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When I want a lunch that is fresh, light, and full of texture, this Crunchy Tuna Salad always does the trick. I love classic tuna salad, but sometimes I am in the mood for something with a lot more crunch. This version uses finely chopped cabbage as the base, along with sweet dried cranberries and a little Dijon for brightness. It is refreshing, satisfying, and perfect for days when I do not want to cook.

I first came across the idea of adding cabbage to tuna salad from a recipe adapted from The Kitchn. After trying it once, I was hooked. It tastes crisp and clean, keeps well in the fridge, and feels a little different from the usual tuna-and-mayo mix.

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Crunchy Tuna Salad in blue bowl in front of plate with toast.
WW Friendly Crunchy Tuna Salad

Why I Love This Recipe

Fresh and crunchy. Cabbage adds great volume without many calories.
Simple ingredients. Everything mixes together in minutes.
Light and WW friendly. A balanced lunch with only 2 Points per serving.
Make ahead friendly. Stays crisp and tasty for up to two days.
Easy to customize. Swap the dried fruit, greens, or dressing to match what I have on hand.

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Tuna – Use canned tuna packed in water, well drained. You can also use canned salmon or leftover cooked chicken or turkey.
  • Cabbage – Finely chopped green or red cabbage works well. I often take a bagged coleslaw mix and chop it more finely with a knife for convenience.
  • Chives or green onion – Adds mild onion flavor. Red onion, parsley, or fresh dill also work nicely.
  • Reduced sugar dried cranberries – Provide color and a hint of sweetness. Use raisins, chopped apple, or diced grapes as alternatives.
  • Light mayonnaise – A small amount goes a long way. You can use full-fat or avocado mayo if preferred.
  • Plain nonfat Greek yogurt – Keeps the salad creamy while cutting calories. Use low-fat if you prefer a milder tang.
  • Dijon mustard – Adds a touch of sharpness. A squeeze of lemon juice is another good option.
  • Salt and pepper – Season to taste.

How Many Calories and WW Points in this Easy Crunchy Tuna Salad?

According to my calculations, each 1-cup serving has:

  • Calories: 160
  • WW Points: 2
    To see your WW Points for this recipe, track it in the WW App!
    (You must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
  • Old WW Points: 4 PointsPlus

How to Make Easy Crunchy Tuna Salad Step by Step

Step 1: Gather and prep

  • Gather and prep all your ingredients.

Step 2: Mix

  • In a medium mixing bowl, break up the tuna with a fork and mix thoroughly with the cabbage. Stir in the chives, cranberries, mayonnaise, yogurt and mustard. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3: Serve or store

  • Eat immediately or refrigerate for up to two days.

Recipe Notes

  • This salad is more cabbage than tuna, which makes it perfect when I want something light but satisfying.
  • A small squeeze of lemon juice brightens the flavor even more.
  • Serve it on whole grain toast, tucked into a pita, rolled into a wrap, spooned over mixed greens, or paired with whole grain crackers.
  • For a fun appetizer, scoop it into mini phyllo shells.
  • Leftover cooked chicken or turkey works well as a substitute for tuna.
Blue ceramic bowl with crunchy tuna salad.
Easy, Healthy Tuna Salad

If you enjoy this skinny cabbage crunch tuna salad, be sure to check out some of my other easy, healthy Weight Watchers friendly recipes including Chicken Salad with Apples and Cranberries, Chicken Salad with Chutney and Curry, Easy Asian Chicken Salad, WW Easy Egg Salad, Healthy Broccoli Slaw with Cranberries and No-Cook Spicy Shrimp Rolls

If you’ve made this Crunchy Low Fat Tuna Salad, please give the recipe a star rating below and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. And stay in touch on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for the latest updates.

4.56 from 45 votes

Crunchy Tuna Salad Recipe

A great variation on traditional tuna salad, this healthy crunchy tuna salad recipe is full of flavor and owes its texture to the addition of a generous amount of finely shredded cabbage.
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Servings: 2
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Ingredients 

  • 1 can (5 ounces) water packed tuna, drained
  • 2 cups finely chopped green or red cabbage (I ran my knife through bagged cole slaw mix to chop it up more finely)
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped chives or green onion
  • 1 tablespoon reduced-sugar dried cranberries, finely chopped
  • 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons plain non-fat Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

  • In a medium mixing bowl, break up the tuna with a fork and mix thoroughly with the cabbage.
  • Stir in the chives, cranberries, mayonnaise, yogurt and mustard.
  • Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.
  • Eat immediately or refrigerate for up to two days.

Notes

Serving size: 1 cup
WW Points: 2
Check the WW Points for this recipe and track it in the WW app.
(Must be logged into WW on a smartphone or tablet.)
4 PointsPlus (Old plan)
Serve atop whole grain toast, stuffed into a pita, rolled into a wrap, spread on Triscuits, or spooned into little phyllo shells.
I think this would work well with leftover cooked chicken or turkey too.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup, Calories: 160kcal, Carbohydrates: 11g, Protein: 22g, Fat: 3.4g, Saturated Fat: 0.5g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.01g, Cholesterol: 33mg, Sodium: 281mg, Potassium: 343mg, Fiber: 2.2g, Sugar: 9g, Vitamin A: 248IU, Vitamin C: 28mg, Calcium: 79mg, Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Lunch, Salad
Cuisine: American
Tried this recipe?Mention @simplenourishedliving or tag #simplenourishedliving!

Source: The Kitchn

More WW-Friendly Easy and Healthy Tuna Recipes

If you enjoyed this easy healthy crunchy tuna salad you’re sure to love:

If You Want Even More Easy, WW Friendly Recipes

Take a look at my Ultimate eCookbook Bundle, filled with simple, comforting, practical recipes to support your slow and steady weight loss journey.

About Martha McKinnon

Weight Watchers Lifetime Member, Yoga Practitioner and Blogger who loves to share her passion for trying to create a happy, healthy, balanced life in what often feels like an overwhelming out of control world.

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4.56 from 45 votes (34 ratings without comment)

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22 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Martha! Great recipe, I was craving rye toast this morning and thought why not make tunafish for breakfast!
    Delicious! I used kale and spinach instead of cabbage as that was all I had available. I LOVE coleslaw. Tuna with cabbage? Will have to try it. Do you have a coleslaw recipe?

    I’m going to use this as my base recipe and will vary additional ingredients. Endless possibilities!
    Thank you and have a great day Martha!
    Joe in Omaha

  2. 5 stars
    Love the ingredients One question ? Could I use an avocado instead of yogurt & mayo to mash together . We do not like to mix dairy with meat
    Thank you

    1. Hi Eileen,
      We have only tried the recipe as written. We haven’t tried avocado. If you do, would love to know how it turns out for you! ~Martha