Boost The Fiber, Flavor, And Protein Of Tuna Salad By Adding One Crunchy Ingredient

Considering just how many tuna salad recipes there are to whip up for lunch, it's safe to say that canned tuna is one of the most versatile proteins you can pick up at the grocery store. And while pickled or raw veggies are common ingredients to pair with it for crunchy texture and fiber, sesame seeds are the mix-in you should definitely try in your next tuna salad. They elevate the texture of the salad, offering protein, fiber, and a flavor boost to boot.

Sesame seeds are a well known pairing for fresh tuna. For example, coating tuna steaks in sesame seeds before cooking them will provide the most satisfying crunch, while also complementing their oceanic, umami richness with a savory, toasted nuttiness. As a nutritional boon, sesame seeds are an excellent addition, packing 3 grams of fiber and about 4.8 grams of protein in every 3-tablespoon serving. Furthermore, sesame seeds are high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats which can help lower your cholesterol and reduce heart disease.

There's no trick or extra step to adding sesame seeds to tuna salad as you can simply dump them into a bowl with the rest of the ingredients and mix to combine. If you want a more aesthetic effect, you can reserve a tablespoon for sprinkling over the top of your tuna salad before serving. For the best crunch and freshest flavor, toast raw sesame seeds before adding. However, vigilance is key; since they're small, sesame seeds will only take four or five minutes to toast, whether you're using the oven or the stove top.

Similar to slaws, tuna salad can be placed in two main categories: those tossed in a mayo-based dressing and those that use an oil-based dressing. Both types of tuna salad will benefit texturally, flavorfully, and nutritionally from sesame seeds. The creaminess of mayo and the earthiness of oil will both complement the nuttiness of sesame seeds. You can make an oil-based dressing with sesame seeds, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and lime juice for a lighter tuna salad. If you want to make it a creamier, add mayo to the oil-based recipe. Kewpie mayo in particular will pair best with the salad dressing's ingredients, giving the whole thing a flavor upgrade.

You can also draw inspiration from Asian tuna recipes to bring more complementary ingredients to the mix. For example, you can add pickled ginger along with sesame seeds, diced avocado, scallions, and wasabi cream for tuna salad with a sushi twist. Serve the salad over a bed of white rice or make it the filling for your next batch of nori-wrapped onigiri. Even non-Asian tuna salad recipes will work well with a sesame seed topping. For example, you can sprinkle sesame seeds over toasted bread slathered with this herbaceous green goddess tuna salad. Or, mix the seeds with toasted breadcrumbs to bring crunch and nuttiness to this zippy tuna pasta salad. There are so many combinations you can try.