Easy Keto Tuna Salad Recipe
Keto Tuna Salad with Mayo, Relish & Pecans
How to Make Low Carb Tuna Salad with < 1g Net Carbs!
Here’s a simple, flavorful, and oh-so EASY keto tuna salad that you can toss together in just a few minutes! Made with creamy mayo, subtly sweet-and-tangy relish, plus crunchy celery and pecans, it’s a crave-ably convenient lunch you can enjoy in all sorts of ways. Serve this low carb tuna salad with your favorite crackers, on a lettuce wrap or sandwich, or with celery sticks as keto dippers!
Personally, I can just eat canned tuna straight out of the can, so I don’t need to jazz it up much in order to enjoy a tuna salad. For this keto tuna salad recipe, it’s as basic as tossing with mayo, adding some veggies and mix-ins, and a dash of a simple-yet-underrated flavoring…RELISH. If you haven’t tried tuna salad with relish and a splash of pickle juice, NOW is the time!
Seriously, after trying my first batch of low carb tuna salad with relish, I’m never going back. It adds the perfect subtly sweet yet satisfyingly tangy element to this creamy, savory dish! Lately I’ve been all about pickles and fermented foods, and the flavor definitely takes his keto tuna salad to the next level.
Best of all, fewer ingredients means this recipe is amazingly easy to make! Loads of flavor, less stress, and a nutritious lunch that you can prep ahead of time and enjoy all week long. Perfect for packed lunches—no microwave needed! And, you can keep things versatile by serving it up differently throughout the week.
Keto Tuna Salad Ingredients
3 cans (5oz ea.) tuna, drained
⅓ cup mayo of choice (or Greek yogurt)
2 Tbsp diced red onion
3 Tbsp diced celery
2 Tbsp relish (dill for low carb, or sweet relish)
1 Tbsp pickle juice (optional)
1 tsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp chopped pecans
salt & pepper to taste
Is Tuna Salad Keto or Not?
In general, fish can be a great option for a keto diet, especially fattier fish like salmon and tuna. When it comes to whether tuna salad is keto or not, it depends how you make it. The classic tuna salad recipe—canned tuna, mayo, veggies, and seasonings—is already pretty keto friendly!
You can maximize the fat content by using real, full-fat mayo, and I personally prefer avocado oil mayo. Keep the veggies low carb, like onion and celery, and explore higher fat additions like pecans!
For this particular low carb tuna salad recipe, the relish and pickle juice may be of concern to some, depending on your individual carb tolerance. You can use sweet relish and pickle juice if you want a more noticeable sweet flavor, or you can keep your tuna salad keto by using a dill relish instead—no sugar to worry about. You’re free to nix the splash of pickle juice as well, but I like the hint of sweetness, and the added sugar is negligible!
How to Make Low Carb Tuna Salad
Prepping this keto tuna salad is about as easy as it gets. First, mix together the wet ingredients and spices: mayo of choice (or yogurt), relish, pickle juice, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Next, add in the canned tuna, chopped onion, celery, and pecans.
Finally, mix everything together so it’s well coated, being careful not to over mix. And that’s literally it! Season to taste if needed, but otherwise it’s ready to serve immediately or store for the week ahead.
If you struggle to get fish into your diet or you’re not a huge fan of fish, this low carb tuna salad is a great place to start! Simple, tasty, and super budget friendly. Plus, you can serve it up all sorts of ways to make it more enjoyable. Try it with crackers for a nostalgic, Lunchables style meal, serve it as a sandwich, or go with a lettuce wraps or celery stick dippers for a keto friendly meal!
See how this recipe & bento box is made in my Adult Lunchables video!
Keto Tuna Salad Recipe
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add mayo or Greek yogurt, relish, pickle juice, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stirring well to combine.
- Add drained canned tuna, red onion, celery, and chopped pecans. Mix to coat but don’t over-mix! Season to taste as needed.
- Serve on its own, with crackers, celery sticks, or however you like!
- Transfer to airtight containers and store in the fridge up to 5 days.
- Yields~2½ cups tuna salad.
2 Comments on “Easy Keto Tuna Salad Recipe”
My favorite tuna salad! Not on a keto diet but it’s just darn good.
We’re so glad to hear that, Bella! We love an easy tuna salad like this, especially with some relish in it 🙂 Thanks for trying out the recipe!