Tomato and Feta Tuna Salad Stuffed Pitas Recipe
The perfect light summer dinner! This combination of tangy feta, ripe tomatoes, and delicious tuna salad stuffed in a hearty pita bread requires no cooking, and is so delicious!
If you’re looking for an easy meal for a hot summer day, you’re in the right place! This easy tomato tuna salad can be made in under 10 minutes, and has the perfect combination of fresh brightness from the tomatoes, savory tuna, and the tang of feta cheese. This simple salad packs a powerful punch, and requires very little work from you.
This is also a great way to use up garden tomatoes. I don’t know about you, but I always end up with too much when tomato season hits, and this is one of my favorite ways to use up that pile of tomatoes!
Why you want this recipe
- on the table in under 10 minutes
- no heat needed; perfect for hot days
- light, yet filling
- combo of Mediterranean flavors
- super easy
- extra delicious!
Ingredients
This recipe is made with some super simple ingredients, which means that not only is it quick and easy, it’s budget-friendly too!
- Canned Tuna: This recipe uses canned tuna as the base of a delicious salad. For this, you’ll want tuna canned in in water. Tuna canned in oil gives it an off-putting texture.
- Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise: Whether you’re on Team Miracle Whip or Team Mayonnaise, you’re right with this recipe. You can use either interchangeably — it really is a matter of taste. If you want to turn this recipe into a Mediterranean tuna salad, you can use Miracle Whip made with olive oil!
- Tomatoes: You’ll want 2 medium tomatoes for this recipe. You can use roma tomatoes, slicer tomatoes, or even cherry tomatoes chopped in half. I love using the summer tomatoes from my garden!
- Feta Cheese: You can get pre-crumbled feta cheese at the grocery store, and that’s what I use for this recipe.
- Pita Bread: To keep it healthy, I like to use whole wheat pita bread. You can use any kind of pitas, including pita pockets, or even homemade pita bread.
Instructions
Step 1 | Chop and Drain
Start by chopping your tomatoes into small pieces. You’ll also need to completely drain your tuna fish.
Step 2 | Mix It Up
Next, toss all the ingredients into a large bowl. You’ll mix the entire thing together with a wooden spoon, making sure to break up the tuna chunks.
Step 3 | Serve!
Your last step is to stuff a pita bread or pita pocket with your tuna mixture, You can garnish this with reserved feta, chopped green onions, or even some chopped parsley!
Tips
- Learn to dice a tomato the right way! I didn’t learn to do this until just a few years ago, and it makes such a difference!
- Add a pinch of kosher salt to bring out the flavor of your salad!
Variations
This base tuna salad recipe is so simple, it’s perfect for creating variations! Here are a few I’ve tried:
- Tomato Tuna Melts: Leave out the feta cheese, and instead put your tuna salad between two slices of bread. Add a slice of cheese — cheddar or pepper jack are both great! — then cook them like a grilled cheese until the cheese is melted.
- Spicy Tuna Salad: Leave out the feta cheese, and add a dash of hot sauce to the mix. This tastes good with chopped dill pickle added as well!
- Low Carb Tuna Salad Sandwiches: Serve your salad on a bed of lettuce, or wrapped in a lettuce leaf to create an option that will fit low-carb diets.
- Balsamic Tuna Salad: Add chopped red onion and a dash of balsamic vinegar to your salad for a richer taste. You can also do this with red wine vinegar for a different flavor variation!
What to serve with your pitas
These easy pitas make a quick meal, and you can add a few sides to round things out:
- Fresh fruit: The perfect pairing for a light dinner, adding some chopped fresh fruit is an excellent way to fill out this meal. We love strawberries and other fresh berries, but you could also pair this with grapes, apricots or peaches, or chopped melon!
- Greek Salad: A greek salad, complete with kalamata olives (or green olives) on a bed of salad greens goes great with your tuna salad pitas. This tastes delicious topped with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and some freshly ground black pepper.
- Fresh Veggies: Crisp cucumber, fresh tomatoes, or chopped red peppers or bell peppers can add to the nutrition level of your salad.
FAQs
Yes, you can refrigerate the tuna salad in an airtight container for up to 3 days. However, it’s best to assemble the sandwiches just before serving to prevent the pita bread from becoming soggy.
Yes, it’s recommended to drain the canned tuna before mixing it with other ingredients to avoid excess liquid in the salad.
Yes, you can serve the tuna salad in various ways, such as on a bed of lettuce, in a sandwich roll, or stuffed into a hollowed-out tomato or avocado.
It’s not recommended to freeze the tuna salad mixture as the texture and taste may change upon thawing. It’s best to prepare fresh batches as needed.
Tomato and Feta Tuna Salad Stuffed Pitas
Ingredients
- 4 cans tuna drained
- 2 tomatoes chopped
- 8 oz feta cheese crumbled
- 4 Tbsp olive oil based mayonnaise
- 4 pitas
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine all ingredients except pitas.
- Stuff pitas with tuna mixture and serve!
