Tuna and Quinoa Salad Bowl

Let me tell you something about quinoa. It’s one of those foods that’s good for you, but most people don’t know what to do with it. This Tuna and Quinoa Salad Bowl is the answer.

Fluffy, protein-packed quinoa. Flaky tuna. Creamy chickpeas. Crisp cucumber. Sweet cherry tomatoes. Salty, crumbly feta. All tossed in a simple Dijon vinaigrette.

It’s like a deconstructed Mediterranean tuna salad. No mayo. No heavy dressing. Just bright, fresh flavors that come together in 20 minutes.

The quinoa cooks while you chop the vegetables. By the time it’s done, everything else is ready. Toss it all together, drizzle with the dressing, and you’ve got lunch for two.

Gluten free. High protein. Meal prep friendly. And so good you’ll forget it’s healthy.

Let’s make a quinoa bowl.

Try my Taco Beef Salad Bowl with Pico de Gallo recipe.

Why You’ll Love the Recipe

1| 20 minutes start to finish. Quinoa cooks while you chop.

2| No mayo. Just a bright Dijon vinaigrette.

3| High protein (35g) + high fiber. Keeps you full for hours.

4| Gluten free. Fits almost every diet.

5| Mediterranean flavors. Tuna, feta, cucumber, tomato, chickpeas.

6| Meal prep friendly. Make a batch. Eat for days.

7| No cooking (except quinoa). Minimal cleanup.

8| Perfect for lunch or a light dinner.

Try my Vegan Herby Lemon Tofu Salad Bowl recipe.

What You’ll Need to Make

You’ll need a small pot for cooking quinoa, a cutting board and knife, a small bowl for the dressing, a large mixing bowl, and a fork or spoon.

Ingredients (Serves 2):

For the salad:

• 6.5 oz. (185g) cooked quinoa (about ¾ cup dry quinoa before cooking)
• 4 tbsp. (50g) chickpeas, rinsed & drained
• ½ cucumber, chopped
• 1 tbsp. crumbled feta cheese
• 10 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cans tuna (7 oz/200g each, drained) note: this is 14 oz total tuna

For the dressing:

• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Try my Green Goddess Quinoa Salad Bowl recipe.

What You’ll Need to Do

Alright, let’s make a quinoa bowl that’s packed with protein and flavor.

First, cook the quinoa. Follow the package instructions. Typically, rinse ½ cup dry quinoa, add 1 cup water, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes until fluffy. While it cooks, prep everything else.

While the quinoa cooks, make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Set aside.

Now prep your vegetables. Chop the cucumber into small pieces. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Rinse and drain the chickpeas.

Open and drain the tuna. Flake it with a fork right in the can.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked quinoa, chickpeas, chopped cucumber, crumbled feta, halved cherry tomatoes, and flaked tuna.

Drizzle the dressing over everything.

Toss gently to coat. Make sure everything is evenly distributed.

Taste and adjust. Need more salt? More lemon? A little extra Dijon? Adjust now.

Divide between two bowls.

Serve immediately. Or refrigerate for later.

Eat with a fork. Enjoy every bite.

Try my Egg, Bacon and Avocado Salad Bowl recipe.

Easy Ingredient Swaps

1| No quinoa? Use brown rice, farro (not gluten free), or cauliflower rice.

2| No tuna? Use canned salmon, canned chicken, or chickpeas (double for vegetarian).

3| No chickpeas? Use white beans, black beans, or edamame.

4| No cucumber? Use bell pepper or zucchini.

5| No cherry tomatoes? Use diced Roma tomatoes.

6| No feta? Use goat cheese, Parmesan, or omit for dairy free.

7| No red wine vinegar? Use apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.

8| No Dijon mustard? Use yellow mustard or whole grain mustard.

9| Vegetarian: Skip tuna, double the chickpeas, add hard-boiled eggs.

10| Dairy free: Omit feta or use dairy-free feta.

Try my Tropical Grilled Chicken Salad recipe.

Some Twist and Tweak Ideas

1| Greek version: Add Kalamata olives and fresh oregano.

2| Spicy version: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or a dash of hot sauce.

3| Herby version: Add fresh parsley, dill, or mint.

4| Avocado version: Add sliced avocado for creaminess.

5| Lemon version: Double the lemon juice and add lemon zest.

6| Roasted veggie version: Add roasted red peppers or sun-dried tomatoes.

7| Warm bowl version: Serve the quinoa warm and toss everything together.

Try my Chicken and Grapefruit Salad recipe.

Some Helpful Tips

1| Rinse quinoa before cooking. It has a natural coating called saponin that can taste bitter. Rinsing removes it.

2| Fluff quinoa with a fork after cooking. Let it sit covered for 5 minutes off the heat, then fluff. Fluffier quinoa.

3| Drain tuna well. Press the lid down on the can to squeeze out excess water. Watery tuna = watery salad.

4| Chop everything similarly sized. Small, uniform pieces = every bite has a little bit of everything.

5| Let the salad sit for 10 minutes after tossing. The flavors meld together beautifully.

6| Make extra dressing. It keeps in the fridge for up to a week. Use on other salads.

Try my High Protein Beef Bowl recipe.

Some Budget-Friendly Tips

1| Quinoa in bulk. Cheaper than boxed. Buy only what you need.

2| Canned tuna is cheap. Two cans cost a few dollars. Stock up when on sale.

3| Canned chickpeas are pennies. A can costs less than $2. Use half here, save the rest.

4| Cucumber and tomatoes are cheap. Buy what you need. Use the rest for snacks.

5| Feta is the splurge. A small block costs a few dollars. A little goes a long way.

6| Dijon mustard lasts forever. A jar lasts for months of dressings and sauces.

Try my Curried Egg Salad Boats recipe.

Some Serving Ideas

1| As a main course. One bowl is a full meal. Perfect for lunch or a light dinner.

2| For meal prep. Make a batch. Portion into containers. Eat for lunch all week.

3| In a wrap. Scoop the salad into a tortilla or lettuce wrap.

4| On a bed of greens. Add extra fresh spinach or arugula.

5| For a potluck. Make a double batch. Serve in a large bowl. Everyone loves it.

6| With pita bread. Serve alongside warm pita for scooping.

Try my Crunchy Green Bean Salad with Cilantro Dressing recipe.

Some Storage and Reheating Tips

Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The flavors actually get better on day 2 and 3.

Freezer: Do not freeze. The texture of the cucumber, tomatoes, and feta will be destroyed. Quinoa can be frozen separately, but the assembled salad cannot.

Reheating: This salad is best served cold or at room temperature. If you prefer it warm, gently reheat the quinoa and tuna mixture (without the fresh veggies) in a skillet or microwave, then add the cucumber, tomatoes, and feta fresh.

Meal prep strategy: Cook the quinoa. Drain the tuna and chickpeas. Chop the cucumber and tomatoes. Make the dressing. Store everything separately in the fridge. Each day, assemble a fresh bowl in 2 minutes.

Try my Zesty Turkish Couscous Salad recipe.

Final Thoughts

Look, I love a good tuna salad. But most versions are either mayo-heavy or plain boring. This Tuna and Quinoa Salad Bowl is neither.

Fluffy quinoa. Flaky tuna. Creamy chickpeas. Crisp cucumber. Sweet cherry tomatoes. Salty feta. A bright Dijon vinaigrette. It’s Mediterranean flavors in a bowl. It’s high protein. It’s high fiber. It’s gluten free. And it’s ready in 20 minutes.

Make it for lunch. Make it for a light dinner. Make it for meal prep. Make it when you have canned tuna and no idea what to do with it.

However you serve it, you’re getting a quinoa bowl that’s anything but boring.

Now go cook some quinoa.

~ Danny Davis

P.S. If you try the Greek version with olives, let me know. That’s my go-to upgrade. Kalamata olives take it to another level. So good.