Have you ever seen those packets of flavored tuna in the grocery store? They were on sale once and I got curious, so I bought a few. The idea was interesting, but the execution failed, IMHO. So what did I do? MAKE MY OWN. #storyofmylife I chose this Sweet and Spicy Tuna Salad as my first homemade flavored tuna because the simple combination of sweet and spicy is always irresistible to me, but I can’t wait to try more flavors. There are so many ways you can eat this simple no-cook dish that I now it’s going to become my new summer staple!
P.S. It’s great for meal prep! 👏
This post contains some affiliate links, which means that we make a small commission off items you purchase at no additional cost to you.
No Mayo?
Mayo-free tuna salads are super popular these days, so I went ahead and made this Sweet and Spicy Tuna Salad mayo-free (and to make it more like the store-bought version). That being said, I did add a little mayo to one of the test batches and it was also awesome with mayo! So if you are a mayo tuna salad person, feel free to go ahead and add a few tablespoons of creamy goodness to the bowl.
How to Serve Sweet and Spicy Tuna Salad
I’m loving this tuna salad as a snack with crackers or vegetables, stuffed into peppers as an appetizer, or stuffed into a wrap with some spinach and cucumbers or avocado. It’s really quite versatile! Scroll down to see photos of different ways I used my Sweet and Spicy Tuna Salad.
Should I Use Tuna Packed in Oil or Water?
You can actually use either for this recipe. I had tuna packed in water, so I added a little oil to the salad mix. If you’re using tuna packed in oil, you can skip the olive oil listed in the ingredients below.
Sweet and Spicy Tuna Salad
Servings 2 About 3/4 cup eachIngredients
- 2 5oz. cans tuna* ($1.36)
- 1 carrot ($0.11)
- 2 green onions ($0.23)
- 2 tsp brown sugar ($0.03)
- 2 tsp olive oil ($0.08)
- 1.5 tsp apple cider vinegar ($0.03)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ($0.02)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika ($0.05)
- 1/4 tsp salt ($0.02)
- freshly cracked pepper ($0.03)
Instructions
- Drain the tuna well, then place it in a bowl.
- Shred the carrot using a cheese grater. Slice the green onion.
- Add the carrot, green onion, brown sugar, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, cayenne, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and some freshly cracked pepper to the bowl with the drained tuna.
- Stir everything to combine, then let the mixture sit for about five minutes to allow the flavors to blend. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to eat.
See how we calculate recipe costs here.
Notes
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!
Sweet and Spicy Tuna Salad stuffed into celery sticks and mini sweet peppers. This would make a great party appetizer!
This is the wrap I made with spinach, cucumber slices, and the Sweet and Spicy Tuna Salad. I wanted avocado as well, but all the avocados at the store were rock hard. That wrap is the sprouted grain wraps from Aldi. :)
How to Make Sweet and Spicy TUna Salad – Step by Step Photos
This tuna salad is incredibly easy to make. Drain two 5oz. cans of tuna (packed in oil or water) and add them to a bowl. Grate one carrot and slice two green onions. Add them to the bowl along with 2 tsp brown sugar, 2 tsp olive oil (skip if using tuna packed in oil), 1.5 tsp apple cider vinegar, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, 1/4 tsp salt, and some freshly cracked pepper.
Then just mix everything together. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to let the flavors kind of blend a bit.
Then dig in! It’s SO good on cucumber slices.
But these cute little sweet peppers were pretty amazing with it as well. 🤤
This is (and has been) a go to for me. It is SO easy, and SO tasty. I love to eat it straight, but as indicated here, it’s AMAZING on cucumbers and mini bell peppers. Cannot recommend Enough. I was momentarily concerned when immediately mixed, but when I let it sit, all the flavors melted together delightfully.
Thank you for sharing this recipe, Beth.
So simple and quick, yet so good! I usually don’t know what to eat if I don’t plan ahead, but when I realized I had canned tuna, I remembered this recipe, and decided to give it a shot. It was delicious! I made it as a wrap, and added some celery and capers. Loved it, and will often do it whenever I have no idea what to eat.
After working a nearly 9 hour shift at my active job, I was desperate for lunch when I got home. I was craving tuna. But I found I had no mayo after I had already opened a can! I remembered seeing this and happened to have most of the ingredients except the veggies. It’s still yummy without, so thank you very much for saving me from a hunger-rage induced tantrum while having to make something else.
This tuna salad was great! Just enough flavour, not too much, not too little. I made little tuna salad wraps with 7 inch tortillas and froze them. No mayo, so I can freeze it! Will make again, so easy and good. I bought a bunch of tuna on sale.
Oh this is yummy. You know what though? I loved the crunchy texture and thought this was delightful on mini peppers, cucumbers and celery (but kinda gross on club crackers) #weird Mmmmm, thanks Miss Beth!!
Tried this recipe tonight for a quick dinner – amazing and healthy. This will be a regular go to from now on. Can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Delicious as always! I’d love to see your take on the lemon pepper and lemon sesame ginger flavors as well.
What a great idea! I didnt much care for the tuna packets either. Cant wait to try this!
This is a regular quick easy (cheap!) favorite in our household. I do take the shortcut of adding dried chives instead of fresh green onion usually and it’s still delicious. Sometimes it works well to also use one can of tuna with one can of chick peas, instead of just two cans of tuna, if you’re looking to mix things up a bit. There are so many great ways to serve this, thanks for another amazing recipe!
Tried some other tuna salad recipes and while this recipe is a bit untraditional, the combination of flavors has a nice balance of sweetness and spicy is tasty and unique.
This was pretty good! I added some sriracha and some everything bagel seasoning to it. It was a bit to sweet for me, so I might half the brown sugar next time. Love how easy it is to make. Will definitely make again!
It tastes really weird because of smoked paprika. I am sorry to say this recipe is not balanced.
I have bought those flavored packets of tuna and had the same feeling… they’re OK and good for lunch in a pinch, but not my favorite. I’ll never buy those again – this recipe is great!! You should do other variations of flavor like Ranch or Lemon Pepper. :) Love your blog, I agree, every recipe I find here is awesome!
So refreshing to have a tuna recipe that isn’t the basic mayo-based mixture. I love the balance of spice and sweet! Tasted great on crackers. I recommend getting the green onion, I think it was so pretty in there with the carrot.
So amazing! I made this into a tuna melt with some white American cheese and it was to die for! Perfect spice level!
I was looking for something a little different from my usual tuna salad and I came across this one. I made it exactly as written and ate it on rice crackers. It was absolutely delicious!
Super easy and delicious! Substituted onion powder for green onion since I didn’t wanna go out to the store.
How is all your stuff so delicious? Every recipe I have made, I follow it exactly and it’s amazing. Perfectly seasoned and everything… this recipe included. Thank you!
This is so good! I love tuna, and I’m excited to have found a new way to prepare it for lunch. It also helps that I typically have all the ingredients at home. At most, I’d need to remind myself to buy a carrot. I threw this on a bed of baby spinach and it was an easy, delicious, filling lunch.
I’ll never buy flavored pre mixed tunas again. Thank you
I made this for my partner but it smelled amazing when preparing it. I gave it a try and now I truly love it. Thanks for the recipe
Wonderful to hear!
Not a fan of canned tuna, I’m going to try this with shredded chicken 😊
That could definitely work!
This recipe is amazing! I had been eating those pre-prepped tuna and cracker kits from the store but I’m so glad to have a delicious, inexpensive, easy alternative.
Happy to hear it Sarah! Thanks for sharing.
This was quick to make and really good! I made lettuce wraps. So many of your recipes have become my go-to’s!
I forgot to give it a rating!
This was a really delicious change of pace from the usual mayo-based tuna salad! Definitely making it again!
This was delicious!
I’m eating this right now, and it’s excellent. I had to make some substitutions with what I had on hand: onion powder for the onions, rice wine vinegar for the acv, regular paprika, siracha for the pepper, and also added a spoonful of sweet pickle relish. So good! Will definitely also try with canned salmon.
I love tuna and this recipe was divine. I loves the contrast between the sweet and spicy. Thanks for sharing.
This was great!
I really want to try this recipe but have no tuna on hand. Would canned salmon work as a substitute?
This would probably be pretty good with canned salmon as well. :)
Thanks Beth! I’ll post the results.
Ooh. I’ve made tuna salad before but I’ve never made a mayo-free one (not that mine were super great to begin with lol). This really looks like an interesting variant! Do you know how well this would keep in the fridge? Not sure if it’s something I can meal prep at the start of the week or if it’s only good for a day or so in the fridge.
Yep, it holds up really well! I ate mine for at least three days (it might have been four, but I don’t remember for certain).
This was great! I left out the cayenne and it’s still got a little zing. I served open face on toast.
30 years ago, my dentist told me he mixed drained water pack tuna with an Austin, TX, favorite, Hot as Hell Relish. That item, which no longer seems to be available, was pickled shredded carrots and jalapenos, and not quite as fiery as you might expect, although there was also a Hotter than Hell version. Salad Nicoise, another mayo free tuna salad, is oil based tuna with tons of veggies. I frequently do the shredded carrot version–much like this one, adding a tsp of finely minced ginger (either fresh or pickled), a dab of finely minced pickled jalapeno, a splash of rice vinegar, but no oil at all. I particularly like the idea of using it to fill those yummy little sweet peppers. Thanks, Beth, for reminding me to grab a can of tuna for lunch tomorrow—and I’m off to buy those sprouted grain wraps!.
I just wanted to say this was amazing, and so helpful with the heat! I was serving ceviche for dinner, and then made this as well and both were amazing served on tostadas! So grateful to be able to eat good without having to turn the stove in here in the California heat! Thank you Beth!
I will try this…but hoping you recreate my favorite packet which is jalapeño!
This looks good!, i put hot sauce and mustard in my tuna salad. I do the same with egg salad. Local cafe near me puts BBQ sauce in their tuna, along with corn kernels and onion.
I’ve been recreating these Tuna packets as well but I didn’t know how to go about the Sweet and Sour one! I now keep Frank’s Buffalo Hot Sauce in the pantry because I love it on tuna.
We are having a beachday tomorrow. Tuna sandwiches!
Just generally wanted to say thank you for a tremendous site! It makes me actually want to cook! I really love budget bytes. Thank you thank you for sharing these recipes.
Ooo. Those tuna packs are my weakness. They’re delicious by themselves and make the perfect snack on strength training days when I crave extra protein. Unfortunately they’re ridiculously expensive (I mean….it’s TUNA!!). Definitely going to be making this soon!!