Mediterranean Salad with Tuna & Lemon Dressing

This fast, healthy Mediterranean Salad with Tuna drizzled with a quick, creamy, and herby Lemon Salad Dressing is everything you want for lunch! And guess what? It’s Whole30, Paleo, Gluten-Free, and Low-Carb.

The ingredients include nutrient-dense sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, pepitas, bell peppers, and cucumbers. This is one Whole30 salad that’s so easy to make, and it’ll definitely keep you satisfied.

Best of all, it’s absolutely delicious… because healthy does not need to equal boring!

Why We Love It

I work from home, so most days I grab a quick lunch between answering emails and changing diapers. I know what you’re thinking, but don’t worry, I wash my hands, first!

But lunch is just one of those things that’s almost always hurried. I sometimes prep a frittata in advance (I love my chorizo, potato and kale frittata, especially!), but more often than not, I eat salads for lunch.

I used to think salads were boring and just sort of resigned myself to that. But you know what?

Salads are not boring! I promise. You just have to unlock the fun of salads again!

So even though I make fast salads, I try to be intentional about adding different flavors and textures, and truly, my easy salads take on new life! That’s what I did here with this salad and man, it’s a keeper!

Mediterranean Salad Ingredients

I love that this recipe is quick enough for a fast lunch and exciting enough for a fun weeknight dinner. There’s a little bit of chopping required, sure, but other than that, it’s really easy!

Most importantly, this is one of the most satisfying salads I’ve made this year. The combination of flavors and textures really makes it feel more like something you’d get at a specialty restaurant.

I have to say, the ingredients in this Mediterranean Salad really make it exciting! Here’s what you need:

Canned Tuna
Romaine Lettuce or any lettuce you prefer
Artichoke Hearts: I prefer frozen but feel free to use your favorite jarred artichoke hearts
Bell pepper
Cucumber
Sun-dried tomatoes: I like sun-dried tomatoes in oil, because extra FLAVOR!
Red Onion
Pumpkin Seeds
Lemon Dressing: coconut milk or greek yogurt, lemon juice, dried dill, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.

How to choose canned tuna

Try to source canned tuna carefully, if you can, but just do your best with what works with your budget and what’s available to you.

If you happen to have the privilege to be able to choose, look for brands that say, “sustainably caught,” “pole caught,” or “troll caught,” because that means the tuna weren’t caught in nets.

That’s a big deal because avoiding nets means avoiding the inevitable catching of lots of other sea creatures in them!

“Lower mercury” is always a good choice, too!

Flavor-wise, I personally prefer tuna packed in olive oil, and that’s what I used in this Mediterranean Salad recipe, but that’s just a taste thing.

I think the richness of the olive oil is really nice with the mild fish. But if you prefer it packed in water, then you do you!

Making the Salad Dressing

This creamy salad dressing is dairy-free, Whole30, and Paleo, and one of the easiest healthy salad dressing recipes ever!

To make the Herby Lemon Salad Dressing, simply whisk together coconut milk, lemon juice, and herbs, and you’re in business!

Just be sure the coconut milk hasn’t been chilled first. I leave the can on the counter to bring it to room temperature, but if you’re in a rush, you can gently warm the coconut milk in a bowl in the microwave for 5-10 seconds.

If you’re not doing a Whole30, then feel free to substitute plain greek yogurt instead of coconut milk. This won’t be Whole30 compliant, but it will be very healthy and super delicious!

Once you’ve got the lemon salad dressing made, just drizzle it on top of the salad, mix it up, and enjoy!

Print

Easy Mediterranean Salad with Tuna and Creamy Lemon Dressing

A super fast and simple pescatarian salad made with canned tuna, lots of fresh vegetables, and a creamy lemon, dill and garlic dressing.
Course Main Course, Salad
Cuisine American, Mediterranean
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 7 minutes
Servings 2 servings
Calories 344kcal

Ingredients

Mediterranean Salad

2 cans tuna in olive oil4 cups romaine lettuce1/4 cup sundried tomatoes1 medium cucumber1 cup artichoke hearts2 Tablespoon pepitas1 red bell pepper

Creamy Lemon Garlic Dressing

1/4 cup coconut milk or substitute plain greek yogurt (however this is NOT Paleo or Whole30 compliant)2 Tablespoon lemon juice1/4 teaspoons dried dill1/4 teaspoons garlic powder1/4 teaspoons salt1/8 teaspoons black pepper

Instructions

Do the Prep Work

Wash and chop the romaine. Dice the bell pepper, cucumber, and red onion.

Make the Salad Dressing

Bring the coconut milk to room tempertature. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients.

Assemble & Serve!

Add the lettuce to a large bowl, then assemble all the ingredients on top. Drizzle the salad with the salad dressing.
Toss it gently and divide between two plates or bowls.

Notes

Salad Dressing Notes:
If you’re using coconut milk, bring it to room temp before you whisk it together to avoid it clumping.
If you’re storing the finished salad dressing in the refrigerator for later, you can gently warm it in the microwave for 5 seconds at a time, before drizzling over the salad.
Protein Notes:
Feel free to swap out other protein sources, like hard boiled eggs, grilled chicken, or shrimp. They’ll all be delicious!!

Nutrition

Sodium: 761mg | Calcium: 94mg | Vitamin C: 94mg | Vitamin A: 10340IU | Sugar: 11g | Fiber: 6g | Potassium: 1413mg | Cholesterol: 61mg | Calories: 344kcal | Saturated Fat: 7g | Fat: 14g | Protein: 41g | Carbohydrates: 20g | Iron: 7mg


Please note that the nutritional information may vary depending
on the specific brands of products used. We encourage everyone to check specific
product labels in calculating the exact nutritional information.

 

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