I never thought to add tuna to coleslaw until a friend brought it to a potluck years ago. I’ll admit, I was skeptical at first—tuna in a side dish? But one bite changed my mind completely.
Turns out, mixing protein-packed tuna with crunchy coleslaw creates something that works as either a main dish or a hearty side. It’s basically a cross between tuna salad and coleslaw, taking the best parts of both. The creamy dressing ties everything together, and the fresh dill gives it a little something extra without being fussy about it.
This recipe comes together in about 10 minutes, which makes it perfect for those nights when you need dinner on the table fast. No cooking required—just chopping, mixing, and you’re done.
Why You’ll Love This Tuna Coleslaw
- Ready in 15 minutes – This is one of those recipes you can throw together when you need lunch or dinner fast, with no cooking required.
- Keto-friendly and low-carb – Using sugar substitute and keto mayo keeps the carbs low while still delivering all the creamy, tangy flavor you want from coleslaw.
- High in protein – The tuna adds a solid protein boost, making this more than just a side dish—it’s a complete meal on its own.
- Minimal ingredients – Most of these are pantry staples or things you can grab quickly at the store, so you won’t need to hunt down anything fancy.
- Perfect for meal prep – Make a batch at the beginning of the week and you’ll have easy lunches ready to go for days.
What Kind of Tuna Should I Use?
For this tuna coleslaw, you can use either chunk light or solid white albacore tuna – both work great. Chunk light tends to be a bit more budget-friendly and has a milder flavor, while albacore is firmer and has a slightly richer taste. Make sure to drain your tuna really well before adding it to the slaw, since extra liquid can make your coleslaw watery and dilute the dressing. If you prefer, you can also use tuna packed in olive oil instead of water for a bit more flavor, just be sure to drain it thoroughly.
Options for Substitutions
This tuna coleslaw is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:
- Coleslaw mix: If you don’t have a pre-made coleslaw mix, just shred your own cabbage (green, purple, or a mix of both) and add some shredded carrots. You’ll need about 4 cups total.
- Tuna: Canned chicken or salmon work great as alternatives. You could also use leftover rotisserie chicken, shredded into bite-sized pieces.
- Keto mayonnaise: Regular mayonnaise works perfectly fine if you’re not following a keto diet. You can also use half mayo and half Greek yogurt for a lighter version.
- Sour cream: Plain Greek yogurt is a good swap here and adds a nice tang. You can also use all mayo (increase to ¾ cup total) if you don’t have sour cream on hand.
- Sugar substitute: If you’re not watching carbs, regular granulated sugar works just fine. You can also leave it out entirely if you prefer a less sweet coleslaw.
- Red pepper: Any color bell pepper works here, or you can skip it altogether if you don’t have any available.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking
The biggest mistake people make with tuna coleslaw is adding the dressing too early, which causes the cabbage to release water and makes everything watery and limp – always dress it right before serving or no more than 30 minutes ahead.
Another common error is not draining the tuna well enough, so press it with a fork or paper towel to remove excess liquid that would otherwise dilute your dressing.
If your coleslaw mix has large chunks of cabbage, take a minute to chop them smaller so every bite has an even distribution of tuna and vegetables, and remember to taste and adjust the seasoning after mixing since the flavors can get lost in all that cabbage.
What to Serve With Tuna Coleslaw?
Tuna coleslaw is filling enough to eat on its own for a light lunch, but it’s also great stuffed into a low-carb wrap or piled onto lettuce cups for a crunchy handheld meal. If you want to make it more of a complete dinner, serve it alongside some grilled chicken, baked salmon, or even hard-boiled eggs for extra protein. It also works really well as a side dish at summer cookouts – just put it next to burgers, hot dogs, or grilled vegetables. For a simple meal, I like pairing it with some sliced avocado and cherry tomatoes on the side.
Storage Instructions
Store: Keep your tuna coleslaw in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It’s actually one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to mingle together.
Make Ahead: You can definitely prep this ahead of time! Mix everything together a few hours before serving and let it chill in the fridge. Just give it a good stir before serving since some liquid might settle at the bottom.
Keep Crisp: If you want to keep the coleslaw extra crunchy, you can mix the dressing separately and toss it with the slaw mixture right before eating. The veggies will stay crispier this way, especially if you’re planning to eat it over a couple days.
| Preparation Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 0 minutes |
| Total Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
| Servings | 5 servings |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 650-750
- Protein: 50-60 g
- Fat: 45-55 g
- Carbohydrates: 18-24 g
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 16 oz coleslaw mix
- 1/3 cup red pepper (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
- 1/4 cup onion (finely diced)
- 12 oz tuna (solid white albacore in water, drained)
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill (finely chopped)
For the dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp sweetener
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp celery salt
Step 1: Prepare the Dressing Base
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp sweetener
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp celery salt
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and sweetener until smooth and well combined.
Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and celery salt, whisking until the dressing is fully emulsified and seasoned evenly.
I prefer to make the dressing first so the flavors have time to meld while I prepare the vegetables—it makes a noticeable difference in the final taste.
Step 2: Prepare the Fresh Vegetables and Protein
- 1/3 cup red pepper
- 1/4 cup onion
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill
- 12 oz tuna in water
While the dressing sits, finely dice the red pepper into 1/4-inch pieces and finely dice the onion.
Chop the fresh dill and drain the tuna thoroughly in a strainer, pressing gently with a spoon to remove excess water—this prevents the coleslaw from becoming watery.
Set all prepared ingredients aside.
Step 3: Build the Coleslaw
- 16 oz coleslaw mix
- prepared vegetables from Step 2
- drained tuna from Step 2
- fresh dill from Step 2
Place the coleslaw mix in a large mixing bowl and gently break up any compacted clumps with your hands.
Add the diced red pepper, onion, drained tuna, and chopped dill, tossing everything together to distribute evenly.
I like to fluff the coleslaw as I add each ingredient to prevent it from matting down—this helps it maintain a light, crisp texture.
Step 4: Combine and Serve
- coleslaw mixture from Step 3
- dressing from Step 1
Pour the dressing from Step 1 over the coleslaw mixture and toss thoroughly until every piece is coated and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Serve immediately for the best texture, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours if needed—avoid making it ahead by more than a few hours, as the coleslaw will gradually soften and release excess liquid.
Tasty Tuna Coleslaw
Ingredients
For the salad::
- 16 oz coleslaw mix
- 1/3 cup red pepper (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces)
- 1/4 cup onion (finely diced)
- 12 oz tuna (solid white albacore in water, drained)
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill (finely chopped)
For the dressing::
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tsp mustard
- 1 tsp sweetener
- 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/8 tsp celery salt
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and sweetener until smooth and well combined. Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and celery salt, whisking until the dressing is fully emulsified and seasoned evenly. I prefer to make the dressing first so the flavors have time to meld while I prepare the vegetables—it makes a noticeable difference in the final taste.
- While the dressing sits, finely dice the red pepper into 1/4-inch pieces and finely dice the onion. Chop the fresh dill and drain the tuna thoroughly in a strainer, pressing gently with a spoon to remove excess water—this prevents the coleslaw from becoming watery. Set all prepared ingredients aside.
- Place the coleslaw mix in a large mixing bowl and gently break up any compacted clumps with your hands. Add the diced red pepper, onion, drained tuna, and chopped dill, tossing everything together to distribute evenly. I like to fluff the coleslaw as I add each ingredient to prevent it from matting down—this helps it maintain a light, crisp texture.
- Pour the dressing from Step 1 over the coleslaw mixture and toss thoroughly until every piece is coated and the ingredients are evenly distributed. Serve immediately for the best texture, or refrigerate for up to 2 hours if needed—avoid making it ahead by more than a few hours, as the coleslaw will gradually soften and release excess liquid.
