Skip the sad, boring lunches and make these quick Tuna Lettuce Wraps! This isn’t the tuna salad of your childhood. Flavorful tuna is mixed with kewpie mayo, chopped celery, dill pickles, and green onions, all wrapped in crunchy butter lettuce. It is fresh-tasting, budget-friendly, and a great spin on a classic.
Meal-prepping healthy lunch ideas is a delicious way to keep protein-packed options ready and waiting. Canned tuna is an inexpensive protein that is shelf-stable. However, it is worth noting that it is important to pay attention to what type of tuna you use; there are many options. I have found the yellowfin tuna packed in extra virgin olive oil my favorite option for this tuna salad recipe. The tuna packed in water didn’t have a great texture.
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Featured Ingredients
- Tuna - Canned yellowfin tuna packed in extra virgin olive oil was my favorite I tested. The tuna packed in water didn’t have a great texture. Plus, adding a healthy fat was a perk.
- Kewpie Mayo - 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 Onion - Add an onion flavor without overpowering.
- Dill Pickles and Pickle Juice - Chopped dill pickles and juice add a great dill flavor.
- Dijon Mustard - Adds a spicy kick but nothing overpowering.
- Spices - Dried Dill, Kosher Salt, Ground Black Pepper
- Fresh Lemons Juice - Lemons and seafood go hand and 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. Selected ingredients are based on current serving sizes measured by the Monash FODMAP App at the time of publishing. As always, follow your gut and modify as needed.
Step-By-Step Instructions
With a knife and cutting board, chop the celery and pickles. Add to a medium mixing bowl.
Next, drain the tuna and add it to the bowl along with the kewpie mayo, green onions, dijon mustard, dill, salt, ground black pepper, and lemon juice. Stir until combined.
Layer lettuce leaves to create a lettuce cup, and place a dollop of tuna mixture in the middle. Top with fresh parsley or fresh dill for a little extra flavor, but it is optional.
Ingredient Swaps
- Tuna Options - Use albacore tuna or white tuna packed in pouches.
- Mayo Options - Swap out kewpie mayo and use Hellmens.
- Mustard Options - Use whole grain mustard or stone ground mustard in place of the Dijon mustard.
- Citus Options - Swap out lemon juice for lime juice.
- Lettuce Options - You can 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.
Tuna Salad 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 Toppings: I grew up adding ruffled plain potato chips to tuna salad sandwiches. They added the perfect salty crunch to my sandwich. I suggest adding the old-school ruffled potato chips or trying shoestring potato crisps as a more grown-up option! They're totally optional but so much fun.
Shortcuts
Pickle Relish: Use dill pickle relish instead of chopping up the pickles as a quick shortcut.
Food Processor: Use a small food processor to chop the celery and pickles quickly.
Storing
Store: Store the tuna salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. Give it a good stir before using. I do not recommend freezing any leftovers.
Meal Planning
I like to serve lettuce wraps with crackers, baby carrots, and grapes for a quick, no cook light dinner option. Need another sandwich option? We love chicken salad, egg salad - all the salad sandwich options. If you need a non-salad sandwich option, try the New York club sandwich, Cuban sandwich, or pot roast sandwich. It is safe to say we love sandwiches.
Meal Prep
For an easy lunch option, portion out four servings of tuna salad. Place in a meal prep container separated from washed lettuce leaves. Add grapes, crackers, and sliced bell peppers for various textures. Store the containers in the refrigerator and enjoy them as needed within four days.
Additional Seafood Recipes
Recipe
Tuna Lettuce Wraps
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 2 5 ounces cans tuna packed in oil
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise kewpie
- ⅓ cup celery finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons green onions sliced
- 3 tablespoons dill pickles chopped
- 1 teaspoon dill pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon white granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Butter Lettuce For Wraps
Instructions
- Chop the celery and pickles and place in a medium size mixing bowl.
- Next, drain the oil from the tuna. With a fork, separate any larger pieces of tuna and add them to the bowl.
- Next, add the mayo, green onions, pickle juice, dijon mustard, dried dill, sugar, kosher salt, ground black pepper and lemon juice.
- Wash and gently pat dry lettuce leaves. Then Layer three to four pieces of lettuce over each other. Add a dollop of tuna salad in the middle.
- Serve with grapes, baby carrots, and crackers.
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