Name: Mediterranean Tuna Salad
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons lemon juice , plus extra for seasoning; 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard; ½ teaspoon pepper; 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; ¼ cup minced red onion; 1 garlic clove , minced; 4 (5-ounce) cans solid white tuna in water , drained and flaked; 2 celery ribs , minced; 1 red bell pepper , stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine; ¼ cup pitted kalamata olives , minced; ¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Why This Recipe Works

A brown-bag staple, tuna salad too often turns out bland or overridden with mayonnaise so it soaks through slices of white bread (and maybe the bag, too). A staple doesn't have to be stale: This is a vibrant tuna salad recipe we'd want to bring to lunch every day. As an alternative to mayonnaise, a dressing of fruity extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard was a luscious base to bind our salad with bright punch. We added red onion and garlic to the mix and let them sit to temper the alliums’ harsh bite in this raw application. Sweet red bell pepper, crunchy celery, and kalamata olives turned this lunchtime basic into a sophisticated meal with varied flavors and textures. Good-quality canned tuna is crucial for this recipe.

Before You Begin

The salad is particularly great served over a bed of lettuce or as part of an open-faced sandwich.

Instructions

Whisk lemon juice, mustard, and pepper together in large bowl. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in oil until combined. Stir in red onion and garlic and let sit for 5 minutes. Add tuna, celery, bell pepper, olives, and parsley and toss to coat. Season with extra lemon juice and pepper to taste. Serve.