Make Ahead: Chop the vegetables and mix the dressing in advance, but store them separately. Combine everything with the tuna just before serving to keep the texture fresh and crisp. Once mixed, the tuna salad is best enjoyed within 24 hours.

Substitutes & Tips:

Vegetables: Swap radish with chopped carrot for a slightly sweeter crunch, or cucumber for a milder, refreshing option.

The Dressing: Tahini swap-  Use sunflower seed butter (nut-free), almond butter, or cashew butter in place of tahini. Whisk with 2–3 tbsp water (instead of 2 tbsp) to thin until smooth and pourable before adding the remaining ingredients. Dijon Mustard – Adds tang and helps emulsify the dressing. Reduce to 2 tsp if preferred, or swap with whole grain (milder, more texture) or yellow mustard (subtle flavor).

Nuts/Seeds: Use sunflower seeds or pumpkin seeds for a nut-free option, or swap with chopped almonds or walnuts.

Optional Dried Fruit: For a hint of sweetness to balance the mustard dressing, add the 2 tbsp chopped dried apricots. If you don’t have dried apricots, dried cranberries or cherries also work well.

Serving Tip: I love serving this tuna salad tucked into a pita or over toasted sourdough. For gluten-free options, BFree gluten-free pita or sourdough or Franz gluten-free deli-style sourdough bread are my favorites.