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Cottage cheese tuna salad with fresh vegetables in a bowl

Cottage Cheese Tuna Salad

A light and refreshing salad made with creamy cottage cheese, tender tuna, and crunchy vegetables. Perfect for a quick lunch or a hearty snack.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Lunch, Salad
Cuisine: American
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients
  • 2 cups 1% low-fat plain cottage cheese, strained for 10 minutes Strain to remove excess whey.
  • 2 5-oz cans solid white albacore tuna in water, drained and flaked Use solid white albacore for best texture.
  • 1/3 cup finely diced celery
  • 1/4 cup finely diced red onion, soaked for 5 minutes and drained Soak to mellow the flavor.
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp rinsed capers (optional) Add for extra flavor if desired.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Strain the cottage cheese in a fine-mesh sieve for 10 minutes to remove excess whey.
  2. Soak the diced red onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain thoroughly.
Mixing
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, flake the drained tuna, breaking up any large chunks with a fork.
  2. Add the strained cottage cheese, drained red onion, celery, dill, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and capers (if using) to the bowl with tuna.
  3. Gently fold all ingredients together with a spatula or fork until fully combined, being careful not to over-mash the tuna.
  4. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, adding more salt, lemon juice, or garlic powder to suit your taste.
  5. Chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes (optional but recommended) to let flavors meld before serving.
Serving
  1. Serve over greens, on whole-grain bread, on rice cakes, or as a dip for vegetable sticks.

Notes

Straining the cottage cheese is essential; it keeps the salad from becoming too watery. Adjust the seasoning to your liking; if you love lemon, add more juice! For a crunchier texture, feel free to add chopped cucumbers or bell peppers. If you dislike dill, you can substitute it with parsley or omit it altogether.