Tuna and Tomato Salad

By Ali Slagle

Updated Oct. 12, 2023

Tuna and Tomato Salad
Andrew Purcell for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Carrie Purcell.
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Rating
4(358)
Comments
Read comments

Tuna, tomatoes and onions dressed with oil and vinegar hit all the notes of a summer salad: rich, refreshing, crunchy and fast. It’s no wonder the combination is common throughout the Mediterranean (especially in Spain and Portugal). As with all few-ingredient, no-cook dishes, the deliciousness will depend on your ingredients, so use summer-ripe tomatoes, fruity olive oil and quality tuna. (You could also add green or Kalamata olives, capers, cucumbers, white beans or herbs such as parsley, basil or oregano.) The tomato juices will blend with the oil and vinegar to make a vinaigrette you’ll want to sop every drop of, so serve this dish alongside crusty bread, grains, potatoes or eggs.

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1½pounds medium or large ripe tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
  • ½small white or red onion, thinly sliced
  • 1½tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar, plus more as needed
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1(10- to 12-ounce) can oil-packed tuna
  • 2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

258 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 7 grams monounsaturated fat; 3 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 24 grams protein; 644 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a large bowl, stir together the tomatoes, onion, vinegar, a big pinch of salt and a small grinding of pepper. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add the tuna (including its oil) and the olive oil and stir to combine. If the mixture isn’t punchy, add more vinegar, salt and pepper. (It will depend on your tomatoes.) Eat right away with another drizzle of oil, or let sit up to 30 minutes for the flavors to meld further.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
358 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Patches

Delicious, and much improved by using Marcella Hazan's approach to raw onion...submerge the slices in a bowl of cold water and squeeze. Change the water several times and repeat until no longer cloudy after squeezing. Untreated, raw onion just bosses everything else around.

MellowFred

A Palestinian friend who owns an international grocery store prepared this salad for me. He substituted lime juice for the vinegar. This is the perfect hot-weather supper when time is short.

CHM

Excellent, and easy, a welcome change from mayo-based tuna salad. I let it rest 30 minutes as recommended. I followed the commenter's tip to soak the sliced onion in cold water and squeeze dry. I added chunks of somewhat stale bread to the salad, for a sort of deconstructed sandwich.

Diane

I eat this salad frequently, minus the vinegar. Use a sweet onion like Vidalia, and the reddest ripe tomato. Sprinkle with good olive oil, crunchy sea salt, and fresh ground black pepper for best results.

John Paul

Used Tonnino filets with jalapeño for a spicy version.

Leslie

This salad is surprisingly delicious given the simple ingredients. Or maybe that's the key. I had heirloom tomatoes and used a combination of sherry vinegar and lemon juice.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.