Skip the sad, boring lunches and make these quick dill pickle tuna salad lettuce wraps! Flavorful tuna is mixed with dill pickles and pickle juice, kewpie mayo, chopped celery, and green onions, all wrapped in crunchy butter lettuce leaves. This recipe is fresh-tasting, budget-friendly, and a great spin on a classic.
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
- Pantry Friendly Ingredients
- Comes Together In Minutes
- Gluten Free, Dairy Free, and Low FODMAP Recipe
Featured Ingredients
- Tuna - Of the five different types of tuna I tried, canned yellowfin tuna packed in extra virgin olive oil was my favorite. The healthy olive oil fat added a perk.
- 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 and 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 - Lemons and seafood go hand-in-hand.
- 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. Then, create a lettuce cup that will hold a serving of tuna salad.
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.
Put the knife down and use a food processor to chop everything up!
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.
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.
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!
Additional Sandwich Recipes
- Chicken Salad Sandwich with Craisins
- Greek Chicken Wraps
- Cottage Bacon BLT (Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato)
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
Dill Pickle Tuna Salad
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.