Forget Mayo And Make Your Tuna Salad With A Creamy Dip Instead

Your standard tuna salad recipe, which dates back to the early 1900s, typically contains a heaping helping of mayonnaise along with the eponymous canned fish. While we'd never diss traditional tuna salad, there may be reasons why you'd want to replace the mayo. Maybe you're looking for a lighter, less fatty alternative; you prefer something egg-free; or maybe you simply ran out. Luckily there are numerous mayonnaise swaps that will result in a flavorful tuna salad. You can always sub avocado for mayo in your tuna salad or use ranch dressing for a flavor-boosted tuna salad. To this list, we'd like to add yet another option: Make Mediterranean-inspired tuna salad by replacing the mayonnaise with tzatziki.

Tzatziki — a Greek condiment made creamy by the inclusion of yogurt — can be used in place of mayonnaise not only in tuna salad, but also in egg, potato, or chicken salad, as well. (Try tzatziki in coleslaw, too, for a flavor that balances creamy and tangy.) Not only does tzatziki provide the bulking up and emulsification that you'd typically get from mayonnaise, but it also flavors the dish with cucumber, garlic, and perhaps some dill or mint. If use it to make a tuna salad sandwich, you could carry out the Mediterranean theme by replacing the bread with pita, instead.

While tzatziki typically includes yogurt, cucumber, and garlic, there are variations that may be a bit less traditional, but better suited to your taste buds or dietary needs. For one thing, you can always use plant-based yogurt to make a vegan version. You can also swap in sour cream instead of plain yogurt for a tangy tzatziki that tastes very similar to the original.

Should you be willing to tread into completely non-traditional territory, it's even possible to make a tzatziki-ish condiment that doesn't include the cucumber. (True confession: This is how I always make it since I really don't care for cukes.) Essentially you're making a yogurt sauce flavored with lemon and garlic and maybe a few herbs such as oregano and parsley; although you can use chopped kale if you feel the need for something green. Other possible cucumber alternatives include jicama, radishes, shallots, or even grated watermelon rind (which is said to have a flavor quite similar to that of cucumber). 

Keep these variations in mind if you have a cucumber allergy but still want to make tzatziki that tastes like it's supposed to. However you make it, tzatziki lends a wonderfully creamy, tangy, and refreshing element to your favorite tuna salad.