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Buffalo tuna salad in a glass bowl with cottage cheese, celery, red onion, and Buffalo sauce ready to serve

Easy Buffalo Tuna Salad

Bold, creamy, and protein-packed buffalo tuna salad made with canned tuna, cottage cheese, celery, and Buffalo sauce. Ready in 10 minutes with no cooking required.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 4 portions
Course: High Protein, Lunch, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 145
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 5 oz cans tuna drained and flaked; no drain needed for Safe Catch or Wild Planet
  • 0.5 cup celery finely chopped, about 2 stalks
  • 0.25 cup red onion finely chopped
  • 0.75 cup cottage cheese full-fat 4% preferred
  • 3 tbsp Buffalo sauce Primal Kitchen or Frank's RedHot recommended
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice bottled lemon juice not recommended
  • 0.5 tsp garlic powder
  • 0.5 tsp paprika
  • 0.25 tsp kosher salt more to taste
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper more to taste

Equipment

  • Medium or large mixing bowl
  • Fork for flaking tuna

Method
 

  1. Drain both cans of tuna (skip draining if using Safe Catch or Wild Planet). Add to a medium or large bowl and flake thoroughly with a fork until no large chunks remain.
  2. Finely chop celery and red onion. Add to the bowl along with cottage cheese and stir to combine.
  3. Add lemon juice, Buffalo sauce, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Mix until fully combined and evenly coated.
  4. Taste and adjust Buffalo sauce or salt as needed. Serve immediately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Notes

Flake tuna before adding other ingredients for the most even mix. Finely chop all vegetables so they distribute evenly and do not fall out when serving in a sandwich or wrap. Full-fat cottage cheese gives the creamiest result. Swap cottage cheese for plain Greek yogurt or mashed avocado for dairy-free. This recipe is naturally gluten-free — confirm Buffalo sauce brand is certified GF if needed.