Looking for a crisp salad that’s bursting with complex flavor and texture? This Crisp Tuna Caesar Salad boasts a delectable balance of rich, salty, briny, acidic, fresh, and cheesy taste with the perfect crunch from croutons!
This fresh salad recipe actually started as a clean-out-the-fridge meal! I had half a loaf of stale bread I needed to use up. I whipped up homemade croutons and my mind immediately went to a Caesar salad.
With no anchovies on hand, I thought some canned tuna would be a great addition to add protein, texture, and that briny taste you get from anchovies, and this Tuna Caesar Salad was born!
Since then, I’ve been making this pescatarian lunch on repeat.
You can opt to buy the Caesar dressing and croutons for an easier at-home salad, or make them homemade for a fresh, from-scratch meal from top to bottom!
With a focus on sustainability in the kitchen I try to source ingredients responsibly when I can.
The most sustainable way to eat canned tuna is by making sure it is skipjack or yellowfin tuna. Most tuna labeled as “light” is skipjack or yellowfin, as opposed to “white” tuna which is usually albacore.
Green tip: Opt for “light” tuna to reduce your environmental impact as this typically indicates the tuna is skipjack or yellowfin, which is more sustainable than albacore.
Tuna Caesar Salad Ingredients
Here’s everything you need for a Tuna Caesar Salad:
- Romaine lettuce. For a large salad to feed four, you’ll need about 10 ounces of Romaine lettuce. This should give you about 4 cups of chopped Romaine, and you can get it from roughly 1/2 of a large head of Romaine or 4 heads of mini/baby Romaine.
- Canned tuna. I used light tuna in water.
- Fresh Parmesan. I love bigger chunks of freshly shaved Parmesan in this salad that I simply get by using a vegetable peeler to shave thin pieces off of a fresh block of Parm.
- Croutons. You can buy your favorite kind or make your own. More on that below.
- Caesar dressing. Again, you can buy it, or make the homemade dressing provided in this recipe.
Tuna Caesar Salad Tips and Tricks
Chop Your Lettuce and Drain Your Tuna
Time to whip up a scrumptious Tuna Caesar Salad! Start by giving those crunchy romaine leaves a friendly chop. For a crowd-pleasing four servings, aim for about 10 ounces or 4 cups of chopped romaine.
Now, here’s a nifty tip: you can usually snag that perfect amount from around half of a large romaine head or four cute mini or baby romaine heads.
Next up, our star ingredient – canned tuna! Give it a little drain and set it aside so it’s not feeling too soggy or oily (depending on if you get canned tuna suspended in water or oil). No one likes a wet blanket on a salad adventure, right?
How to Perfectly Dress Your Caesar Salad with Tuna
When it comes to perfectly dressing your salad, it’s all about timing!
Consider serving up that tantalizing dressing on the side! Why, you might ask? Well, for starters, it’s all about personal taste. Some folks crave a little more dressing pizzazz, while others prefer a lighter touch.
Plus, keeping the dressing on the side also helps maintain that delightful crunchiness. Salads tend to turn soggy when they soak in the dressing for too long. So, by dressing individual servings, you can savor every crispy bite.
And here’s a bonus life hack: leftover salad that’s not yet dressed can be stored with ease! Undressed salad lasts much longer in the fridge than dressed salad.
Now, if you’re eager to dress the whole salad instead of serving the dressing on the side, no worries! Use up all your homemade dressing or, for a store-bought option, about 1/4 cup should do the trick.
Storing Leftover Tuna Caesar
Salad, oh salad, how long will you stay fresh and delightful? A naked salad, without any dressing, will last at room temperature for about four hours.
In the fridge, tucked in a cozy airtight container, undressed leftover salad will last for about 5 days to a week.
As for the Caesar dressing itself, in a sealed airtight jar, this magic potion can last up to three months, patiently waiting for the perfect salad to dress.
Homemade croutons should be stored in an airtight container to keep its crispy perfection. They will last at room temperature for about 5 days, in the fridge 6-7 days, or in the freezer for 1-2 months.
But remember, once the dressing meets the salad greens, it’s a race against time. It’s best to savor this delightful blend within a couple of hours before the dreaded sogginess creeps in.
So, there you have it, the secrets to salad survival. With these culinary insights, go forth and create the most delightful salads from leftovers, preserving freshness with every bite!
Green tip: Did you know that of the billions of pounds of food wasted annually, it is estimated that 50% of it happens in our homes? Reduce your contribution to food waste by properly storing and enjoying your leftovers!
Suggestions for Additional Add-Ins for Your Caesar Salad
This Caesar Salad already packs tons of flavor, nutrients, protein, and a variety of textures, making it a meal all on its own.
Still if you’re looking for some things to serve on the side, here are some of my favorites:
Why You Should Make this Crisp Tuna Caesar Salad with Crispy Croutons
- The textures! Crisp romaine, crunchy croutons, meaty tuna, and gritty Parmesan.
- It’s so flavorful. Between the fresh Parm, the tuna, and the deeply savory dressing, this is brimming with deep flavor!
- It’s hearty. It keeps me full and satiated for hours!
If you’re loving this Tuna Caesar Salad and want more fresh salads, check out this Arugula Burrata Salad and Arugula Pear Salad.
5-Ingredient Crisp Tuna Caesar Salad
PIN Print RATEEquipment
- Salad Spinner (optional)
Ingredients
Tuna Caesar Salad
- 10 ounces chopped Romaine lettuce (10 ounces Romaine = approx. ½ large head of lettuce or 4 cups chopped)
- 4 ounces tuna (1 can tuna = approx. 4 ounces)
- 1 ounce fresh shaved Parmesan (1 ounce Parmesan = approx. ⅓ cup shaved)
- ½ cup croutons
- ⅓ cup Caesar dressing
Instructions
- Drain your tuna and rinse and dry your lettuce (a salad spinner is really useful here!). Roughly chop your romaine into bite-sized pieces, discarding any brown or soggy pieces.
- To a large salad bowl, add the chopped lettuce, tuna, croutons (make sure your croutons are cooled so they do not wilt your lettuce), and shaved Parmesan cheese and toss. Dress right before serving or serve the dressing on the side.
Pro Tips
- For more ways to revive your stale bread, check out this list of 12+ Stale Bread Recipes.
- Enjoy this recipe? You have to check out my other homemade salad recipes!
- If you’re loving this, see also: Tuna Caesar Wrap!
