Tuna Salad with Ginger Sesame Lime Dressing
When it’s far too hot to spend much time in the kitchen, this is the kind of meal I crave: fresh, colorful, satisfying, and easy to put together.
I’ve been making this Asian-inspired Tuna Salad almost every week lately. It combines tuna and edamame with crunchy purple cabbage, shredded carrots, green onions, and sesame seeds, all tossed in a delicious ginger sesame lime dressing.
It feels light and refreshing, but the combination of protein, fiber, colorful vegetables, and healthy fats makes it satisfying enough to enjoy as a complete meal. The only ingredient that requires any cooking is the edamame, and even that can be prepared in just a few minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Salad
This recipe is:
Healthy, nutritious, and full of flavor
Rich in both animal and plant-based protein
Easy to prepare with minimal cooking
Perfect for meal prep
Edamame: A Complete Plant-Based Protein
Edamame are young soybeans, and one of my favorite ways to make a salad more nourishing and protein-rich. Unlike most plant foods, soy provides all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete source of plant-based protein.
Edamame also contains fiber, folate, and iron. In this recipe, it adds a slightly sweet flavor and satisfying texture while complementing the protein from the tuna. Soy foods are generally considered safe for most people and can be part of an overall balanced diet.
Purple Cabbage: Rich in Anthocyanins
Purple cabbage gives this salad its beautiful color and much of its crunch. Its rich purple pigment comes from anthocyanins, a group of polyphenol compounds found in red and purple foods such as berries, cherries, and purple sweet potatoes.
Anthocyanins act as antioxidants, helping protect cells from oxidative stress. Purple cabbage also provides fiber and vitamin C, making it an easy and affordable way to add more color and plant variety to a meal.
Carrots: Beta-Carotene for Vision and Immune Health
Carrots add sweetness, color, and even more crunch. They are especially well known for their beta-carotene content, a carotenoid that the body can convert into vitamin A.
Vitamin A supports healthy vision, immune function, growth, and healthy cell development. Because the salad dressing contains sesame oil, it also provides some dietary fat, which helps the body absorb fat-soluble carotenoids such as beta-carotene.
How to Choose a Lower-Mercury Tuna
Credit: Serious Eats / Amanda Suarez
Tuna is a convenient source of protein, but the amount of mercury it contains can vary depending on the species and the size of the fish. When shopping for canned tuna, look for canned light tuna, ideally labeled skipjack, which is generally lower in mercury than albacore, white, or yellowfin tuna. The FDA classifies canned light tuna as a “Best Choice,” while albacore and yellowfin are categorized as “Good Choices” that should be eaten less frequently.
It is also worth remembering that mercury levels can vary from can to can. Consumer Reports found that although light tuna was generally lower in mercury than albacore, occasional unexpected spikes occurred in both varieties. Rather than relying only on a particular brand or a “wild-caught” claim, check the tuna species on the label, choose skipjack or canned light tuna more often, and rotate tuna with other lower-mercury seafood such as salmon, sardines, or shrimp. This is especially important for anyone who is pregnant, may become pregnant, is breastfeeding, or is preparing tuna for children.
Tuna Salad with Ginger Sesame Lime Dressing
Serves 2-3 | Cook time: 5 min | Total Prep Time: 20 min
Ingredients
2 cans of tuna, drained
1 cup cooked and shelled edamame
2 cups thinly sliced purple cabbage
1 cup shredded carrots
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
For the ginger sesame lime dressing
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon coconut aminos
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Juice of 1 lime
1 small garlic clove, finely grated or minced
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
Directions
Add the drained tuna, cooked edamame, chopped purple cabbage, shredded carrots, green onions, and sesame seeds to a large bowl.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, coconut aminos, sesame oil, lime juice, garlic, and ginger.
Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss until all the ingredients are evenly coated. Taste and adjust as needed. Enjoy!
Additional Tips:
For a more filling meal, serve it over rice, noodles, or quinoa.
For more creaminess, add avocado.
For extra crunch, top it with chopped cashews or peanuts.
You can also use pre-shredded cabbage and carrots and frozen shelled edamame to make preparation even easier.
If you are watching your sodium intake, choose no-salt-added tuna and use reduced-sodium soy sauce.
I love recipes like this because they make healthy eating feel simple, not like another task to complete. I hope you try and love it as much as I do💜
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