Tuna Potato Salad

This tuna potato salad is a fun and flavorful twist on the classic potato salad! Chunks of tender tuna are combined with baby potatoes, fresh dill, red onion and a bright and tangy dressing. You can make this easy potato salad recipe in only about 25 minutes.

Potato salad is always a winner, but the standard potato salad can be a little...well, standard! If you love potato salad but are looking to mix it up a bit, you need to try this recipe for tuna potato salad!

This tuna and potato salad combines meaty chunks of tuna with tender baby potatoes, along with tons of fresh dill, red onion slices, and a tangy dressing made with red wine vinegar, lemon juice, oregano and garlic.

You only need about 25 minutes to make this flavorful potato salad, and, the flavor gets even better the next day, making this a great "make ahead" recipe for lunch or a quick dinner!

Jump to:

• Recipe ingredients
• Step by step photos
• Tips and tricks
• Recipe variations
• Serving suggestions
• Storage instructions
• Recipe FAQs
• What to serve with tuna potato salad:
• 📖 Recipe

Recipe ingredients

Ingredient notes

• Baby potatoes: these are a great option for potato salad because they are easy to prep and hold their shape well after cooking. But, you can use any waxy potato such as red skin potatoes, yellow potatoes or fingerling potatoes.
• Canned tuna: you can use any type of tuna you like, but my top pick is solid tuna packed in oil. Solid tuna gives firm, large pieces that hold their shape well, and the oil gives the tuna a rich, moist texture.
• Lemon juice: freshly-squeezed lemon juice will give the best flavor. You only need 2 tablespoons so just one lemon should be enough.

Step by step photos

Here is how to make the tuna potato salad, step by step!

1. The first step is to prep the potatoes. If your potatoes aren't pre-washed, give them a good scrub with water. Then, cut the baby potatoes in half. If you're using larger waxy potatoes, cut them into about 1 ½ inch (3.8 cm) chunks.

Once the potatoes are cut, put them into a large saucepan. Cover the potatoes with about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of cold water. Gently simmer the potatoes in generously salted water until they are fork-tender.

2. While the potatoes are cooking, we can prep the other ingredients. Finely slice the red onion and chop the fresh dill. And, mince the garlic. I used a garlic press here to make it easy on myself!

3. Next, mix up the dressing. In a large bowl, add the salt, oregano, grainy mustard, extra-virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar and lemon juice. Whisk the dressing to combine.

4. After the potatoes are done cooking, drain them and rinse them under cold water to cool them down a bit. They should still be warm afterwards, just not piping hot.

Add the cooked potatoes to the bowl with the dressing, and stir them to coat each potato in the dressing.

5. Now, we add in the sliced onion, dill, and drained tuna. Stir the salad together gently, just to combine all the ingredients. Taste the salad and add in a bit more salt if needed.

Tips and tricks

• After adding the tuna, dill and onion, be sure to stir the salad gently so as not to break the tuna up into too many tiny pieces. It's nice when you get big chunks of meaty tuna in the salad!

• When cooking the potatoes, be sure to use a gentle boil (not a full rolling boil). I found that when using a full boil, some of the potatoes broke up into small pieces and got mushy before they were all done cooking.

• And, when cooking the potatoes, use a generous amount of salt in the water (I like to use about 1 tablespoon). Adding salt to the cooking water is the best way to season the interior of the potatoes, ensuring you get the most flavorful potato salad possible!

Recipe variations

The ingredients for this potato salad with tuna are pretty simple, so there are plenty of ways to customize the recipe to your own tastes. Here are some substitution and addition ideas:

• If you don't have lemon juice, you can substitute an equal amount of red wine vinegar. (And vice versa - if you don't have red wine vinegar, replace it with an equal amount of lemon juice.)

• Don't like the flavor of dill? Feel free to substitute an equal amount of any fresh leafy herb that you like. Some good options are parsley, cilantro, basil, or chives (or a combo of these!).

• If you want to amp up the tangy, briny flavors in the salad, try adding in some capers, chopped green olives, and/or chopped cornichons.

Serving suggestions

• If you'd like to garnish the potato tuna salad, try wedges of lemon and/or extra sprigs of fresh dill.

• This tuna potato salad is delicious served right away, while the potatoes are still warm. Or, you can store the salad covered in the fridge for a few hours or overnight to let the flavors merry. Then, serve it cold or at room temperature.

• If the olive oil has solidified after being stored in the fridge, let the salad sit at room temperature for 20 - 30 minutes, then stir the salad again before serving.

• Pair the salad with soup, sandwiches, or cooked veggies for lunch or dinner. (Try my recipes for easy black bean soup and grilled halloumi sandwich!)

Storage instructions

• Store the tuna and potato salad in the fridge, tightly covered. It will last in the fridge for 3 - 4 days.

• As the salad sits in the fridge, the potatoes will continue to absorb the dressing and the herbs and onions will soften. To refresh the leftovers, you can add in some more freshly chopped herbs and an extra drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice and/or red wine vinegar.

Recipe FAQs

What to serve with tuna potato salad:

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📖 Recipe