Tuna Salad Without Mayo or Yogurt

Published: Jul 19, 2023 · Modified: Apr 5, 2026 by Leanne

You'll love this creamy, dairy-free tuna salad without mayo or yogurt! It's tangy, delicious and loaded with crunchy celery and red onion. Many of the no mayo tuna salad recipes you'll find use yogurt as the substitute for mayo. I wanted to make this tuna salad recipe dairy-free, and since I haven't found a thick, dairy-free yogurt that I like yet, I used dairy-free sour cream instead. It's thick, creamy and tangy like yogurt, and works perfectly in this recipe. Prep this one ahead for busy weekdays and serve it with your favorite crackers for a protein packed snack or enjoy it as a meal in these tuna lettuce wraps.

Overhead view of no mayo tuna salad in a bowl with veggies and crackers on the side.

Want to save this recipe for later?

Enter your email address and I'll send it straight to your inbox. You'll also receive new recipes from me regularly!

Table of Contents

Details on the ingredients
How to make tuna salad without mayo
Recipe substitutions and variations
FAQs
Key recipe tips
More recipes made without mayo
📖 Recipe

Details on the ingredients

Below is just an overview of the ingredients. Please see the recipe card at the end of the post for the exact quantities used.

Ingredients to make tuna salad without mayo arranged in individual dishes.

Tuna - I used flaked white albacore tuna packed in water. For a chunkier version, you can also use solid white albacore tuna. I wanted to keep this recipe light, but for additional flavor, you can use a tuna that's packed in oil.
Sour cream - To keep this recipe dairy-free, you'll want to use dairy-free sour cream. I've tried a number of different brands, and there is definitely some difference in flavor and texture. A thick sour cream, like Tofutti, works best for this recipe.
Lemon juice - This adds extra tanginess to the sour cream. Be sure to use freshly squeezed instead of bottled lemon juice.
Vinegar - A little apple cider vinegar also adds tanginess. You can use distilled white vinegar as well.
Mustard - For even more flavor and texture, we are opting for whole grain dijon mustard in this recipe. It adds a sharp, peppery punch. Feel free to use regular dijon mustard if you prefer.
Sugar - To balance all of the tangy flavor, you'll need just half a teaspoon of sugar. I used cane sugar, but you can also use granulated sugar.
Seasonings - We're keeping it simple with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
Celery - I absolutely love the crunch of celery with tuna. You'll need 3 stalks diced into small pieces.
Red onion - For more crisp texture and flavor, diced red onion is also added to the tuna salad. Feel free to use yellow or white onion for a bolder flavor, or use chopped green onion or chives.
Capers - These are small little buds that come from caper bushes. They are usually pickled and add a salty, savoury flavor to dishes.

How to make tuna salad without mayo

This recipe couldn't be easier to make!

First, add the sour cream, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, sugar and seasonings to a bowl and stir until combined.

Sour cream mixture stirred together in a bowl with cans of tuna, capers, chopped onion and celery surrounding it.

Then, add in the drained tuna, red onion, celery and capers. Stir until everything is combined.

Serve immediately or cover and store in the fridge for an hour or so to let the flavors meld.

Tuna salad ingredients mixed together in a bowl.

Recipe substitutions and variations

For even more flavor, add some sweet green relish or chopped dill pickles.
Replace the red onion with chopped green onion or chives.
Replace some of the chopped celery with finely chopped or shredded carrots.
Add chopped red or green peppers, or for a spicy kick, some chopped jalapeños.
Speaking of spicing it up, add some crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
For a smokey flavor, add a little smoked paprika or chili powder.
If you don't need the recipe to be dairy-free, use regular sour cream or Greek yogurt.
I also love this recipe with my homemade cashew mayo instead of sour cream. Just use half a cup of the mayo and leave out the lemon juice, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder and onion powder from the tuna salad recipe as the cashew mayo is already well seasoned.

Side view of tuna salad in a small bowl on a platter.

FAQs

How long will this tuna salad last?

If stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it should last for up to 3 days.

How do you serve this tuna salad recipe?

We love it served with a plate of crackers, pretzels and veggies. Thick cut chips, air fryer pita chips or air fryer tortilla chips are also great for scooping up the tuna salad. It's also delicious served as a wrap or sandwich using your favorite bread, croissants, bagels, tortillas or lettuce leaves.

Key recipe tips

Dice the celery and red onion into small pieces so they mix well with the tuna and other ingredients.
To avoid a watery tuna salad, make sure the canned tuna is well drained.
While you can enjoy the tuna salad right away, I like to let it rest in the fridge for about an hour to let the flavors blend.
If you want a creamier tuna salad, feel free to use a little more sour cream.
Make sure your sour cream is thick and creamy. Runnier sour creams may make the tuna salad a little runny.

Tuna salad in a bowl on a platter with crackers and veggies surrounding it and lemon wedges and chopped parsley on the side.

More recipes made without mayo

If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below!

HUNGRY FOR MORE? Sign up for our newsletter and follow Crumb Top Baking on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook!