Protein Packed Tuna Salad (Gluten Free & Dairy Free)

Protein Packed Tuna Salad made with tuna, chickpea pasta, mayo, celery and onions for an easy to make lunch. This recipe is full of flavor and is the perfect combination of creamy and crunchy. All of the ingredients are both gluten free and dairy free.

I don’t know about you, but I prefer my lunches to be both delicious and easy to make. That’s why I love when this Protein Packed Tuna Salad is on the menu! It is a light and fresh comfort food that is ready in just 20 minutes. Plus, it’s so easy to pack on the go and doesn’t need to be reheated. It can be meal prepped at the beginning of the week for easy grab-and-go lunches. Basically, this recipe makes your life a lot easier and I think we all need a little more of that.

What Makes this Tuna Salad Packed with Protein?

This recipe is named Protein Packed Tuna Salad for a reason. Tuna by itself is high in protein. But this isn’t your regular tuna salad. Instead of sandwiching the tuna salad between two pieces of bread or adding it to a bowl of greens, this recipe mixes in chickpea pasta. In case you aren’t aware, chickpea pasta is another food that is high in protein. Therefore, you are getting two good sources of protein in this meal!

What Ingredients are Needed to Make this Tuna Salad?

• Canned tuna
• Chickpea pasta
• Onion
• Mayo (my favorite brand is Sir Kensington’s Avocado Oil Mayo)
• Celery
• Optional ingredients: nuts (like pecans or walnuts) and cheese (omit if dairy free)

How to Make this Easy Protein Packed Tuna Salad

Step one: Cook the pasta

Add water to a pot and bring it to a boil on high heat. While the water is coming to a boil, dice the onion and celery. Cook the pasta following the directions on the back of the box.

Step two: Mix it all together

While the pasta is cooking, drain the water from the tuna and place the tuna in a large bowl. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water. Then add the pasta to the bowl with the tuna along with the diced onion, celery and mayo. Use a spoon to mix the ingredients together until everything is coated with the mayo. Place in the refrigerator to cool for at least an hour. When serving, top with nuts (like pecans or walnuts) or diced cheddar cheese. This step is optional but it’s my favorite way to eat it!

Let’s Talk Mayo

So I believe there are three types of people in the world: (1) those who hate mayo and don’t eat it, (2) those who will eat it in moderate amounts and (3) those who love it and use a ton in any recipe. I happen to be the type of person who eats it in moderate amounts. Therefore, the amount of mayo that this recipe calls for is more on the conservative side. I wanted to keep it this way because you can easily add more mayo but you can’t take mayo out once it’s mixed in. My husband is the type of person who loves mayo and enjoys adding a lot more than I do. Therefore, he adds more to his serving. This recipe is truly customizable to your preferences in addition to the preferences of anyone else eating this recipe with you!

More Delicious Lunch Recipes:

• Paleo Pulled Pork Nachos (Gluten Free & Dairy Free)
• Paleo Chicken Quesadilla with Nacho Cheese
• Crockpot Honey Lime Shredded Chicken
• Paleo Pulled Pork Burrito Bowls
• Taco Spaghetti Squash Bowl (Paleo & Whole 30)
• Gluten Free Turkey BLT Wrap

If you are searching for a quick, easy and delicious lunch or dinner recipe, look no further! This protein packed tuna salad uses simple ingredients yet the taste is anything but simple. Let me know what you think of this recipe by leaving a rating or comment below. You can also tag me on Instagram (@theglutenfreegrasses) so I can see what you’re making!

-Kelsey