If you love tuna salad sandwiches or wraps, you'll love these lighter tuna salad lettuce wraps! I'm using my recipe for tuna salad without mayo and loading it with even more veggies and serving it up on butter lettuce leaves. These wraps are also gluten-free and dairy-free made creamy by using dairy-free sour cream. They're also quick and easy to make, taking just 20 minutes from start to finish. You just need to chop some veggies, mix together the tuna salad and prep the lettuce. You can actually make the tuna salad a day ahead, so all you need to do before serving is wash and dry the lettuce. It's an easy make ahead lunch for busy weekdays!
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Table of Contents
Details on the ingredients
Below is just an overview of the ingredients for this recipe. For a full list of ingredients and quantities used, please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Tuna salad - I'm using this no mayo tuna salad recipe that's also dairy-free. Feel free to change up the tuna salad recipe to suit your tastes. For this recipe, I'm using flaked white albacore tuna, lemon juice, vinegar, whole grain dijon, capers, red onion, celery, cane sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper.
- Dill pickles - While the tuna salad is already well seasoned, I like to add some dill pickle slices for extra crunch and tanginess!
- Red pepper - The tuna salad is loaded with red onion and crunchy celery, but I wanted these lettuce wraps loaded with veggies, so I added chopped red pepper. Feel free to use green pepper if you prefer, or a little jalapeño pepper for a spicy kick.
- Cucumber - Again, I wanted these wraps packed with veggies, so I added some diced cucumber, which also adds some extra crunch.
- Lettuce - The tuna salad mixture is piled onto Boston lettuce leaves. You can also use Bibb lettuce. Both varieties are a type of butter lettuce. I like butter lettuce for its soft, tender texture and vibrant green colour. Butter lettuce is easily found at most grocery stores. You will normally find it in dome shaped packaging and the leaves will still be attached to the root to maintain freshness.
- Garnishes - Totally optional, but I usually serve these wraps with fresh lemon wedges and chopped fresh parsley.
How to make tuna wraps with lettuce
Start by making a batch of no mayo tuna salad and add in the chopped red pepper and cucumber. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Carefully remove the butter lettuce leaves from the root and gently wash and dry. Arrange the leaves in a single layer on a serving platter or plates.
Add a pickle slice to each piece of lettuce. Place 2 spoonfuls of the tuna mixture on top of the pickle slice. You should have enough tuna salad for about 8-10 lettuce wraps.
Once the lettuce is topped with the tuna salad, it should be enjoyed right away.
Storage tips
The tuna salad and additional veggies can be prepped and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Since the lettuce is stored with the root attached, I like to keep it attached for as long as possible to prolong the freshness of the lettuce. For that reason, I usually wait to wash and dry the lettuce until just before using.
The assembled lettuce wraps should be enjoyed right away. I don't recommend storing the wraps in the fridge for any length of time as the tuna salad will start to make the lettuce wilt.
Recipe FAQs
I love to use butter lettuce such as Boston lettuce, but any variety can work. Just make sure the lettuce leaves are big enough and sturdy enough to hold the tuna salad. Another option I like is romaine lettuce (specifically romaine hearts). The pieces are large enough to hold a few scoops of tuna salad and they're crispy and sturdy.
Absolutely. While I would wait to wash and dry the lettuce until just before serving, you can prep the tuna salad in advance as it will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also prep any extra veggies or toppings ahead of time and store them in the fridge.
We love to serve them with fresh fruit and carrot sticks, just to keep things light. Pretzels and potato chips are also a great option. (Make sure you go with thick cut chips so you have a sturdy chip to scoop up any leftover tuna salad). You can also make some homemade air fryer pita chips or air fryer tortilla chips to serve on the side.
Key recipe tips
- When washing and drying the lettuce leaves, be gentle. They can tear and bruise easily.
- Dice your veggies into small pieces so they mix in well with the tuna and fit neatly in the lettuce wraps.
- Make sure the canned tuna is drained well before making your tuna salad. Otherwise, your lettuce wraps could end up soggy.
More tuna recipes
If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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📖 Recipe
Tuna Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
For the mayo free tuna salad:
- ½ cup dairy-free sour cream
- 1 ½ tablespoons whole grain dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cane sugar, (or granulated sugar)
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cans albacore flaked white tuna (packed in water), drained
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 2 tablespoons diced red onion
- 1 tablespoon capers, drained
- ½ cup diced red pepper
- ½ cup diced cucumber
For the wraps:
- 2-3 dill pickles, thinly sliced
- 8-10 Boston lettuce leaves, washed and dried
Optional garnishes:
- chopped fresh parsley or dill
- lemon wedges
Instructions
Make the tuna salad:
- In a medium-sized bowl, add the sour cream, mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, salt and pepper and stir to combine.
- Add the tuna, celery, red onion, capers, red pepper and cucumber. Stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate while you prep the lettuce.
Assemble the wraps:
- Gently wash and dry the lettuce leaves and arrange them in a single layer on a serving platter or plates.
- Add a pickle slice to each piece of lettuce. Place 2 spoonfuls of the tuna mixture on top of the pickle slice. You should have enough tuna salad for about 8-10 lettuce wraps.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- When washing and drying the lettuce leaves, be gentle. They can tear and bruise easily.
- Dice your veggies into small pieces so they mix in well with the tuna and fit neatly in the lettuce wraps.
- Make sure the canned tuna is well drained before making your tuna salad. Otherwise, your lettuce wraps will end up soggy.
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Nutrition Facts per Serving
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary depending on the substitutions made and the brands used.
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