Dill tuna salad is easy to prepare, made with no mayo and so incredibly delicious. Tuna salad with fresh dill is a high protein lunch or dinner that is ready in just 5 minutes and a great way to change up your typical tuna salad sandwich. This tuna salad has a creamy tahini dressing with crunchy celery and red onion.
Why you will love this recipe
- Easy to make – this healthy tuna salad has just a few simple ingredients and comes together so quickly. Ready in just 5 minutes with minimal chopping. You can make this in advance too, which is great for meal prep.
- Simple but delicious ingredients – this dill tuna salad has just 8 ingredients, most of which are pantry and fridge staples. Don’t let those simple ingredients trick you, this tuna salad with fresh dill is so flavorful and delicious.
- Budget friendly – tuna salad is such a budget friendly meal and perfect for weekday lunches. You can easily make a double or triple batch to feed the whole family.
Ingredients
- Tahini – tahini is a paste made from ground sesame seeds (like almond butter or peanut butter) and it’s the perfect creamy base for dairy free dressings. If you don’t have tahini on hand, you can use mayo instead of tahini.
- Apple cider vinegar – apple cider vinegar helps to make the perfect simple dressing when paired with the tahini. You could also use lemon juice.
- Water – water is used to thin out the dressing a bit. You don’t need a lot of water but a little is needed.
- Spices: Salt and garlic powder – these help to give this tuna salad flavor without overwhelming the fresh dill.
- Celery – celery adds crunch and a little fresh flavor to the tuna salad. If you don’t have celery, you can omit it or add radish or something else that will give you a crunchy texture.
- Red onion (optional) – I personally love the flavor red onion gives to tuna salad. If you don’t love the flavor, you can add something a little less harsh like fresh chives or green onion or simply omit the onion altogether.
- Fresh dill – fresh dill is the star of this recipe. I didn’t think it would change this simple tuna salad as much as it did but the fresh dill really made this into one of the best tuna salad sandwiches I’ve ever had. You are going to love the flavor of this dill tuna salad.
- Canned tuna – you can use canned tuna packed in water or olive oil for this recipe. Use whatever tuna you have on hand.
How to make dill tuna salad
Combine the tahini, apple cider vinegar, water, salt and garlic powder in a bowl. This will thicken slightly as it sits.
Finely chop the celery, red onion and fresh dill.
Drain off the water from the tuna or remove the tuna from the can draining off as much olive oil as possible.
Add tuna, chopped celery, red onion, fresh dill and the tahini dressing in a bowl. Stir to combine and serve immediately.
Top tips
- For the best taste use fresh dill. If you don’t have fresh dill on hand, use dried dill (1-2 teaspoons)
- Finely chop the celery and red onion for the best texture.
- Be sure to drain off the liquid from the canned tuna for the right texture
Other additions
- Fresh apple or grapes
- Dried cranberries
- Fresh chives
- Chopped pecans, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds
- Pickles
- Radish
- Capers or olives
- Ways to serve creamy dill tuna salad
- On bread, rolls, pita or tortillas
- With crackers
- Use leaf lettuce or romaine lettuce leaves
- With cucumber slices, bell pepper slices or radish slices
Common questions
What is the best tuna for tuna salad
I prefer Skipjack tuna (either packed in water or olive oil) for making tuna salad. Skipjack tuna has 3-4 times less mercury than albacore tuna and is just as good. I usually prefer tuan packed in olive oil for the best texture and flavor, but that is a personal choice.
It’s important that you choose a tuna that is pole caught, line caught or troll caught tuna as this type of fishing is much more sustainable and helps to protect the fish in the ocean. Most cans will advertise this on the label.
I really love the skipjack tuna from Trader Joe’s as it’s budget friendly and easy to find. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s around, try Mind Fish Co, SafeCatch, Wild Planet or Thrive Market brands for sustainable well sourced tuna.
Is tuna salad with fresh dill good for meal prep?
Yes, you can make this tuna salad up to 3 days in advance since there are no ingredients that will get mushy. It’s probably best to not have tuna every day (usually it’s recommended to only have it about 2 times a week due to the heavy metals that are often found in tuna), but you could also make this with canned salmon or canned chicken to change things up.
Can you make this with dried dill?
If you don’t have fresh dill on hand, you can use dried dill if needed. You will need 1-2 teaspoons of dried dill in place of the fresh dill.
Storing leftovers
Fridge: Store this dill tuna salad in the fridge for up to 3 days in a well sealed container.
Substitutions
- Tahini – tahini is a great dairy free base for creamy tuna salad without mayo. However I f you don’t have tahini or don’t love tahini, you can use mayo or sunbutter (unsweetened).
- Apple cider vinegar – if you don’t have apple cider vinegar on hand, you can use lemon juice.
- Celery – if you don’t have celery on hand, you can use fresh apples or radish for crunch.
- Red onion – you can use green onion or chives in place of red onion or simply omit the onion completely from the recipe.
- Fresh dill – fresh dill is the star of this recipe so I really recommend that you use it if you have it on hand. If you don’t have fresh dill, use 1-2 teaspoons of dried dill.
- Canned tuna – if you don’t have tuna, you can use canned salmon or canned chicken in place of the tuna.
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In a bowl, combine the tahini, apple cider vinegar, water, salt and garlic powder, Stir well.
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Finely chop the celery, red onion and fresh dill. Add these to the bowl with the tahini dressing.
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Drain the tuna and add it to the bowl with the chopped veggies and tahini sauce. Stir well and serve.
Top tips
- For the best taste use fresh dill. If you don’t have fresh dill on hand, use dried dill (1-2 teaspoons)
- Finely chop the celery and red onion for the best texture.
- Be sure to drain off the liquid from the canned tuna for the right texture
Other additions
- Fresh apple or grapes
- Dried cranberries
- Fresh chives
- Chopped pecans, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds
- Pickles
- Radish
- Capers or olives
- Ways to serve creamy dill tuna salad
- On bread, rolls, pita or tortillas
- With crackers
- Use leaf lettuce or romaine lettuce leaves
- With cucumber slices, bell pepper slices or radish slices
See how I calculate food cost.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.