Skip the sad, boring lunches and make these tuna lettuce wraps. They are a quick lunch option packed with creamy dill pickle tuna salad, crunchy lettuce, and tons of flavor. Make them in minutes using simple pantry ingredients for easy lunches, meal prep, or even quick dinners on busy nights. The best part, they are gluten free and easy to keep low FODMAP too.
Meal-prepping healthy lunch ideas is a delicious way to enjoy a protein-packed meal. Canned tuna is an inexpensive protein source that is shelf-stable.
It's important to pay attention to the type of canned tuna, as there are many options available. I have found that yellowfin tuna packed in extra virgin olive oil is my favorite choice for this tuna salad recipe. In my experience, the tuna packed in water didn't have a great texture.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Quick Lunch Option - These tuna lettuce wraps come together in about 10 minutes.
- Crunchy and Fresh - The butter lettuce adds a crisp texture that balances the creamy tuna salad.
- Big Dill Pickle Flavor - Perfect for pickle lovers who want something different from traditional tuna salad.
- Gluten Free and Low FODMAP - Easy to customize for special diets.
- Meal Prep Friendly - Prep the tuna salad ahead and assemble fresh wraps throughout the week.
What You'll Need
- Tuna - Of the five different types of tuna I tried, canned yellowfin tuna packed in extra virgin olive oil was my favorite. The tuna packed in olive oil tasted richer and less dry.
- Kewpie Mayonnaise - This is a Japanese mayo made from egg yolks. It adds richness to the tuna wraps and has tons of flavor. I found it at my grocery store, or Amazon has it.
- Celery - Must have for that crunch!
- Green Onions - Adds onion flavor without overpowering.
- Dill Pickles + Pickle Juice - Chopped dill pickles and pickle juice add a great dill flavor and crunch.
- Dijon Mustard - Adds a spicy kick but nothing too overpowering.
- Spices: Dried Dill, Kosher Salt, Ground Black Pepper
- Fresh Lemon Juice - Brightens up the tuna salad and keeps it tasting fresh.
- Lettuce - I use butter lettuce, also called Boston lettuce, for perfect lettuce cups.
See the recipe card for the exact measurements and complete instructions.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Chop the celery and pickles with a knife and cutting board. Add them to a medium mixing bowl.
Step 2: Next, drain the tuna and add it to the mixing bowl along with the kewpie mayo, green onions, pickle juice, dijon mustard, dried dill, salt, ground black pepper, and lemon juice. Stir until combined.
Step 3: Wash and layer the butter lettuce leaves. Layer 2-3 butter lettuce leaves together to create sturdy lettuce cups.
Step 4: In the middle, add a dollop of the tuna salad mixture. Top with extra chopped dill pickles and fresh dill.
Tips and Tricks
Shortcut: Use dill pickle relish instead of chopping up the pickles.
No soggy lettuce here! Pat the lettuce dry really well after washing so the wraps stay crisp instead of watery.
Dry tuna salad, just say no! If your tuna salad seems dry, add an extra spoonful of mayo or a splash of pickle juice.
Chill it. This tuna salad tastes even better after chilling for 30 minutes because the pickle flavor has time to meld with the other ingredients.
Meal prepping lunches? Make a double batch. It disappears fast.
Best Lettuce for Tuna Lettuce Wraps
Butter lettuce was my favorite for this recipe because the leaves create sturdy wraps with the perfect ratio of tuna salad to lettuce.
Other good options I tried include:
- Romaine hearts for extra crunch
- Iceberg lettuce for sturdy wraps
- Green leaf lettuce for larger portions
Ingredient Swaps
- Tuna Options - Use albacore tuna or white tuna packed in pouches.
- Mayonnaise Options - Swap out kewpie mayo and use Hellmens mayonnaise.
- Mustard Options - Use whole grain mustard or stone ground mustard in place of the Dijon mustard.
- Citrus Options - Swap out lemon juice for lime juice.
- Lettuce Options - Use romaine leaves, bibb lettuce, or iceberg lettuce. Any of them will work. Each lettuce option has a different level of crispiness and flavor. Choose your favorite or whatever you have in your house.
Variations
High Protein Tuna Salad: Use half mayo and half Greek yogurt. Add a chopped hard-boiled egg, too.
Avocado Tuna Salad Lettuce Wrap: Add half of an avocado, either mashed or diced, to add a healthy fat and another creamy ingredient.
Tuna Salad Sandwich Toppings: Try adding the old-school ruffled potato chips or shoestring potato crisps as a more grown-up option! They're totally optional but so much fun.
Storing
Store: Store the tuna salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Give it a good stir before using.
Freeze: I do not recommend freezing any leftovers. For best results, make another batch.
Easy Lunch Meal Prep Idea
Meal prep lunch is a great way to stay on budget and stay out of the fast food drive thru lane. These tuna lettuce wraps work great for meal prep.
Store the tuna salad separately from the pieces of lettuce until ready to eat. This will keep the lettuce crisp and reduce sogginess.
Add additional protein with hard boiled eggs - another great inexpensive protein source. For something crunchy add some baby carrots and cottage cheese ranch dip too!
FAQs
It is a Japanese mayo that uses only egg yolks, creating a richer, more yellow mayonnaise.
Canned tuna in oil, water, or brine is safe 1 can, or 100 grams, according to Monash University Food App. Be aware of any tuna that is packaged with high FODMAP ingredients, such as garlic or onion.
Yes, but store the tuna salad separately from the lettuce until ready to serve so the wraps stay crisp.
Yes, these tuna lettuce wraps are naturally gluten free. Always double-check labels on mayo and canned tuna ingredients.
Store tuna salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Always do a sniff test. If something smells off, toss it. Trust your nose.
How To Serve Tuna Salad
On Lettuce Cups: A crispy, crunchy way to enjoy tuna salad.
On Bread or Gluten Free Bread: The traditional way to enjoy a classic tuna salad sandwich.
On a Bed of Fresh Lettuce: Use a spring salad mix or spinach, and add a scoop of tuna salad in the middle. Top with fresh grape tomatoes, shredded carrots, and diced hard-boiled eggs.
With Crackers: Grab a box of crackers and dip them into the tuna salad. Decide which crackers are the best on a charcuterie board.
With Chips: My school lunch tuna salad "hack" was adding potato chips to my sandwich. I loved the extra crunch! Try dill pickle-flavored chips or ruffled chips for the ultimate chips-on-tuna sandwich experience.
As a Pickle Sandwich: This is my favorite - Grab an extra large dill pickle. Cut it in half. Scoop out the insides with a cookie scoop and fill with tuna salad. Use toothpicks to keep it stable, and enjoy!
If you love lettuce wraps, check out chopped Italian sandwiches or no onion egg salad for even more lunch recipe ideas!
More Loveable Sandwich Recipes
- Chicken Salad Sandwich with Craisins
- Greek Chicken Wraps
- Cottage Bacon BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato)
- Chipotle Chicken Sandwich
Still looking for lunch recipes? Discover something new or find an old favorite!
Love This Recipe?
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating + comment. It helps so much, and we love hearing from everyone! Thank You -Venessa
Recipe
Tuna Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 5 ounces cans tuna packed in olive oil (Note 1)
- ⅓ cup kewpie mayonnaise (Note 2)
- ⅓ cup celery finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons green onions chopped (Note 3)
- 3 tablespoons dill pickles chopped (Note 4)
- 1 teaspoon dill pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- To Serve: Butter Lettuce, Romaine Lettuce, Iceberg Lettuce or Bread
Instructions
- Chop the celery and pickles and place in a medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Next, drain the oil from the tuna. With a fork, separate any larger pieces of tuna and add them to the mixing bowl.
- Next, add the mayonnaise, chopped green onions, pickle juice, dijon mustard, dried dill, kosher salt, ground black pepper and lemon juice.
- If serving as a lettuce wrap: Wash and dry lettuce leaves. Layer three to four pieces of lettuce over each other. Add a dollop of tuna salad in the middle.
- If serving on bread: Toast or don't, and evenly spread the tuna salad out over the bread.
- If serving with crackers: Place tuna salad in a small serving bowl and add your favorite crackers.
Venessa Mandelkow says
This tuna salad recipe has saved us more than once when we needed a quick lunch or snack. I keep canned tuna in my pantry for this very reason.