brussels sprout tuna salad sandwich on plate

This Brussels sprouts tuna salad was fate. And a few hundred miles away facing another computer screen, my mom is rolling her eyes.

See, my mom knows my love of Brussels sprouts — in fact, she regularly ribs me for it because she knows that on any given night, I’m probably eating them. I can’t help it: halved and roasted, whole and steamed, shredded and raw, my fondness for them knows no bounds.

So as any doting mom would, she recently suggested I try making a Brussels sprouts Caesar salad when she found a recipe for one the other day. And for whatever reason, I didn’t hear her say Caesar salad; instead, I heard tuna salad, and that was it for me. I could think of getting nothing else into my life but the tuna salad (though that Caesar salad is destined for my future, too).

ingredients ready for mixing on table

If there is anything I love as much as the Brussels sprout, it’s tuna salad. And here is where I am sure I’ve lost half of the population’s interest, along with those people who hate cilantro (I love it) and raisins in oatmeal cookies (yes, please). I hope some of you will still be my friend.

To me, tuna salad evokes so many feelings of comfort and simplicity and nostalgia. And Brussels sprouts are just plain delicious. So the two, combined with lemon, salt and pepper and mayo, were MFEO.

mixing tuna salad in bowl

mixing ingredients in bowl

mixed tuna salad in bowl

I admittedly feel a little silly sitting here telling you how to make a tuna salad, which I believe is one of those basic recipe rites of passage to the kitchen along with quesadillas and scrambled eggs. But sometimes we need a reminder of how good the simple things taste, and perhaps a little inspiration to kick it up a notch, as well. That is why I am so newly swooning over this combination of crunchy, raw, shredded sprouts mixed with creamy mayo (make it the real thing, pretty please), tangy lemon juice, a sprinkle of salt, a few flecks of pepper and savory tuna. And I think if you throw caution to the wind and give it a try, you soon will swoon, too.

This is one of those recipes that offers so much opportunity for variation, it can barely be given due justice with any one list of ingredients. So the recipe below, though delicious in its own right, is just the bare bones; it’s up to you and your creativity to come up with the rest.

slicing bread for tuna salad sandwich

preparing tuna salad sandwich

But in case you need some ideas, let me spill all of mine out here onto the screen for you:

Things to mix into the tuna salad —
Lemon zest
Pickle relish
Diced celery
Greek yogurt instead of mayo, for a tangier flavor
Diced apples
Raisins (!)
Chopped herbs or dried spices (like curry or Old Bay)
Sriracha or another hot sauce

Things to serve the tuna salad on/with —
More salad (like, lettuce)
Bread (toasted or untoasted, plain or with a smear of Dijon mustard or butter)
Avocado halves
Crackers
Tortilla chips
Scooped-out tomatoes
Pasta

open tuna salad sandwich on plate

Oh, my beloved Brussels and tuna. This is livin’, you guys.

tuna salad sandwich on plate

I see you rolling your eyes again, Mom.

5 from 2 votes

Easy Brussels Sprout Tuna Salad

An easy tuna salad recipe with hidden shredded Brussels sprouts! Build a sandwich or scoop onto a salad for a light lunch!
Servings: 2 Sandwiches
tuna salad sandwich on plate
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!
Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.

Ingredients 

  • 10 ounces chunk light tuna in water, 2, 5 oz cans
  • 1 shallot, halved and thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ½ cup Brussels sprouts, shaved/shredded, or more if desired
  • Salt and pepper
  • multigrain sandwich bread, if desired

Instructions 

  • Use a can opener to open the cans of tuna. Then, over a sink, use the lids pressed against the upside-down cans to squeeze out and drain the liquid (there will be some liquid left in the tuna; that's OK). Transfer the tuna to a medium bowl.
  • Add sliced shallot and lemon juice to bowl, along with 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1/2 cup shaved Brussels sprouts, a good sprinkling of salt and a few cracks of pepper. Taste. If desired, add more mayonnaise, shaved sprouts, lemon juice, salt and/or pepper.
  • Serve on (toasted or untoasted) bread, with crackers, in an avocado half, etc.

Nutrition

Calories: 280kcal, Carbohydrates: 5g, Protein: 37g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.03g, Cholesterol: 48mg, Sodium: 167mg, Potassium: 474mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 255IU, Vitamin C: 23mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

iconLike this recipe? Rate & comment below!

icon

Stephanie Wise

Stephanie Wise is the founder and creator of Girl Versus Dough. She started sharing her bread baking adventures and recipes in 2009. Her love of bread only deepened as her skills and knowledge expanded. What began as a place to try others recipes quickly became a collection of her own creations!

You May Also Like

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

51 Comments

  1. Paty says:

    5 stars
    Love tuna, adore brussel sprouts. Putting them together is incredible. Used Greek yogurt instead of mayo, chopped green onions, lime juice on toasted gluten free bread spread with avocado. Heaven on a plate.

  2. Anne Forster says:

    5 stars
    I made this last night and it was perfect! I did not have mayo and used sour cream just until I could blend it together. I also used red onions, all I had! It was delicious!

  3. Nat says:

    Great recipe. I tried it in a flour tortilla with some extra greens thrown in and it was delicious and super healthy!

  4. Angel says:

    I just made your tuna salad recipe!! so good!!! thank you

  5. JD says:

    OMG! I thought I was all alone in the world with my absolute L-O-V-E for Brussel sprouts!
    Came here due to a search based on ingredients – can’t make this today, but next time I have bread in the house, I can see it happening.

  6. Oat&Sesame says:

    I too share your love of the brussel sprout. I have several planted in my garden right now! I hope to get lots of them! I had never thought of adding shaved brussels to my tuna salad! This is great and I’m in luck because I have all the ingredients on hand! Already looking forward to lunch tomorrow!

  7. Stephanie says:

    Leisa — I bought mine pre-shredded, but you can also shred them with a box grater or in the food processor!

  8. Leisa Joan says:

    how does one shave the brussels sprouts?