This Mexican Tuna Salad (Ensalada de atún or Atún a la Mexicana) is light, fresh, and perfect for any summer day. Made with simple ingredients like canned tuna, onion, tomatoes, serranos, and spices, it’s the ideal combination of flavors. Serve this on tortilla chips, lettuce wraps, or a tostada for a healthy lunch or appetizer.
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Easy Ensalada de Atún | Atún a la Mexicana
I am happy to share with you this super easy and tasty recipe. This is one of those dishes that goes well with many things. It can be served as an appetizer or a light and healthy lunch. Besides, it is ideal if you have a few minutes and need a protein pack meal.
This healthy Mexican tuna salad only uses one tbsp. of vegetable oil. Making this Mexican tuna salad an excellent option for a low-calorie, high-protein, and low-carb recipe. Try this tuna mixture as empanada filling. Yes! empanadas filled with seafood are delicious food sold in beach towns all over Mexico.
In Tampico, my hometown, seafood empanadas were very popular during Lent time. Street food vendors walk along the beach holding a basket with shrimp, crab, and fish empanadas to sell to thousands of tourists at the local beach, but you can make them using this Mexican tuna recipe. Give it a try; they are delicious, and you will love them!
Frequently Asked Questions About Mexican Tuna Salad.
Before I share my recipe, I will answer the questions I usually get about this easy recipe.
What mixes well with canned tuna?
Canned tuna is one of those proteins that goes well with many different ingredients. We love mixing it with tomato, onions, and jalapeño peppers in Mexico like this recipe. Another favorite is adding chipotle peppers and mayonnaise for a quick snack. Canned tuna can also be mixed with mayo and mixed veggies like carrots, peas, corn kernels, and even red bell peppers to add some crunch to the recipe.
What is the best Mexican brand of canned tuna?
There are many brands in Mexico to choose from, with Dolores and Herdez being the most popular. You can find tuna in cans, packages, in different bases, in oil and water, and depending on the brand's texture. But for this recipe, any canned tuna you have in hand will work.
How long does Mexican Tuna Salad good for?
Store leftover Mexican tuna salad in the fridge for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container. You can always reheat it for a few minutes in a cooking pan or enjoy it cold.
How to Make Mexican Tuna Salad Recipe
Here are the ingredients you'll need to make this dish:
- Vegetable oil
- white onion
- Garlic clove
- Serrano pepper
- Tomato
- Fresh or dried thyme
- Fresh parsley
- Dried Mexican oregano
- Canned Tuna
- Salt & pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
This Mexican tuna salad is a super straightforward recipe, no need to separate it into sections.
- Heat the corn oil in the skillet over medium heat, add the onion, and sauté until transparent; this will take a few minutes.
- Now add the minced garlic and continue frying for about two minutes.
- Add the Serrano pepper to cook for another couple of minutes, stirring with onion and garlic.
- Stir in minced tomatoes, lower the stove's heat, and place the lid on the pan. Let it cook for about 6-8 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water to the pan if the tomatoes are too dry.
- Add canned tuna and herbs to the sauce, and stir. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes, just long enough to mix flavors, and the tuna is hot.
Serve with rice and a salad or on corn tortilla chips.
¡Buen provecho!
Mely,
What To Serve With Mexican Tuna Salad
This easy Mexican tuna salad is great as a main dish with rice and salad and as a topping for corn tostadas, tortilla chips, or crackers. It can also be used as a filling for tacos, empanadas, sandwiches, lettuce wraps, or in a crusty French roll. However, if you are on a diet or looking for something light, try it in avocado halves, cucumber, or celery with a dash of lime juice.
More Authentic Mexican Recipes:
If you enjoyed this recipe for Mexican tuna salad, take a look at some of these other authentic Mexican recipes:
I hope you make this recipe, and if it was of any help, come back to let me know your experience. Please leave us a comment below and tell us all about it!
¡Buen provecho!
Mely
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📖 Recipe
Mexican Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Mazola corn oil
- ⅓ Cup white onion finely chopped.
- 1 garlic clove minced
- 1 Serrano pepper finely chopped
- 1 Cup tomato diced
- 1 small branch thyme or ½ teaspoon dried
- 2 branches parsley chopped
- ½ teaspoon dried Mexican oregano
- 1 can 12oz/310g Tuna, drained
- Salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the corn oil in the skillet over medium heat, add the onion, and sauté until transparent; this will take a few minutes.
- Now add the minced garlic and continue frying for about two minutes.
- Add the Serrano pepper to cook for another couple of minutes, stirring with onion and garlic.
- Stir in minced tomatoes, lower the stove's heat, and place the lid on the pan. Let it cook for about 6-8 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water to the pan if the tomatoes are too dry.
- Add canned tuna and herbs to the sauce, and stir. Season with salt and pepper, and cook for about 5 minutes, just long enough to mix flavors, and the tuna is hot.
Serve with rice and a salad, or on corn tortilla chips.
Notes
- Try switching the serrano peppers to jalapeno peppers for a less spicy Mexican tuna salad.
- If you find the white onions too strong for you, swap to purple onions for a milder flavor and a splash of color.
- And lastly, add other herbs and spices like fresh cilantro or cumin to your recipe.
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Adriana Byers
Wow! I made this recipe, and it was a hit with my family. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I can’t believe I never thought of using canned tuna this way.
Maria Mora
does it have to be corn oil?
Mely Martínez
Hello Maria,
No, you can actually use another type of cooking oils.
Marc.825
This is a really fine way to used canned Tuna! heck, we all keep some on hand for a quick meal fall-back plan. But - this is 1000 times better than Tunafish Salad. I prefer and suggest Tuna in Oil (not just water). Brava e grazie.
GlorV1
Sounds great. I'd probably use the packaged tuna. It tastes a lot fresher. I always use Mazola. Have a great day/evening Mely.