Mediterranean Tuna Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing Recipe
A vibrant and healthy Mediterranean tuna salad featuring finely chopped kale, fresh vegetables, and a creamy Danish feta dressing. This salad combines nutritious ingredients like tomatoes, cucumbers, kalamata olives, and canned tuna for a refreshing and satisfying meal perfect for lunch or a light dinner. The creamy feta dressing adds a tangy and rich flavor, complementing the crispness of the salad vegetables. Serve with warm pita bread for a complete Mediterranean-inspired experience.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
- Diet: Low Salt
Ingredients
Scale
Salad:
- 3 tightly packed cups finely chopped curly kale (~6 – 7 kale stems)
- 2 tomatoes, chopped into 1 cm / 1/3″ squares (include juices)
- 1 red capsicum / bell pepper, chopped into 8mm / 1/3″ squares
- 1 cucumber, cut lengthwise into 6 or 8 wedges, then chopped into 8mm / 1/3″ pieces
- 1 cup roughly chopped parsley leaves
- 8 red radish, chopped into 8mm / 1/3″ squares (or substitute 1 small red onion or 2 green onion stems)
- 1/2 cup whole pitted kalamata olives, quartered
- 50g / 1.5 oz Danish feta (creamy type, not crumbly Greek feta)
- 425g / 15 oz canned tuna in oil, drained (choose sustainably sourced)
Dressing:
- 100g / 3.5 oz Danish feta (creamy type)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 small garlic clove
- 1/2 tsp cooking salt/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp water, if needed to adjust consistency
Serving Option:
- Pita bread pockets, warmed and cut in half
- Dressing extra flavour options as desired (e.g. herbs or spices)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: Place the Danish feta, lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, garlic clove, salt, and black pepper in a jug just large enough to fit the head of a stick blender. Blend until smooth. Add water a teaspoon at a time until the dressing reaches a thick, drizzle-able consistency. Taste and adjust salt if needed since feta saltiness varies.
- Assemble the Salad Base: In a large bowl, combine the finely chopped kale, chopped tomatoes (including juices), red capsicum, cucumber pieces, parsley, radish, and quartered kalamata olives. Toss gently to mix the vegetables evenly.
- Add Dressing and Feta: Pour the prepared creamy feta dressing over the salad vegetables. Toss thoroughly to coat. Crumble 50g of Danish feta into the salad and toss again; the feta will smear slightly, which adds creaminess.
- Add Tuna and Final Toss: Gently add the drained canned tuna to the salad and toss carefully to maintain some chunks of tuna intact rather than breaking them into small pieces.
- Adjust Seasoning: Taste the salad and add more lemon juice if desired for extra brightness and tartness, complementing the tuna flavor.
- Serve: Serve the salad in bowls with spoons for easy eating. Offer warmed pita bread pockets on the side or use the tuna salad to stuff inside the pita for a hearty Mediterranean meal.
Notes
- Note 1: Using curly kale gives a lovely texture and nutritional boost. To soften kale further, massage it slightly with salt before mixing.
- Note 2: Use creamy Danish feta rather than crumbly Greek feta for the best dressing texture and flavor.
- Note 3: Choose sustainably sourced canned tuna to support responsible fishing practices.
- Note 4: For extra flavor, consider adding herbs like dill or oregano to the dressing or a pinch of smoked paprika.
Keywords: Mediterranean tuna salad, kale salad, feta dressing, healthy salad, no-cook salad, tuna recipe
