This Mediterranean Lemon Tuna Salad With Olives and Dill is my new favorite way to turn a few simple ingredients into the most ridiculously flavorful easy lunch. It's bright, briny and creamy with lemony tuna, buttery white beans, Castelvetrano olives, fresh dill, banana peppers and a little hot honey mustard.
Why You'll Love It
As a former professional chef and someone who is constantly trying to come up with easy meals for busy days, I am officially obsessed with this tuna salad recipe.
And listen, I have nothing against a classic tuna salad. Mayo, celery, maybe some red onion and black pepper? Always delicious. But sometimes I want a tuna salad that feels a little more exciting, and this Mediterranean-inspired version absolutely delivers.
The main ingredients are high quality tuna (ILY Fishwife!), creamy white beans, Castelvetrano olives and fresh herbs. Then we add dill pickle mayo, hot honey mustard, banana peppers, lemon zest and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The result is creamy, salty, tangy, fresh and a little sweet.
I'm using Fishwife Albacore Tuna with Spanish Lemon because the tuna is already packed in Spanish olive oil with lemon and salt. It gives us a head start on all that Mediterranean flavor without needing a million ingredients. The white beans are also one of my favorite additions. They add creamy texture and a little protein boost while making the salad feel substantial enough for lunch.
It's basically what would happen if a good tuna salad went on a Mediterranean vacation and came home hotter. And unlike store-bought tuna salad, you control every single flavor. Want more dill? Do it. More lemon? Absolutely. Extra banana peppers? You're my kind of person.
It's also a great way to meal prep lunch without actually feeling like you're meal prepping.
Ingredients & Substitutions
The beauty of this lemony tuna salad is that the healthy ingredients list is short, but every single thing brings something important to the bowl. Here's what you'll need and what you can substitute if necessary.
- Spanish Lemon Tuna: I'm using two 3.2-ounce tins of Fishwife Albacore Tuna with Spanish Lemon. It's a high quality albacore tuna packed with Spanish olive oil, lemon and salt, so all that delicious oil goes straight into the salad, too. If you can't find it, use another kind of tuna packed in extra virgin olive oil, solid white albacore tuna or your favorite oil-packed tuna. Add a little more lemon zest if needed.
- Castelvetrano Olives: These buttery green olives add the perfect salty, briny bite. You could substitute Kalamata olives, green olives or even briny capers.
- White Beans: Cannellini beans are my favorite because they're creamy without falling apart completely. Great Northern beans or chickpeas are also a great option.
- Dill Pickle Mayo: I'm using Ayoh! Mayo's dill pickle mayo because I'm completely obsessed. This makes the whole thing creamy, tangy and extra delicious. Regular mayo works, or use Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier variation.
- Hot Honey Mustard: This adds sweetness, acidity and a tiny bit of heat. Dijon mustard with a drizzle of hot honey is the easiest substitute.
- Banana Peppers: These bring acidity and another layer of briny goodness. Pepperoncini work perfectly, or use finely diced bell pepper if you don't want the tang.
- Fresh Dill: Fresh herbs make a huge difference here. If dill isn't your thing, fresh parsley or green onions are both delicious.
- Lemon: We're using both lemon zest and fresh lemon juice because I want lemon flavor everywhere. If you really love citrus, add a little bit of lemon pepper seasoning, too.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Season to your personal preference. Taste before adding much salt since the tuna, olives and banana peppers are already salty.
- For Serving: I love cucumber, tomato, pink pickled red onion and grilled ciabatta bread. For a gluten-free option, serve it on a bed of lettuce, inside a lettuce wrap or scoop it up with cucumber slices.
How to Make Mediterranean Lemon Tuna Salad
This quick tuna salad comes together in one mixing bowl and takes about 10 minutes from start to finish.
- ADD THE TUNA: Add the Spanish lemon tuna to a large mixing bowl, including the flavorful olive oil from the tins.
- ADD THE BEANS: Drain and rinse the white beans, then add them to the tuna.
- ADD THE BRINY THINGS: Add the crushed Castelvetrano olives and banana peppers.
- MAKE IT CREAMY: Add the dill pickle mayo and hot honey mustard. If you're substituting Dijon mustard, start with a small amount and adjust to taste.
- ADD THE FRESH STUFF: Add plenty of fresh dill, lemon zest and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- MASH IT TOGETHER: Use a fork to gently crush everything together. I like leaving some of the beans and tuna chunky so there's plenty of texture.
- SEASON: Add freshly cracked black pepper and taste before adding salt. If it needs more brightness, squeeze in more lemon.
- SERVE: Spoon the lemon pepper tuna salad onto a platter with cucumber, tomatoes and pink pickled onions. Serve with grilled ciabatta bread for scooping.
- SAVE: Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate. For the best flavor and texture, I recommend enjoying it within 2-3 days.
What to Pair It With
My favorite way to serve this Mediterranean lemon tuna salad is snack-plate style with grilled ciabatta, sliced cucumbers, juicy tomatoes and pickled red onions. But if you want to turn it into more of a spread, I've got plenty of recipes that fit the vibe.
For a full Mediterranean moment, serve it alongside my Easy Greek Appetizer Platter. It's loaded with colorful, briny, creamy things, so obviously these two belong together.
You could also add my CAVA Crazy Feta Dip with warm pita or crunchy veggies. It takes 15 minutes and the spicy feta situation is the perfect compliment to the bright lemon and dill in the tuna.
If you want something a little more substantial, try my Mediterranean Chicken Meatballs or this Mediterranean Rice Bowl. They're packed with feta, sun-dried tomatoes and herbs and would make this whole spread feel like a legit dinner.
And for summertime, my Peach, Cucumber & Melon Salad with Feta and Mint would be SO good here. It's cold, crunchy, sweet and tangy, which is exactly what this lemony tuna salad wants next to it.
And for related recipes, try my dill pickle chicken salad or my tuna melt grilled cheese. And for more tasty tuna recipes, check out my Thai Inspired (Canned) Tuna Lettuce Wraps, Easy Spicy Tuna Recipe or this Spicy Tuna Sushi Burger with Avocado, Cilantro & Sriracha.
Recipe
Mediterranean Lemon Tuna Salad With Olives and Dill
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Lemony Tuna Salad
- 2 3.2 oz tins Fishwife Albacore Tuna with Spanish Lemon halfway drained
- ½ cup Castelvetrano olives crushed
- 1 15 oz can Cannellini beans drained and rinsed
- ¼ cup dill pickle mayo
- 1 teaspoon hot honey mustard
- 1 tablespoon banana peppers chopped
- ½ medium lemon zested and juiced
- 1 teaspoon Fresh dill to taste
- Flaky Salt to taste
- Freshly cracked black pepper to taste
For Serving
- 2 small Sliced cucumber
- 4 small Sliced tomatoes
- ½ cup Pink pickled onions
- 1 loaf Grilled ciabatta bread
Instructions
- Add the tuna and most of the olive oil from the tins to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the drained white beans, crushed Castelvetrano olives, dill pickle mayo, hot honey mustard and banana peppers.
- Add the lemon zest, lemon juice and plenty of fresh dill.
- Use a fork to gently mash and mix everything together, leaving some larger pieces of tuna and white beans for texture.
- Taste and season with freshly cracked black pepper and kosher salt as needed.
- Serve with sliced cucumber, tomatoes, pink pickled onions and grilled ciabatta bread.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
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