J-Style No-Mayo Tuna Salad

Canned tuna has been having a moment lately, and this tasty, tangy take on tuna salad is about to become your new summer go-to! One bite after my Japanese cousin Yoko brought this bowl to the table I was begging for the recipe, and was extra-delighted to discover it uses only six ingredients (including the dressing!) and can be thrown together from a can of your favorite tuna in minutes.

J-Style No-Mayo Tuna Salad

1 can high-quality tuna, packed in oil or water

1 pkg. daikon (white radish) sprouts or whichever is your favorite

1 red onion, shaved thin

Optional: If you want to make it into a main dish green salad

1/2 cup brown rice, farro or pearl barley, cooked with a drizzle of olive oil and two generous pinches of salt

Diced tomatoes

Baby leaf lettuce mix or leafy greens of your choice*

For the dressing (double this if you’re making it into a green salad meal):

1 T. (15 ml) sesame oil

2 t. (10 ml) soy sauce

2 t. (10 ml) grated fresh ginger

Directions:

Whisk dressing ingredients together in a measuring cup.

Soak shaved onion in a bowl of cold water for 1-10 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients.

Drain tuna and press out liquid until tuna is flaky and dry. With a fork, flake it into small bits in the salad bowl. Trim the sprouts if they’re growing from a pad of rooting material and add to bowl. Drain the shaved onion and squeeze out the excess water. Add to tuna and sprouts. Toss with dressing until well-mixed.

If making this as a meal-sized green salad: Toss greens with the brown rice, then add the tuna mixture and drizzle with the dressing. Toss thoroughly. (If you wait to mix the lettuce in until just before you eat, the tuna mixture will last in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.)

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