You know how classic tuna salad always seems to come with a side of regret and a hard-boiled egg you never asked for? Yeah, same.
That’s why I ditched the egg, ditched the celery (don’t come for me), and went all-in on cool, crisp cucumber and a hit of dill. This Tuna and Cucumber Salad is light, tangy, and totally addictive—basically the upgrade your tuna lunch didn’t know it needed.
I first threw it together on a work-from-home day when all I had was canned tuna, a sad cucumber, and too much mayo. Turns out, it’s one of my favorite healthy tuna recipes now. Go figure.
Tuna and Cucumber Salad
EQUIPMENT (PAID LINKS)
- Fork
Ingredients
- 2 5-ounce cans tuna, drained
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 2 teaspoons dried dill
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- ¼ cup chopped cucumber Persian or English cucumber preferred; if using regular cucumber, remove seeds
Instructions
- Mix the Base: In a mixing bowl, combine the drained tuna, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and dill. Use a fork to stir everything together until well mixed and creamy.2 5-ounce cans tuna, drained, 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- Season to Taste: Taste the tuna mixture and sprinkle in salt and black pepper. Add a little at a time and keep tasting until it’s just how you like it—flavorful and balanced.Salt, Black pepper
- Add the Cucumber: Right before serving, stir in the chopped cucumber. This keeps it crisp and helps prevent the salad from getting watery.¼ cup chopped cucumber
- Serve It Up: Serve the tuna salad on sandwich bread, with crackers, over greens, or tucked into a pita. It also makes a surprisingly awesome topping for a baked potato if you're keeping it super casual.
Tuna and Cucumber Salad Secrets They Don’t Tell You on the Can
🥒 Cucumber Drama:
Go for Persian or English cucumbers—they’re crisp, mild, and won’t waterlog your salad like a drama queen. If you’re stuck with a regular cucumber, scoop out the seeds. Your salad (and sandwich bread) will thank you.
🐟 Fancy Tuna? Not Required:
You don’t need that $6 jar of imported Italian tuna unless you’re really trying to impress your cat. Any canned tuna in water or oil works—just drain it well so your salad doesn’t swim.
🌿 Fresh Dill Is Cute, But…
Fresh dill is a flex, but dried dill totally gets the job done. Use 2 teaspoons and pretend you hand-picked it from your windowsill herb garden.
🥪 Sandwich MVP:
This stuff makes a killer tuna melt. Toast some bread, slap on provolone or Swiss, and prepare to fall in love. Add pickles if you like chaos.
🧂 Salt Last, Always:
Tuna is salty by nature (like some people), so taste before you go wild with the shaker. Nobody likes an over-seasoned lunch crisis.
🕒 Make-Ahead Magic:
Yes, you can make it ahead, but add the cucumber at the last second or risk sad, soggy vibes. Or keep them separate like salad divorce until it’s time to eat.
🥄 Mayo Haters, Unite (Elsewhere):
This is not a mayo-free zone—just being honest. But if you truly can’t handle it, try Greek yogurt and a squirt of lemon juice. It’s not the same, but hey, neither is oat milk in coffee and we all survived that.
🌡️ Chill Out:
This salad tastes best cold from the fridge, preferably eaten straight from the mixing bowl in sweatpants. Just saying.
Want more shortcuts or swaps? I’ve probably tried them all. Ask away!
