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Image of a tuna salad with baby spinach, capsicum, cabbage and cherry tomatoes in a speckled white bowl

Tuna Pesto Quinoa Salad

Tuna pesto quinoa salad is simple, delicious and makes the perfect healthy lunch! There’s an abundance of colourful veggies, tuna for protein and quinoa to make this salad more substantial. Finished off with a creamy yoghurt pesto dressing to make this easy salad better than your average lunchbox! This recipe is gluten free.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Salads and Sides
Cuisine: gluten free, seafood
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 2 salads
Calories: 498kcal

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup quinoa measured uncooke
  • 60 grams baby spinach
  • 1 cup purple cabbage measured when finely sliced
  • 1/2 medium yellow capsicum
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes
  • 2 tbsp pesto
  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tbsp greek yoghurt
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 180 grams tinned tuna - suggest using either tuna canned in springwater or olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Optional extras

  • 40 grams feta cheese
  • 1/2 avocado

Instructions

  • Rinse the quinoa and prepare according to package instructions. Allow the quinoa to cool before using in the salad. This step can be done in advance and the quinoa kept in the fridge.
  • Wash and prepare the vegetables. You’ll need to finely slice the cabbage and capsicum, and cut the tomatoes in half.
  • Make the dressing. Combine pesto, olive oil, greek yoghurt, lemon juice and a pinch of salt and pepper. A dash of water can be added if the dressing is too thick. Whisk these all together in a small bowl or alternatively shake together in a small jar.
  • Assemble the salad. Toss together the vegetables (spinach, capsicum, cabbage, tomatoes), tuna, quinoa and sunflower seeds. If you are using avocado or feta, add this to the salad now.
    Please make sure to drain the excess liquid from the tuna can before you add the tuna.
    Divide the salad between two serving bowls/containers.
  • Add dressing. Drizzle over pesto dressing and season with salt and pepper again if desired. Serve the salad immediately.
  • NOTE: If you are preparing the salad in advance, leave out the tuna and the salad dressing. (You may also wish to leave any avocado out as well because it will go brown if you add it in early).
    Pack away the prepared salad in containers and add the tuna and dressing (and avocado if relevant) just before eating.

Notes

  • Besides capsicum, cabbage and tomato, other vegetables that you can add to this tuna salad include cucumber, grated carrot, grated beetroot and/or finely chopped celery.
  • You can swap the baby spinach for rocket if you prefer.
  • If you want to make this recipe dairy-free, you could make this using a dairy-free pesto and you could swap the greek yoghurt to a dairy-free mayonnaise. I would not recommend using coconut yoghurt in the dressing, the flavour is not likely to work well with pesto.
  • Because this salad recipe uses baby spinach leaves which can wilt, I would keep this salad premade in the fridge for a maximum of 2 days. Please keep the tuna and the dressing separate if you make the salad in advance.
  • Cooked quinoa will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge so you can make the quinoa ahead of time - why not make a bigger batch of quinoa and use it in some other recipes, too!
Have you made this recipe?I love seeing your creations! Take a photo and then tag me @nourish.everyday on Instagram!

Nutrition

Calories: 498kcal (25%) | Carbohydrates: 39g (13%) | Protein: 34g (68%) | Fat: 24g (37%) | Saturated Fat: 4g (25%) | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 29mg (10%) | Sodium: 238mg (10%) | Potassium: 961mg (27%) | Fiber: 6g (25%) | Sugar: 5g (6%) | Vitamin A: 4101IU (82%) | Vitamin C: 108mg (131%) | Calcium: 133mg (13%) | Iron: 5mg (28%)