This tuna potato salad is a lighter, flavorful twist on a classic made with baby potatoes, flaky tuna, shallots, and a zesty lemon-mustard dressing. It's easy, protein-packed, and perfect for a light lunch or meal prep.
Looking for more salads with protein?
Check out chicken and potato salad, chopped chicken ranch salad, and la scala chopped salad.
Jump to:
Recipe Overview
- Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes to make and 30 minutes to chill
- Cooking Method: Stove-top
- Dietary Info: Whole30, Paleo, Ancestral diet
- Tools Needed: Medium pot, sharp knife, large mixing bowl, and grater
- Skill Level: Easy
What is an ancestral diet? Read my post on what nourishing foods are based on the traditional dietary principles of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
Reasons to Love this Potato Tuna Salad
Think of this tuna and potato salad as the best kind of mash-up - like when Spotify shuffle lines up two of your favorite songs in a row.
It's got the heartiness of a potato salad, the protein boost of tuna salad, and none of the heavy mayo to weigh you down. (Though we don't hate on avocado oil mayonnaise, now, do we?)
This tuna and potato salad has nothing but bright, fresh flavors that make it light but still totally satisfying. Perfect for meal prep, lazy lunches, or when you want something filling without feeling like you need a nap after.
Ingredients for Tuna Potato Salad
- Potatoes: Baby potatoes are perfect for potato salad because of their waxy texture, which helps them hold their shape when cooked. This ensures they don’t turn mushy and stay nice and firm in the salad. Cut them into quarters or smaller after boiling to help absorb the dressing better. You could use Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes.
- Canned tuna packed in water: Water-packed tuna is lighter and more delicate than oil-packed tuna. Look for wild-caught tuna brands labeled with sustainable fishing practices (MSC certified).
- Aromatics: Shallot (mild, slightly sweet onion), garlic, capers, and fresh baby dill to add great flavor that complements the potatoes and tuna. You can swap the shallots with green onions for a more subtle flavor and use dried parsley substitute as the herb if you don't have chopped dill.
- Dressing: A simple blend of olive oil, roasted walnut oil, white wine vinegar, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and some Dijon mustard. Salt and black pepper to round out the flavors.
Substitutions and Variations
- Other add-ins - Add some sliced pepperoncini (banana peppers), Kalamata olives, or a splash of brine from fermented jalapenos to give it a kick.
- Dressing flexibility - Feel free to experiment to make the dressing your own. I like a combo of olive oil and aromatic roasted walnut oil (La Tourangelle is my favorite brand), but you can go all in with olive oil only. Or cut it with avocado oil. Similarly, swap the white wine vinegar with apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar.
Make it Ancestral
Potatoes are as ancestral (read: ancient) as civilization itself, and despite being vilified, they've been a staple in traditional diets for centuries. Go with organic potatoes, since they're on the Dirty Dozen list, and pair them with a few cans of wild-caught, sustainably-caught tuna, and you've got a meal that's both nourishing, and satisfying without the fluff.
How to Make Tuna Potato Salad
The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for the best results.
Step 1. Cook
Place the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold water, and add salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook until fork-tender.
Step 2. Whisk
While the potatoes are cooking, whisk all ingredients for the dressing, including olive oil, walnut oil, white wine vinegar, lemon zest and juice, mustard, and salt and pepper.
Step 3. Toss
Drain the potatoes and cut them into quarters or smaller, depending on size. Immediately toss them with the salad dressing while warm to absorb the flavors.
Step 4. Chill
Add the flaked tuna, shallots, garlic, capers, and dill. Toss to combine, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then chill for another 30 minutes.
Helpful Tips
- Air-dry potatoes for better texture - Drain the potatoes and lay them flat on a clean kitchen towel to air dry for 2-3 minutes to avoid any excess moisture.
- Rinse shallots to reduce sharpness – If raw shallots taste too strong, soak them in cold water for 5–10 minutes before adding them to the salad. This helps mellow their bite.
- Toss potatoes while warm – Mix the dressing with warm potatoes so they absorb maximum flavor. Waiting until they’re fully chilled can make them dry and less flavorful.
- Choose uniform size potatoes – Pick potatoes that are about the same size so they cook evenly. This way, you won’t end up with some that are too soft and others that are too firm.
Troubleshooting
- Potatoes are soggy? They were likely overcooked. Next time, check them earlier by piercing them with a fork—they should be tender but still hold their shape without falling apart. To salvage tuna potato salad with overcooked potatoes, drain and let them air dry well. Chill them to firm them up, cut them into smaller pieces, and then combine with the dressing.
- Salad too dry? Add more dressing or a splash of olive oil if the potatoes have absorbed too much.
💭Meal Prep Suggestion!
For meal prep, toss the warm potatoes with the dressing so they can absorb the flavor, then store them separately in an airtight container. Keep the rest of the ingredients, like tuna, shallots, and herbs, in separate containers to prevent sogginess. Store fresh ingredients like dill, capers, or green onions in small containers and add them just before serving.
Serving Suggestions
Tuna potato salad is best served chilled so make sure you make it at least an hour before serving.
Main dish: Serve it as a hearty lunch, paired with a simple house salad. A serving of tuna potato salad has 19 grams of protein so it's moderate, therefore, it would make a great lunch but needs more meat to make it a full meal.
As a side dish: I would probably add a hearty serving of protein like air fryer pork tenderloin or slow cooker duck.
Condiments: Serve a small side of raw sauerkraut for some probiotic-action.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftover potato salad with tuna in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. These glass snap containers are perfect for leftovers. If it's starts to get dry, just add a little extra dressing or a splash of olive oil when serving.
Freezing tuna and potato salad is not recommended, as the potatoes may become mushy and the dressing can separate upon thawing. For the best taste and texture, store it in the fridge for up to 4 days instead and enjoy it fresh.
While it's traditionally served chilled, you can enjoy it warm, too. Just toss the dressed potatoes with the remaining ingredients while they're still warm and serve immediately for a different flavor experience.
Looking for more related recipes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this tuna potato salad? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Tuna and Potato Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound baby potatoes
- 2 cans tuna packed in water drained and flaked
- 2 shallots sliced
- 1 garlic cloves minced
- 1 ½ tablespoons capers
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
Dressing
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons roasted walnut oil
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoons whole-grain mustard
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Place the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold water, and add salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and cook until fork-tender.1 pound baby potatoes
- While the potatoes are cooking, whisk all ingredients for the dressing, including olive oil, walnut oil, white wine vinegar, lemon zest and juice, mustard, and salt and pepper.¼ cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons roasted walnut oil, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 tablespoons whole-grain mustard, 1 teaspoon sea salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Drain the potatoes and cut them into quarters or smaller, depending on size. Immediately toss them with the salad dressing while warm to absorb the flavors.
- Add the flaked tuna, shallots, garlic, capers, and dill. Toss to combine, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then chill for another 30 minutes.2 cans tuna packed in water, 2 shallots, 1 garlic cloves, 1 ½ tablespoons capers, 3 tablespoons fresh dill
Notes
- Air-dry potatoes for better texture - Drain the potatoes and lay them flat on a clean kitchen towel to air dry for 2-3 minutes to avoid any excess moisture.
- Rinse shallots to reduce sharpness – If raw shallots taste too strong, soak them in cold water for 5–10 minutes before adding them to the salad. This helps mellow their bite.
- Toss potatoes while warm – Mix the dressing with warm potatoes so they absorb maximum flavor. Waiting until they’re fully chilled can make them dry and less flavorful.
- Choose uniform size potatoes – Pick potatoes that are about the same size so they cook evenly. This way, you won’t end up with some that are too soft and others that are too firm.
Leave a Reply