Tuna salad stuffed bell peppers take the nostalgic creamy tuna salad and serve it in crisp, sweet pepper cups instead of bread. Flaked tuna, hard-boiled eggs, celery, and dill relish in a mayo dressing make a low-carb, high-protein lunch worth looking forward to. They meal-prep beautifully and beat any desk lunch by a mile.
The Ultimate Healthy Lunch Upgrade
Forget everything you thought you knew about boring desk lunches! We’re taking the humble, nostalgic tuna salad and giving it a vibrant, crunchy upgrade. This recipe packs all the creamy, savory flavor you love into crisp, sweet bell pepper cups for a low-carb, high-protein meal that’s as delicious as it is easy. It’s the ultimate make-ahead lunch that will have you looking forward to noon all morning long!
Ingredients
• Yield: 6 servingsPrep time: 20 minutes
• 2 (6-ounce / 170 g / 6 oz) cans wild-caught tuna in water, drained well
• 2 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and finely diced
• 1 rib celery, about 1/2 cup or 50 g (1.76 oz), finely diced
• 1 tablespoon / 15 mL finely chopped onion
• ½ cup / 120 g (4.2 oz) mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons / 30 mL dill relish
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 red or orange bell peppers, stemmed, cut in half crosswise, and seeded
• Fresh dill, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Place the drained tuna in a medium-sized bowl and use a fork to flake it into bite-sized pieces.2. Add the diced hard-boiled eggs, celery, onions, mayonnaise, dill relish, salt, and black pepper to the bowl. Stir gently until everything is evenly combined.3. Spoon the tuna salad mixture into the prepared bell pepper halves. Garnish with fresh dill, if using, and serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Nutritional Information
• Estimated values per serving (1 stuffed pepper half):Calories: 285 kcalProtein: 25 gFat: 18 gCarbohydrates: 6 gFiber: 2 g (0.07 oz)
Pro Tips
• for Perfect Tuna Salad
• For a richer flavor, use tuna packed in olive oil, but be sure to drain it very well to avoid a greasy salad.
• Feel free to customize your salad with additions like chopped pickles, capers, a squeeze of lemon juice, or a dash of Dijon mustard for extra tang.
• For the best texture when meal prepping, store the tuna salad and the hollowed-out bell peppers in separate airtight containers. Assemble just before serving to keep the peppers crisp.
• For perfectly easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs, add them to already boiling water, cook for 12 minutes, then immediately transfer to an ice bath.
FAQ
Q: How long do tuna salad stuffed bell peppers last
A: For best results, store the tuna salad and the hollowed-out bell peppers in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator. The tuna salad will last for up to 2 days. Assemble just before serving to ensure the peppers stay crisp.
Q: Is this tuna salad recipe keto-friendly
A: Yes, this is an excellent keto-friendly and low-carb lunch option. By using bell peppers instead of bread, this high-protein meal contains only 6 grams (0.21 oz) of carbohydrates per serving, making it perfect for a ketogenic diet.
Q: Can I customize this healthy tuna salad
A: Absolutely! Feel free to add ingredients like chopped pickles, capers, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, or a dash of Dijon mustard to the tuna mixture for an extra layer of flavor and tang.
Q: What kind of tuna is best for this recipe
A: The recipe calls for wild-caught tuna in water for a classic, clean taste. However, for a richer flavor, you can use tuna packed in olive oil, but be sure to drain it very well to avoid a greasy salad.
Pro Tips
- For meal prep, store the tuna salad and the hollowed-out pepper halves in separate airtight containers and assemble just before serving so the peppers stay crisp.
- Drain the tuna very well – packed in water is the default here, but tuna in olive oil tastes richer as long as every drop is drained first.
- For easy-to-peel hard-boiled eggs, lower them into already boiling water, cook 12 minutes, then move them straight to an ice bath.
- Customize the salad with chopped pickles, capers, a squeeze of lemon juice, or a dash of Dijon mustard for extra tang – all keep the keto macros intact.
- Cut the peppers in half crosswise and seed them to make sturdy cups; leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I meal prep these stuffed peppers?
Yes – keep the tuna salad and the pepper halves in separate airtight containers and stuff them just before eating. That way the peppers stay crisp instead of going soft.
Are tuna salad stuffed peppers keto-friendly?
Each stuffed pepper half has about 4g net carbs (6g total carbs minus 2g fiber) with 25g of protein and 18g of fat.
How long do leftovers keep?
Up to 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator – though the peppers are at their crunchiest the day they are assembled.
Can I use tuna packed in olive oil?
It gives a richer flavor – just drain it very well so the salad does not turn greasy. The rest of the recipe stays exactly the same.
Recipe card below.
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Tuna Salad Stuffed Bell Peppers
Ingredients
Method
- Place the drained tuna in a medium-sized bowl and use a fork to flake it into bite-sized pieces. 2.
- Add the diced hard-boiled eggs, celery, onions, mayonnaise, dill relish, salt, and black pepper to the bowl.
- Stir gently until everything is evenly combined. 3. Spoon the tuna salad mixture into the prepared bell pepper halves.
- Garnish with fresh dill, if using, and serve immediately. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
