This Apple Grape Tuna Salad is the perfect balance of sweet, savoury, and crunchy. Crisp apples, juicy grapes, and a touch of Dijon mustard give this recipe a fresh twist on classic tuna salad. It’s a great way to keep lunch exciting — with a flavour profile that’s both refreshing and satisfying.

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Choosing Tuna (Types of Tuna)
Instructions
Storage and Pairings
Toasty's Tips
Other Recipes to Try:
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Why You'll Love This Recipe

If you like a little refreshing sweetness with your savoury, this sweet & savoury tuna salad is a fresh and delicious twist on the classic.

Crisp apples and juicy grapes add natural sweetness and crunch
Creamy, tangy base with just the right amount of bite
Makes a refreshing, high-protein lunch or snack
A great way to add fruit to your meals without it feeling like a fruit salad
Fun, unexpected flavor combo that still feels comforting and familiar

Ingredients

Canned tuna – Our protein base for this sweet-savoury combo. I like chunk albacore in this recipe for its milder flavour and meatier texture.
Mayonnaise – For creamy texture that ties it all together.
Dijon mustard – Adds a hint of tang to balance the sweetness.
Apple cider vinegar – Brightens the flavors and brings acidity.
Green apple – Crisp and tart for fresh crunch. Granny Smith is a great choice!
Red grapes – Sweet and juicy to contrast the tuna.
Celery – Adds subtle crunch and freshness.
Parsley – A mild, herby finishing touch.
Salt and pepper – Adjust based on sweetness and acidity.

See recipe card for quantities.

Choosing Tuna (Types of Tuna)

Chunk, Solid, or Flaked: I prefer using chunk or solid tuna as it gives you a meatier texture compared to flaked tuna, and also allows you to control how shredded or intact you want the tuna to be, just by flaking the chunk/solid tuna using a fork into your desired size.

Albacore vs. Skipjack: Albacore (also known as white tuna) gives you a milder flavour and meatier texture, so this works great if you are a bit more sensitive to that fishy tuna taste. Skipjack (also known as light tuna) will have a bolder flavour but is generally more budget friendly and affordable than albacore, so it can be a good option if you are mixing in bold spices and seasonings into your tuna salad. Regardless, both are great options that I use often!

Water vs. Oil-Packed: Tuna also comes packed in either water or oil (like olive oil). I prefer water-packed tuna, as it's lighter, lower in calories, and allows me to control the amount of fat I want to add. Oil-packed tuna is richer in flavour, but also comes with more calories.

apple grape tuna salad on a sliced cucumber

Instructions

STEP 1: First, drain two (5-oz) cans of tuna to get rid of any water or oil.

mixing ingredients for apple grape tuna salad

STEP 2: Add drained tuna to a large mixing bowl, followed by all of the other ingredients.

STEP 3: Give everything a mix until well combined.

STEP 4: Enjoy it in a sandwich, wrap, salad, or grain bowl. Or use it as a dip for crackers or veggies!

Storage and Pairings

You can enjoy the tuna salad right away, or store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.

It’s perfect to enjoy as part of sandwiches, wraps (tuna melt!), lettuce cups, or grain bowls. Or, enjoy it as a dip or spread with crackers or veggies (like carrot sticks).

Toasty's Tips

Choosing tuna: You may be overwhelmed by the many different types of tuna available at the grocery store. Check out the 'Choosing Tuna' section above to figure out how to decide, and which works best for you!
Drain the tuna well: Excess liquid can make your tuna salad watery and unpleasant. Use a fine mesh strainer, or press gently with the lid of the can (after opening) to remove as much water or oil as possible before mixing.
Use crisp, tart apples: Green apples like Granny Smith apples work great because they stay crisp and add a nice contrast to the sweet grapes and creamy dressing.
Dice ingredients evenly into small pieces: Cutting apples, grapes, and celery into similar-sized pieces ensures balanced texture and flavour in every bite.
Add chopped apples right before serving: Apples can brown over time, so if you're making this salad in advance, you can choose to wait to dice and mix them in until closer to serving. But using lemon juice in this recipe will also help slow down the browning of the apples.
Creaminess and tang: Mayonnaise gives richness, but Dijon mustard and lemon juice brighten it up. Adjust the ratio to suit your taste - more lemon for brightness, more mayo for richness. Greek yogurt is also a great substitute for mayonnaise!
Customize mix-ins: You can experiment with your own choice of mix-ins: diced cucumber, shredded carrots, fresh herbs, other types of diced fruits, boiled eggs, or even chopped nuts or dried fruits for extra texture and flavour.
Enjoy it in different ways: Tuna salad pairs so well with many different foods, like sandwiches, wraps, grain bowls, and as a dip for veggies and crackers. You can also serve it in lettuce cups, on cucumber rounds, stuffed in avocados, on rice cakes, or over a bed of greens for a low-carb option.