This Tuna Rice Salad recipe is an easy, no fuss recipe. Make ahead for your next summer bbq or picnic. You'll love that it's budget friendly, made with canned Tuna, leftover rice and is creamy and crunchy. Easy to make ahead, don't bring a macaroni salad like everyone else!
Not all salads are green and leafy. Eastern European Salads, like this Russian Tuna Rice Salad (рыбный салат) is hearty, meaty and often smothered in mayonnaise. It's a salad that eats like a meal!
Ingredients
- Canned Tuna - in Spring Water
- Leftover Rice or uncooked Rice
- Small Long English Cucumber
- Mayonnaise
- Green Onions
- Fresh Dill
- Salt and Pepper
How to make Tuna Rice Salad
This Rice Salad is perfect to make with leftover Rice, but you need about 4 cups of cooked Rice. I'd suggest to start by cooking 2 cups of uncooked rice and allow it to cool (can be done the day before if kept refrigerated).
- Prepare Rice - wash 2 cups of uncooked Rice and cook according to instructions. Allow to fully cool.
- Slice Cucumbers - slice a small Long English Cucumber into quarters, de-seed and chop into thin pieces.
- Prepare Herbs - thinly slice Green Onions and finely chop fresh dill.
- Mix - in a large bowl, place cooled Rice, Canned Tuna, Green Onions, Cucumbers, Mayo and Dill. Careful mix until combined.
- Season - add Salt and Pepper to taste, adjust mayo if needed.
- Chill - refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Tuna Rice Salad Ideas
- Mediterranean Rice Salad - swap out Mayo with Greek Yogurt and add Black Olives, Sun-Dried Tomato, Feta and Dill
- Pasta Swap - switch Rice with Pasta like Macaroni or Orzo
- Mexican Rice Salad - add Black Beans, Canned Corn, Cilantro. Add Chipotle Sauce to the Mayo for a spicy kick
- Vegetable Rice Salad - add your favorite Vegetables like sliced Celery, Diced Sweet Red Peppers, or Canned Corn
Serving Suggestions
- The perfect side dish for dinner or to bring to a potluck or bbq
- Enjoy for dinner as the main course
- Scoop into Lettuce Cups and serve for Lunch
- Spread over bread or use as a filling for in sandwiches or wraps
- Pack for lunch as a protein rich snack
Recipe Tips and FAQs
- Lighter Dressing - use a mixture of 50:50 Mayo and Sour Cream. This makes the salad lighter and still very tasty.
- Change the Fish - flake some Grilled Fish into the Salad, try Smoked Salmon, Canned Salmon or Canned Chicken instead
- Tuna in Spring Water - this ensures the salad isn't too oily when mixed with Mayo. If using Tuna in Oil, reduce the amount of Mayo, or mix in Sour Cream with Mayo.
- Add Hard Boiled Eggs - for extra protein, or even try adding whole Boiled Quail Eggs for a twist
- Fresh Dill Substitute - fresh always has best flavor, but you can substitute by mixing Dill Paste in a Tube or dried Dill Weed with Mayonnaise. This ensures the flavor is even mixed into the Rice Salad.
- Individual Serve - make it fancy when serving for dinner by individually plating. Place salad in a small ramekin and press firmly. Flip upside down on a plate, gently tap to remove mold, garnish with fresh dill.
Can I Make This Ahead of Time?
Yes, it even tastes better when made in advance. Can be made 2 days in advance, just keep refrigerated before serving.
How Do I Keep It From Becoming Soggy?
Make sure you drain your canned Tuna well before mixing, and use fully cooled rice. The cucumbers must be de-seeded and you can mix through right before serving.
Can I Use Brown Rice or Grains?
Yes. Brown Rice adds extra flavor and fibre. Can also make with Buckwheat, Quinoa or Bulgur.
Storage
Place in an airtight container and keep refrigerated up to 3 days. Stir before serving. Not recommended for freezing.
Salad Recipes You'll Love
- Olivier Salad (Russian Potato Salad)
- Herring Under A Fur Coat - Shuba Salad
- Maroulosalata - Greek Lettuce Salad
- Bell Pepper Salad
- Bean Salad for Large Parties
- Korean Carrot Salad
- Cauliflower Broccoli Salad
- Funchoza - Central Asian Noodle Salad
- Creamy Russian Beet Salad
This Tuna Rice Salad is super quick and easy salad to make, nutritious, flexible with flavors and tastes delicious. The salad that eats like a meal will be a crowd pleaser and will stand out for all the right reasons. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Ingredients
- 15 oz (425g) Canned Tuna in Spring Water
- 2 cups uncooked Rice (4 cups of Cooked Rice)
- ¾ Long English Cucumber deseeded and thinly chopped
- 1 ½ cups of Mayonnaise
- 3 Green Onions thinly sliced
- Fresh Dill
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Rice - wash 2 cups of uncooked Rice and cook according to instructions. Allow to fully cool.
- Slice Cucumbers - slice a small Long English Cucumber into quarters, de-seed and chop into thin pieces.
- Prepare Herbs - thinly slice Green Onions and finely chop fresh dill.
- Mix - in a large bowl, place cooled Rice, Canned Tuna, Green Onions, Cucumbers, Mayo and Dill. Careful mix until combined.
- Season - add Salt and Pepper to taste, adjust mayo if needed.
- Chill - refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
© PetersFoodAdventures.com *originally posted June 2015, updated August 2025
SYLVANA
my aunt in France makes this but does not use mayonnaise but extra virgin olive oil and vinegar for dressing. She also incudes one green apple cut up, walnuts, red onion, green olives along with the tuna and cucumber. You either love it or hate it. I love it!!! lol!!
Olga A
What rice do you prefer short or long grain for this recipe?
Peter's Food Adventures
Typically use medium grain. I don't often use long grain rice. When using short grain, I make sure I wash it really well before cooking. 😊
Xenia
Good one, Peter! I made half a recipe, and it still made quite a bowl full. Delicious! For half a recipe, I used 2 cups diced celery instead of cucumbers as that is what I had one had, and red onion instead of green onion for the same reason. So its a very adaptable recipe. This would be excellent with canned salmon too, I think! For half a recipe, I used 3 traditional size cans of tuna, extra mayo, and LOTS of fresh dill (also very important!) Good recipe made mostly with things I generally have in the pantry or frig!
Peter's Food Adventures
Thanks Xenia! Yes, very adaptable recipe! I love it with lots of Mayo and dill too, so much for my diet! 😂 Thanks for sharing your tips!
thegreyeye
I am going to make this one, definitely 😀
PetersFoodAdventures
I love this one, be generous with the mayo, after it sits in the fridge overnight, the mayo is absorbed by the rice, so you might want to add a little bit more to freshen it up! Enjoy 🙂