Tuna and Spinach Salad Recipe (Paleo, AIP, GAPS, SCD)

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Last Updated on March 30, 2023

This tuna and spinach salad recipe uses lemon and olive oil and makes for a delicious AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) lunch or snack. It’s compliant for the AIP, Paleo, GAPS, and SCD diets.

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Tuna and Spinach Salad

This salad has fond memories from my childhood.  My mom used to make a big vat of it. Then, we would chow down on her lovely tuna and spinach salad stuffed between slices of crusty Italian bread…ok, forget I said that last part.

Tuna spinach salad is a delicious and healthy lunch and one of my favorite ways to eat fresh spinach. You can serve it in a lettuce wrap, use plantain crackers, or make plantain tortillas to eat it. You can find some great AIP plantain recipes here. Of course, you can also just grab a fork and dig in!

Tuna and Spinach Salad Ingredients

All you need is some basic ingredients to make this easy spinach and tuna salad. You can dish it up using a small bowl for everyone or eat some now and save leftovers for later. If you plan to eat it later, I recommmend that you salt it at the time of eating so you don’t wilt the spinach. 

  • baby spinach
  • canned tuna
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • fresh lemon juice
  • sea salt
  • garlic powder

Safe Tuna

My favorite brand of tuna is from Safe Catch. Safe Catch Wild Albacore Tuna contains no water, no oil, or fillers—just pure tuna fish! Tuna fish is a natural source of Omega-3s, Vitamin B6, B12, nutrients that support your heart and whole body health. It’s mercury-tested tuna with the lowest mercury limit of any albacore tuna brand in the market (that’s what they claim, anyway).

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Safe Catch’s wild-caught albacore tuna are pole & line caught from the Pacific Ocean. The cans of tuna are  Non-GMO Project Verified, Whole30 Approved, Paleo & Keto Certified, Kosher, and Gluten-Free.

Safe Catch Tuna

AIP-Compliant Spinach and Tuna Salad

All of the ingredients are AIP legal (see the AIP tab at the top of this page if you’re not trackin’ or see this post) and, though eaten without the aforementioned bread, I found it quite refreshing.

This go-to salad is a great way to get in some wild-caught, low-mercury seafood into your diet as well as some veggies. You can also make the same salad using chicken breast instead of the tuna mixture.

Tuna and Spinach Salad Toppings

This spinach salad is great topped with green onion or red onion (AIP compliant).

If you are not following an AIP diet, you can get creative and top your tuna salad with sliced almonds, red pepper flakes, sliced cherry tompatoes, sesame seeds, or salted sunflower seeds.

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Tuna Spinach Salad with Lemon and Olive Oil (AIP, GAPS, SCD, Paleo)

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Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 8–10 oz. spinach, washed and trimmed of stems
  • 3 cans albacore tuna, drained (Wild Planet brand has low mercury content and it’s packed in steel cans)
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • 1–2 lemons
  • sea salt
  • garlic powder (just a pinch or two)

Instructions

  1. Place spinach in a medium bowl or a large bowl if making a bigger batch.
  2. Add drained tuna.
  3. Pour olive oil all over – coat well.
  4. Squeeze lemons (start with one) onto salad. Sprinkle with garlic powder and a pinch of salt to your liking. Give a toss with tongs to mix completely. Taste and adjust the lemon and seasonings.
  5. TIP: If you think you’ll have leftovers, only salt individual portions as salting will wilt the spinach. I think it tastes even better after marinating awhile.