Roasted Pepper and Herb Tuna Salad

I love tuna, and tuna salad. But trying to find a tuna salad recipe without mayo is pretty abysmal.

There are lots of mayo substitutes — Greek yogurt, sour cream, tofu (yes, really!) But I’m not trying to find a tuna salad recipe without mayo that is creamy or anything like that. I’m making the swap because I just don’t like mayonnaise.

I want something I can eat on crackers for lunch. That I can make on a Sunday afternoon and eat throughout the week. Tuna is the perfect protein for busy times, as it requires no cooking or even heating.

But I need my tuna to have flavor.

That’s what this recipe has. It comes from a variety of ingredients, specifically roasted peppers, and herbs. But also — and this is important — good quality tuna.

You don’t have to buy the fanciest, most expensive tuna you can find. I’ve tried many of those tiny jars of oil packed tuna that cost as much as a meal in a nice restaurant. And I have to say, while delicious, 5 ounces of tuna is not worth $15. Not for eating on crackers for lunch anyway.

But spending an extra couple dollars for a can of olive oil-packed tuna is worth the money to me.  The tuna is more moist and tender, and has much more flavor than the waterlogged variety you get in a pouch. This might just be the reason so many people eat their tuna with mayonnaise, because it needs some kind of moisture to make it palatable. I don’t know, but I’m not having it. Get good tuna.

I used basil, parsley, and chives here. Popped them in the food processor with peppers, olives, and lemon zest. A little salt, lots of pepper, and you’ve got yourself a good lunch for a couple days.