Tuna Apple Salad
Who doesn’t love a healthy tuna salad? This recipe takes only a few minutes to make it special with tuna salad scooped onto an apple slice, to make a delicious open-face apple slider. Serve this tuna salad with apple and celery (a classic) in a fun way for Valentine’s Day or game day!
This is a family recipe and one I grew up eating. My mom would get creative with tuna, and make tuna melts, tuna casseroles, tuna wraps, and more. We recently made a healthy version with Greek yogurt, and served it for a luncheon on the 12×24” big board.
Tuna Apple Salad
Look how adorable these little heart-shaped bites are!
Read more: Tuna Apple Salad
What I love is you can make the salad ahead, and take it one step further. Cut out the apples (you can use whatever shape of cookie cutter you wish), scoop the salad onto the apple slice, placing on a large plate or a baking sheet until ready to serve.
What a fun idea to make any luncheon, bridal or baby shower, or any holiday special.
The honey in the salad really sets it apart from other recipes. It adds a sweetness, along with the dried cranberries, and it just has a really nice smooth flavor!
Don’t worry; I have instructions on how to make these cute apple slices into hearts. But remember you can use the whole apple slice (minus the cut-out) for larger bites! Try this Tuna Apple Salad for game day this weekend, and serve as a healthy slider recipe. YUM!!
Why I love this recipe
- This tuna salad is a lighter version, using Greek yogurt, and can be served on a slice of apple (or skip the apple and serve in a lettuce leaf as a lettuce wrap).
- It’s super easy to make – mix it up in 5 minutes!
- Make the recipe ahead, until ready to scoop onto the apple slices.
- You serve the apple sliders on the big board so there’s plenty for everyone (great presentation).
Gather these ingredients
- Cans of tuna in water (we buy Albacore at Costco)
- Greek yogurt: use plain
- Red onion: optional to use a sweet white onion
- Dried cranberries: you can also use the orange cranberries from Trader Joe’s
- Celery
- Fresh lime: use the juice, but you can also add zest to the recipe if you want more “lime” flavor
- Honey
- salt and pepper to taste
- Honeycrisp apples: or any “crisp” sweet red apple
- Butter leaf lettuce leaves
- Fresh basil, finely chopped
- Dried onions (optional)
How to make the best Peach Cobbler with canned peaches and cake mix
- Mix the tuna, greek yogurt, red onion, cranberries, celery, lime juice, honey, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well until combined.
- Wash apples and remove the core (we use a corer tool).
- Slice the apples about 1/4” thick. TIP: If you are not using the apple slices right away, put in a bowl and drizzle with lemon juice to keep the slices from browning.
- Cut out the center: When ready to use, take a heart cookie cutter (the size of the apple) and cut out the apple. It doesn’t matter that the middle is removed (core).
- If you are using a board, line the board with butter leaf lettuce leaves. Place the heart apple slices on a bed of lettuce leaves.
- Scoop the salad: Top the apple slices with a small scoop of the tuna salad.
- Optional to add dried onions on top for a crunch.
- Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil and serve!
Tips & substitutions
- You can prep this salad ahead of time and keep in the fridge until ready to assemble the salad and apple slices.
- After you slice the apples, if not using right away, put in a bowl and drizzle with lemon juice to keep the slices from browning.
- Use a 2-inch heart cookie cutter (or any shape cookie cutter).
- If using the entire apple slice (not cutting it out and using a cookie cutter) then use 2 large apples (makes about 8-10 tuna apple sliders).
- Use the remaining apples from the cut out for another recipe (we used in our Apple Cranberry Coleslaw recipe), so the apples do not go to waste.
- Make the Tuna Apple Salad sliders ahead and keep on a baking sheet or a large platter until ready to serve on the BIG BOARD.
- 12×24” big board was used
Serving suggestions
I love this tuna salad, and it’s the perfect healthy bite to a luncheon or any meal where you are serving small bites. It goes particularly well with this salad, these wraps, and these stuffed mushrooms. It’s a terrific appetizer, too, and it travels well (if served on the big board, so the food stays on the board), so you can take it to gatherings and game day. I love it in the summer for poolside snacks (and lunch), too. It’s just perfect all year long!
Storage
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 days. It won’t freeze well, so be sure to eat it fresh. Keep the lettuce and the tuna salad separate.
Check out these awesome tuna recipes while you’re here
Get the Recipe:
Tuna Apple Salad
Ingredients
- 2 4-5 ounce cans tuna in water, drained
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ lime, juiced
- 2-3 Tbsp honey
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 Honeycrisp apples core removed, sliced (with skin on)
- Butter leaf lettuce leaves
- Fresh basil, finely chopped
- Dried onions, optional
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl add tuna, greek yogurt, red onion, cranberries, celery, lime juice, honey, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well until combined.
- Wash apples and remove the core (we use a corer tool). Slice the apples about 1/4” thick. TIP: If you are not using the apple slices right away, put in a bowl and drizzle with lemon juice to keep the slices from browning.
- When ready to use, take a heart cookie cutter (the size of the apple) and cut out the apple. It doesn’t matter that the middle is removed (core).
- If you are using a board, line the board with butter leaf lettuce leaves. Place the heart apple slices on a bed of lettuce leaves.
- Top the apple slices with a small scoop of the tuna salad.
- Optional to add dried onions on top for a crunch.
- Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil and serve!
Notes
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
