dense salad. Perfect for meal-prepping ahead lunches or even a light dinner. This salad is so filling and satisfying!
Ingredients needed to make Easy Apple Tuna Salad:
- Canned Albacore Tuna– Make sure it’s canned tuna with no salt added. This way you can control exactly how much sodium is in this salad. Can always substitute for some rotisserie or shredded chicken if you don’t like tuna or are out of it.
- Apple– Any crisp apple will do but I like to use Fuji, Golden Delicious, or Honeycrisp since they are sweeter apples. The sweetness from the apple really balances out the natural saltiness from the tuna.
- Celery– A must in any tuna salad. Adds that extra crunchiness and crispiness to this salad.
- Red Onion– Even more crunch and flavor.
- Raw Walnuts– It’s nuttiness gives the salad a great balance and the flavor really compliments the apple.
- Dried Cranberries– Adds more sweetness and texture to the salad.
- Fresh Dressing- Consisting of Mayo (avocado oil based), dijon mustard, lemon juice, pink sea salt, and black pepper to make a creamy and zesty dressing that perfectly compliments the rest of the ingredients.
Equipment needed to make Easy Apple Tuna Salad:
- Can Opener- Need to get that canned tuna opened!
- Large Mixing Bowl– To easily combine and toss all if the ingredients.
- Small Mixing Bowl– To mix dressing in.
- Whisk– To whisk together the dressing.
How to make Easy Apple Tuna Salad:
- Step 1- Open and drain a can of tuna. Add drained tuna to a large mixing bowl. Thinly slice celery and thinly dice red onion. Dice apple into 1/2-1 inch cubes. Toss prepped ingredients in the bowl with tuna. Along with walnuts and dried cranberries.
- Step 2- In a small mixing bowl combine mayo, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, pink sea salt and black pepper. Whisk together until well combined and dressing is formed.
- Step 3- Drizzle dressing over salad and give it a good toss. Keep tossing salad until all ingredients are mixed together and well coated with dressing.
- Step 4- Serve over arugula, romaine or any other leafy green. It’s also great over toast or as a sandwich. Enjoy!
Tips and Substitutions:
- Make and serve this salad the same day- This salad is best when made and served immediately.
- If making ahead for lunch- Dice your apple in the morning and rub a little bit of lemon juice on it. The acids in the lemon juice will slow down the oxidation from the apple preventing it from browning right away.
- If you only have canned tuna with added salt- You can use it. Just don’t add any salt to the dressing. Toss in first and make salad. Give it a try and if you’d like at this point, add the salt in.
- Not a fan of tuna?- This recipe is also great with shredded chicken or even shredded turkey (hello Thanksgiving Turkey leftovers).
- Substitute for Mayo- If you want to make this recipe even healthier, swap the mayo with plain Greek yogurt.
- No Walnuts?- Pecans make a great substitute or hemp hearts too if you can’t have nuts.
- Need a substitute for dried cranberries?- Try using dried cherries.
How to serve Apple Tuna Salad:
This crisp tasty Apple Tuna Salad is so versatile and can be served in many ways. It’s the perfect light yet filling lunch. Can be meal prepped ahead or you can even serve it for a beach picnic. Some of my favorite ways to serve this delicious salad are:
- Over arugula or baby spinach (or any preferred green)
- On toast (sourdough bread is our favorite to toast and serve this salad over)
- In a sandwich (with a pickle on the side)
- In Romaine lettuce to make lettuce wraps
- Make a regular wrap with your favorite tortilla
The Best Tuna Salad with Apples:
This hands down is the best tuna salad with apples you will ever have. The flavor combinations are out of this world and will make your taste buds go crazy. You have all kids of textures with crisp and sweet apples, chunky savory albacore tuna, crunchy celery and onions, nutty walnuts and sweet dried cranberries. All tossed in a creamy and zesty dressing to make one tasty and nutrient-dense salad. Makes for a filing and satisfying lunch. Can even be served as a delightful appetizer with some crackers.
Easy Apple Tuna Salad FAQ’s:
What makes this Apple Tuna Salad healthy?
This Apple Tuna Salad is made with fresh and healthy ingredients. It is rich in protein, fiber and many other nutrients. Tuna is a healthy source of omega-3 fatty acids. protein and vitamin B12. All of the other ingredients in this salad including apple and walnuts are extremely healthy and contain many essential vitamins and minerals.
What can I mix with tuna to make it taste better?
Tuna is a pretty versatile protein and can be served in many different ways. It can also be mixed with different dressings or condiments to make it taste better. Usually tangy and creamy dressings or sauces compliment tuna very well and really elevate its flavor. Mixing tuna with a mayo or greek yogurt based dressing is a great way to make tuna taste better. Adding some acidic such as lemon juice or apple cider vinegar will add a zest to the tuna and also make it taste so much better.
What can I add to tuna instead of mayo?
If you are looking for a creamy consistency for your tuna, greek yogurt is a great substitute for mayo. You can also mix tuna with hummus or mashed avocado.
Can I eat tuna every day?
Tuna is very nutritious and a great source or protein and other essential nutrients. Tuna also has a high content of mercury. Because of how much mercury it has, it is not recommended for tuna to be consumed everyday.
Meal Prepping it:
This Apple Tuna Salad is best if made and served right away. However, it is possible to meal prep and make ahead if you would like to. It’s a great salad to meal prep for a quick and light lunch. To meal prep, make ahead and just hold off slicing your apple until you’re ready to have the salad. If you’re packing it for lunch, dice your apple in the morning and rub a little bit of lemon juice on it. Toss in the salad and you’re good to go!
How to store:
Keep your apple tuna salad in an airtight container so it can stay fresh longer. Keep your salad refrigerated for 2-3 days. Also, skip adding your apple slices to the salad until you are ready to serve. Apples will turn brown after they are sliced and exposed to oxygen. Oxygen exposure to the inside of the apple causes it to oxidate.
Did you like this Easy Apple Tuna Salad recipe? You may also like these other salad recipes:
- Apple Walnut Chicken Salad
- Southwest Chicken Salad
- Avocado Egg Salad
- Pear Pomegranate Salad with Candied Pecans
- Classic Macaroni Salad (Gluten-Free)
- Quinoa Chickpea Salad
- Easy Veggie Pasta Salad
Easy Apple Tuna Salad
This Easy Apple Tuna Salad makes for flavorful salad that is so simple to make. Crisp apples, chunky albacore tuna, crunchy celery and onions, nutty walnuts and sweet dried cranberries. All tossed in a creamy and zesty dressing to make one tasty and nutrient-dense salad.
Ingredients
- 5 oz can albacore tuna (no salt added)
- 1 apple
- 1 celery rib
- 1/2 small red onion
- 2 tbsp crushed raw walnuts
- 1 tbsp dried cranberries
- 2 tbsp mayo (avocado oil based)
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp pink sea salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
-
Open and drain a can of tuna. Add drained tuna to a large mixing bowl. Thinly slice celery and thinly dice red onion. Dice apple into 1/2-1 inch cubes. Toss prepped ingredients in the bowl with tuna. Along with walnuts and dried cranberries.
-
In a small mixing bowl combine mayo, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, pink sea salt and black pepper. Whisk together until well combined and dressing is formed.
-
Drizzle dressing over salad and give it a good toss. Keep tossing salad until all ingredients are mixed together and well coated with dressing.
-
Serve over arugula, romaine or any other leafy green. It's also great over toast or as a sandwich. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Tips and Substitutions:
- Make and serve this salad the same day- This salad is best when made and served immediately.
- If making ahead for lunch- Dice your apple in the morning and rub a little bit of lemon juice on it. The acids in the lemon juice will slow down the oxidation from the apple preventing it from browning right away.
- If you only have canned tuna with added salt- You can use it. Just don’t add any salt to the dressing. Toss in first and make salad. Give it a try and if you’d like at this point, add the salt in.
- Not a fan of tuna?- This recipe is also great with shredded chicken or even shredded turkey (hello Thanksgiving Turkey leftovers).
- Substitute for Mayo- If you want to make this recipe even healthier, swap the mayo with plain Greek yogurt.
- No Walnuts?- Pecans make a great substitute or hemp hearts too if you can’t have nuts.
- Need a substitute for dried cranberries?- Try using dried cherries.
*Number of total servings in estimated. Actual number of servings may vary depending on your own personal preference in portion sizes.
**Nutritional values shown are general guidelines for 1 serving using the ingredients listed above. These numbers do not reflect and may vary depending on substitutions, additions and/or different brands and/or other ingredients that may be used.
**Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links and sponsored content. All the opinions are my own and I only recommend products I use in my own home with my own family.
***Post originally published on October 18, 2021.
