This easy tuna dip recipe is the perfect snack or appetizer for game days, parties, or any gathering. It’s so wonderfully creamy and so much tastier than store-bought dip! Full of bright, fresh flavors, this dip comes together in less than 5 minutes.
The first time I had tuna dip, I was truly surprised at how it tasted. I honestly did not expect to be a fan because I wasn’t sure how I felt about it (lol). Well, little did I know, I’d be craving tuna dip now! After some tweaks, I’m honestly pretty obsessed with this creamy tuna dip recipe and will be making it for when I feel snacky.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- I add a generous amount of lemon zest, lemon juice, green onions, and fresh basil to the tuna dip, resulting in it tasting super bright and fresh!
- It’s very easy to make. You add everything to the food processor, and it does all the work. You can blend it until smooth or leave some texture.
- It’s perfect for feeding a crowd, as you can easily double or triple the tuna dip recipe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- canned tuna — I recommend using good-quality canned tuna. As the ingredients list is short, each ingredient will stand out and you want it to taste amazing. I prefer chunk tuna to flaked tuna as it’s easier to drain. You want to remove as much liquid as possible so the dip is not watery.
- mayonnaise — I prefer full-fat mayonnaise, but you can always use light mayonnaise.
- basil — I love using fresh sweet basil. If you don’t have basil, you can always use another fresh herb, such as parsley.
- green onions — I like the fresh flavor that green onions add. They’re milder than regular onions, so I don’t suggest swapping for regular onions if you’re out of green onions. Maybe shallots would be a better swap, as they’re mild and sweet.
- lemon — lemon zest and lemon juice add a delightful brightness to the tuna dip, making it taste irresistible. Do not skip the lemon zest!
- seasoning — I season the dip with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Feel free to use your favorite seasoning.
How to Make Tuna Dip
- Add the drained tuna, mayonnaise, basil, green onions, salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a food processor.
- Blend until the tuna dip is combined and at your desired texture.
- Serve immediately or after chilling with some additional lemon zest and green onions as garnish, if desired.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- If you’re worried your tuna dip will taste too tart, you can add the lemon juice in intervals.
- I like to serve the tuna dip with some celery sticks, carrots, and crackers.
- Add a spoonful or two of buffalo sauce to make this into a buffalo tuna dip.
- This tuna dip is not just for snacking! You can serve it on toasted bread, croissant, or bagel.
- If you do not have a food processor, you can mix it all together in a bowl with a spatula, but it won’t be as smooth in comparison.
- If you do not have mayonnaise, you can use cream cheese. Just make sure you’re using cream cheese from a block and not a tub and make sure it’s softened so it can blend well.
Make Ahead Tips
- Storage: once cooled, store the tuna dip in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge.
- Freezer: I haven’t tried freezing this tuna dip but I don’t recommend it as the mayonnaise’s emulsion can break when frozen.
Tuna Dip
This easy tuna dip recipe is the perfect snack or appetizer for game days, parties, or any gathering. It’s so wonderfully creamy and so much tastier than store-bought dip! Full of bright, fresh flavors, this dip comes together in less than 5 minutes.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2 cans tuna, well-drained, (170 grams per can)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 green onion, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh basil, or more
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice, or more
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
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Add the drained tuna, mayonnaise, basil, green onions, salt, pepper, garlic powder, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a food processor.
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Blend until the tuna dip is combined and at your desired texture.
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Serve immediately or after chilling with some additional lemon zest and green onions as garnish, if desired.
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 270kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 510mg | Potassium: 176mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 0.3g | Vitamin A: 177IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg
More Recipes Using Canned Tuna
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