Tuna spinach salad with tomatoes and mozzarella is a light, fresh and healthy lunch! Serve it as a lettuce wrap, regular wrap, with crackers for snacking, or make it into a melt with extra cheese on top!
In honor of spring, I’m bringing you one of my favorite light + healthy lunches.
This tuna spinach salad with tomatoes and mozzarella cheese is perfect for a quick lunch on a busy day. Or you can make it ahead for tomorrow.
Either way, it’s a great way to get in some extra seafood (which they say we should all be eating AT LEAST twice a week) as well as some veggies. Gimme all the veggies.
The Greek yogurt and lemon bring creaminess as well as tartness, and the tomatoes give it a great juicy, fresh pop of flavor. Score!
You might also want to check out this pesto tuna salad or Mediterranean tuna salad for a different take. Or this gorgeous tuna Niçoise salad for a day you're feeling fancy.
So many great ways to use a can of tuna.
Plus, this recipe is ready in just 10 minutes!
It's also low-carb, gluten-free and keto-friendly.
So let's get fixing.
Now, I’ve got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make tuna spinach salad. Just tryin’ to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Ingredient Notes:
- Tuna: Canned solid albacore tuna that’s packed in water is my go-to for canned tuna. Feel free to sub another variety, but you may need to make adjustments if your tuna is packed in oil.
- Spinach: Baby spinach is usually washed and ready to use and so easy to add some veggie goodness. Do be sure to chop it up so the salad is easier to eat.
- Greek yogurt: I use all Greek yogurt for this recipe to keep it light and add some extra protein. However, you could certainly use mayonnaise or half mayo and half Greek yogurt if you prefer.
- Mozzarella: I like the little bit of richness this adds, but you could leave it out.
- Tomato: Roma tomatoes are readily available year round and the perfect smaller size to use in this salad. You could definitely swap in your favorite tomato though. You need about ⅓ to ½ cup chopped.
Also, while the recipe is written for 2 servings (from a single can of tuna), you can of course adjust the amount and make more.
The toughest part of this recipe is deciding how to serve it…
Serving Ideas:
- Make a lettuce wrap or wrap it up in a whole wheat tortilla for a super light and healthy lunch.
- Or just add crackers and snack away, a particularly good option for a busy day when you're eating at your desk.
- Make a tuna spinach salad melt. Pile up the tuna salad on a whole wheat English muffin or some bread, add extra mozzarella cheese on top and pop it under the broiler for a couple of minutes. (Watch closely so it doesn’t burn!) You’ve got an oooey, gooey, cheesy, melty delicious open-faced sandwich.
- Create a tuna salad sandwich with this salad, or serve open-faced on a piece of toast.
- Add some hot sauce to this when serving for a spicy little kick - you know I love me some hot sauce ❤️
So many ways to enjoy it. You'll be happily trying them all so you can keep eating this yummy salad!
Last thing, the leftovers.
For me, one can of tuna, as used in this recipe, makes enough for 2 servings. This may vary depending on how hungry you are and how you serve it up.
If you have extra, keep it stored in the refrigerator in a covered container. It’ll keep for 1-2 days.
Hope you all have a wonderful week!
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
Tuna Spinach Salad
Ingredients
- 1 (5 oz.) can chunk light tuna, well drained (4 oz. dry weight)
- 1 cup fresh baby spinach, roughly chopped
- ⅓ cup plain Greek yogurt, see notes
- ¼ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 Roma tomato, seeded and chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl until well mixed.
- Season to taste with extra salt and pepper, if needed, and serve!
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary
So glad you had fun at the conference!! And now your at the beach!! Sooo jealous!! My MIL is one of my favorite people, so I can totally relate to loving your in-laws! I hope you guys have the best spring break ever!! Now this salad! So crazy, because I have been having the weirdest cravings for tuna fish salad, so I've been making it pretty regularly, but I need a switch up. So I LOVE that you posted this tuna spinach salad!!! Yaaahhhsss! I am so so Soooo making this for lunch!! Pinned! Cheers, lovely!
Kathryn
I get tuna cravings too and am always happy to indulge 😉 Have a great week my friend! XO
Adina
Delicious looking salad. Enjoy your holidays, Florida and beach sound great!
Kathryn
Thanks so much Adina!
Tara | Treble in the Kitchen
Great idea adding spinach to a tuna salad! Can't believe I've never tried it!
Kathryn
You know I love adding veggies in whenever I can 😉 You should definitely try it Tara!
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
You definitely sound like you are being spoiled right now 😉 While the weather here is no where near Florida level temps, the sun is shining and that's a good thing! The snow is melting and almost gone (thank goodness) so I'm a happy girl! This sounds delicious and love the idea of making this into a melt and, of course, the hot sauce addition (but you knew I was gonna say that 😉 ). Happy Monday to ya, my friend! XO
Kathryn
Yay for sunshine! I'm sending some warm weather vibes your way as well Dawn! And yes - I love that you're with me on adding hot sauce to ALL the things! XO
Luci's Morsels
Gorgeous photos! And I never would have thought of mozzarella as a secret ingredient! Looks yummy.
Luci’s Morsels | fashion. food. frivolity.
Kathryn
Thanks Luci! The mozzarella really works so well here!
Erin - Suburban Simplicity
What a simple and delicious lunch idea! All good flavors. I think I could sub olive or avocado oil and it'd be just as tasty!
Kathryn
Thanks so much Erin! And yes, you could definitely try that substitute!
Debora
This tuna salad is what I needed in my busy life as a flight attendant. I usually just take and eat flavored tuna from the pouch with me and eat it on the plane or at the layover hotel. This is so quick and easy I can do it the night before or take the ingredients with me and throw it together on the plane.
Please post many more simple, quick meals like this and I promise I will use them, share them with my crew members and post them on our nutritional food how to pach, what to pack website.
Kathryn
Hi Debora! I'm so happy to hear this recipe is helpful for you! I will try to keep these coming! In the meantime, you may like my quinoa spinach salad with pesto: https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/quinoa-spinach-salad-with-pesto/ And my southwestern orzo salad: https://www.familyfoodonthetable.com/southwestern-orzo-salad Both are great make-ahead lunch options and you can definitely add your favorite protein to go with them. Have a great weekend!
Lon
Loved this recipe, my wife shared it with me from Facebook. We had a pile of shredded chicken and subbed that for the tuna and I added celery for a little crunch and used Greek yoghurt.
Kathryn
So happy to hear that Lon!
Diane
I have some canned skinless, boneless sardines. Wonder how they would do in this salad...
Kathryn
Hi Diane! I haven't tried that but you could certainly give it a shot! Would love to hear how it turns out!
Genesis Isley
So good! I love spinach but I never thought to add it or tomatoes to tuna, I always add fresh jalapenos to my tuna salad, it was delicious with all of it together.
Thank you for this recipe!
Kathryn
So glad you liked it! I love the idea of some jalapeno in there too - definitely trying that next time 🙂
Natalia
Hi... just started my health journey and this will be my first time making a salad with spinach. Just one question, do you cook the spinach it is it raw?
Kathryn
Hi Natalia! Congratulations on staring on a health journey! Yes, for this recipe, the spinach is raw. Hope you enjoy it!
Melissa
Had this today for lunch...so good! I did add a little diced onion to mine.
There are several recipes I will be trying. =)
Kathryn Doherty
Yay, I'm so happy you enjoyed it Melissa! 😊
Ilda Semerel
I love this recipe.
Kathryn Doherty
Oh I'm so glad! Thank you!
Angela
I love this recipe so much! I'll admit I don't leave comments often, but I feel guilty that I've been using a modified version of this recipe for at least two years now--nearly 2-3x a month! It was high time I spoke up. Originally, I didn't have shredded mozzarella or plain yogurt, so I subbed with shredded parm and veganaise and it's fantastic! A proper thanks to you for this recipe. Someday I'll try the original, I swear! XD
Kathryn Doherty
Oh yay, I'm so happy to hear you love this recipe so much! I so appreciate you sharing! And thanks for sharing about the subs, too! 😊