One kitchen essential has the perfect consistency and taste to make a creamy tuna filling without the need for mayonnaise and it’s much healthier
Tuna mayo is a classic lunchtime staple, easy to rustle up and made from cupboard essentials, but it can sometimes taste a bit greasy. Traditional recipes often use mayonnaise to give the tuna a smoother texture, but this can make it overly oily.
However, Lisa Goldfinger, a chef and founder of Panning the Globe, has shared a simple trick for making a creamy tuna mix without any mayonnaise.
She said: “If you love creamy tuna salad but you’re reluctant to add loads of mayo, I’m with you. Most tuna salad recipes suggest one to four tablespoons of mayo per serving. That’s between 180 and 360 calories of fat per serving, just from the mayo alone. Delicious for sure but not the healthiest and also not necessary because plain low-fat yoghurt is a great substitute for mayonnaise.”
Yoghurt is one of the best alternatives to mayonnaise, offering a fresher taste, reports the Express. This kitchen staple is naturally thick and creamy, which helps give your tuna mix the same excellent consistency without the fats and preservatives found in shop-bought mayonnaise, reports the Express.
Too much mayonnaise can overpower the true flavour of tuna, giving it a slightly eggy taste, which can spoil the dish.
Mayonnaise can cause the tuna mix to go off within two hours in warm weather due to the extra fat, potentially spoiling your food at a barbecue or outdoor event. However, yoghurt is light and adds a slightly tangy flavour to your tuna, pairing beautifully with lemon juice or radishes for a delightful Mediterranean taste.
How to make your tuna salad and sandwiches taste better without mayonnaise
Ingredients
- One can of tuna (140g)
- 120ml of plain low-fat yoghurt
- Three tablespoons of chopped radishes
- Three tablespoons of chopped red onion
- Two tablespoons of capers (one whole, one chopped up)
- Two teaspoons of Dijon mustard
- One lemon (one half to juice, one half for wedges)
- Salt (to taste)
Method
Begin by opening the tuna, draining any water, and placing it in a bowl. Use a fork to mash the tuna until it’s smooth.
Add the yoghurt, radishes, onions, capers, mustard and a pinch of salt. Squeeze a lemon and add one teaspoon of its juice.
If you prefer a creamier tuna filling, add more yoghurt, and adjust the amount of lemon juice or salt according to your personal taste.
Mix everything together and your delicious tuna filling is ready to be tossed into a salad or spread on a sandwich.