The Best Tuna Salad Recipe Of 2021

In this post, we'll cover our recipe for tuna, rice, and cilantro salad from start to finish. Make sure to read through to the end for extra tips on cooking with tuna.

Tuna, Rice, and Cilantro Salad: The Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make our classic tuna salad recipe.

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• ⅓ cup of rice. We recommend using jasmine rice for this recipe, but you can opt for any type of rice you prefer.
• ½ cup of tuna. You don't need tons of tuna to make this recipe. One tuna can generally contains 185g of fish, so you'll be fine with using just a fraction of a full can. Save the rest for wraps and sandwiches.
• 1/10 bunch of fresh cilantro. We always recommend cooking with fresh herbs, and this recipe is no exception. If you're not a fan of cilantro, you can always swap it out for parsley or even diced celery.
• 1/8 red onion. You will chop the onion into tiny pieces, which blend in perfectly with the flavors of the other ingredients. If you want, you can also chop red bell pepper, tomatoes, or even a few lettuce leaves to add to the salad.

The Tuna Salad Recipe Step by Step

Follow these steps to make a delicious bowl of our tuna, rice, and cilantro salad.

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• Start by cooking your rice. Add a bit of salt to taste. 
• Use a peeler to remove the skin from your onion, then chop it into small pieces. Chop the cilantro into sprigs.
• The rice should be done cooking once your herbs and veggies are chopped. Drain it in a colander to remove the water, then rinse it with cool water from the sink.
• Use a can opener to open your tuna and weigh out 50g of fish on a food scale. 
• In a large mixing bowl, mix the rice, tuna, sliced onions, and cilantro with a fork. Add a tablespoon of olive oil per serving, along with salt and black pepper. If you’re planning to serve it on a sandwich, place a lid on the bowl and allow it to chill in the fridge for an hour or so to ensure everything holds together. 
• If you want, squeeze lemon juice on top for extra flavor. This salad works perfectly on its own, as well as on a sandwich or spread onto crackers. Add a dill pickle or some crunchy pickle relish on the side, and you’ve got the perfect lunch. 
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If you want to switch it up even more, you could even use this recipe but sub in canned chicken to please any picky eaters. 

Want Another Great Way To Use Tuna Salad?

If you're craving a simple, tasty tuna wrap, we've got the perfect recipe for you. Our tuna wrap recipe takes a different approach to tuna salad and pairs the fishy treat with a flour tortilla to make the perfect lunch.

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While classic tuna salad is typically made with mayonnaise, we opted to craft ours with cream cheese instead. Mayo is a popular choice, but we're big fans of the lighter texture of cream cheese and the way its flavors pair with ingredients like lemon juice and avocado. 

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If you're looking for a low-carb lunch, swap out flour tortillas for lettuce wraps and enjoy your light tuna salad with an extra crunch. The flour tortilla in our tuna wrap recipe is the only major source of carbohydrates in the meal, so it's perfectly keto-friendly without it!

Looking for More Cooking Inspiration?

If you’re looking for more inspiring recipes to try, we’ve got you covered. Make sure to head over to our cooking page, where you’ll find plenty more ideas for what to make for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between. You can also visit our blog for helpful tips on how to take your at-home cooking to the next level.