Tuna Mousse Recipe

This easy homemade Tuna Mousse is such a fantastic and versatile appetizer, making it perfect for your next dinner party. Canned tuna, mayonnaise, onions, lemon juice, dill, and pickled jalapenos are combined in the food processor to make a smooth, creamy, and flavorful mousse that’s immediately ready to spread on anything your heart desires.

I’ve enjoyed plenty of tuna salads in my day, but there’s just something so lovely about combining the traditional ingredients and blending them up into a smooth, salty, and luxurious dip. 

Tuna Mousse is essentially Italy’s answer to an American Tuna salad - it’s an easy recipe, yet has a great depth of flavor. In Italy, Tuna Mousse is typically served during aperitivo, but you can also serve it on sandwiches or with raw veggies for dipping - it's one of my favorite easy recipes.

If you are looking for more seafood ideas check out my Lobster Cakes, Easy Crab Cakes, Caesar Tuna Salad, or Traeger Smoked Salmon.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Quick And Easy: This creamy mousse comes together in just a few minutes. It's perfect for a quick lunch or snack.
• High Protein and Packed With Flavor: Canned tuna is a signature high-protein food. Blending it into a mouse is an easy way to get protein into your diet. It tastes great and requires minimal effort.
• Simple Ingredients: This tuna spread only requires a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge and pantry!

Ingredients

• Canned Tuna: I recommend using Wild Planet or Safe Catch canned wild-caught tuna. Either of these brands will be your best choice. You can typically find both of these brands at your grocery store and even at Costco.
• Mayonnaise: Use an avocado oil-based mayo such as Primal Kitchen Foods or Chosen Foods. 
• Onion: I recommend using a red onion, however when I photographed this, I only had yellow onions on hand, and it worked just fine.
• Lemon Juice: You will want to use freshly squeezed lemon juice, not the stuff from the bottle. If you don't have lemon juice, you can add a splash of red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar to provide a touch of acid. Feel free to also use lemon zest as well.
• Dill: I used dried, but if you have fresh dill that would be ideal.
• Pickled Jalapenos: I love pickled jalapenos; they add a touch of heat and acidity, but are far more mild than fresh jalapenos. They add just enough kick and pizazz to make it extra interesting. If you don’t like heat, just leave them out.
• Sea Salt: You just need a pinch of salt, but you can certainly adjust to taste.
• Pepper

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions and Variations

• Extra Rich And Creamy: To make this extra rich and creamy, you can try mixing in a small amount of heavy cream, unsalted butter, and parmesan cheese.
• Less Spicy: If you don't like heat and omit the pickled jalapenos, try adding a dash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce for a little kick without the spice.
• Salmon: If you are not a fan of tuna or don't have any on hand, try using canned Alaskan salmon instead.