Tuna Salad Cucumber Cups are fun and delicious way to eat tuna salad! Serve these cool cucumber cups as an appetizer/snack or enjoy them as a light lunch! They’re easy to make and easier to customize with your favorite mix-ins and toppings!
While I love a good tuna salad sandwich, these tuna cucumber cups are a fun and healthy twist on the classic!
They’re super popular for showers and parties, but we honestly eat them most frequently as an afternoon snack or light lunch.
I love that I can make a big tray and they’re basically vanish in a matter of minutes.
Stick to the measurements below for a snack-sized spread or you can double, triple, or quadruple the recipe for these tuna salad cucumber cups to feed a crowd!
how do you make cucumber cups?
It’s easy! Slice cucumbers into discs and scoop out a bit of the center with a melon baller, spoon, or pairing knife. Pile on some tuna salad and dig in! To make a fun pattern in the cucumber discs, grab a cheese slicer or a vegetable peeler and peel a few gorgeous green ribbons off the cucumber before slicing.
These tuna salad cucumber cups are super versatile! You an even choose different fillings for your cuke cups. I’m a big fan of making Cucumber Bruschetta Cups and turning my sushi Cucumber Rolls into bite-sized cups is oh so fun!
Tuna Salad Cucumber Cups
NOTE: Totally needed to add a side note to this post after devouring a second batch today — I licked the bowl… the plate… and the cutting board clean. Just not the knife. We know how clumsy I can be. I also now have it on good authority that these work amazing with canned salmon too! Whether you make tuna salad cups or salmon cucumber cups, they’re sure to rock your face!
Tuna Salad Cucumber Cups
Ingredients
- 1 English cucumber (look for a hothouse -- they are a little sweeter!)
- 4-5 oz canned tuna (drained)
- 2 TBSP homemade or store-bought mayo*
- ⅛ tsp onion powder
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- Plus add #ALLTHEVEGGIES (see notes)
TASTY GARNISH IDEAS
- paprika
- chopped chives or scallions
- sprouts
- microgreens
- baby arugula
- sliced cherry tomato
Instructions
- A mellon baller totally comes in handy here so, if you haven't invested in one yet, totally pick one up!
- Combine tuna with your choice of mayo, yellow mustard, greek yogurt, or mashed avocado (or a combination of your favorites!), along with veggies, salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. If you have a go-to tuna salad recipe as well, feel free to use it here!
- Slice cucumbers into discs, scoop out a bit of the center, and arrange on a plate.
- Pile on some tuna salad and dig in! Easiest recipe ever!
- To make a fun pattern in the cucumber discs, grab a cheese slicer or a vegetable peeler and peel a few gorgeous green ribbons off the cucumber before slicing.
Notes
Nutrition
bring on the veggies!
Here are some tasty vegetables to add to your tuna salad. Choose your favorites!
- carrots
- cabbage
- pickles
- avocado
- bell peppers
- jalapeños
- banana pepper
- yellow onion
- green onion
- radish
- #ALLTHEVEGGIES
Why did I just now think of these by the way!? I feel cheated!
Like the last 28 years of my life could have been spent enjoying this all spring and summer long and I’m just NOW making it? Ridiculous.
I’ve been scarfing tuna salad on sandwiches and tortilla chips my entire life… which is fantastic — but this is better. MUCH better! The refreshing cucumber is the perfect pairing for this fun, flavorful, and veggie-riffic tuna salad. The crunch of the veggies and the tender, refreshing cucumber cups are so money.
I shall never again be without these tasty tuna salad cucumber cups in regular rotation.
You know the drill — make these right meow!
hungry for more?
- Sesame Seared Tuna and Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
- Garden Veggie Chickpea Salad Sandwich
- Spicy Sriracha Shrimp Tacos with Cilantro Lime Slaw
If you get a chance to try these Tuna Salad Cucumber Cups, let me know! You can leave me a comment here (LOVE checking those daily!) or tag @PEASandCRAYONS on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creations. I can’t wait to see what you whip up!
Questions & Reviews
Simple, tasty, quick and easy lunch or party appetizer.
We make these for lunch often! Sometimes I’ll use lettuce cups when I don’t have any cucumbers. Delicious!
So happy to hear it! Thanks Kimberley!
Good flavor!
I’m going make these.They look so yummy.Question.. when you scoop out some cucumber to make the cup, do you add it to your tuna salad?
So excited for you to try them Chris! I personally don’t since it’s mostly the seeds being scooping out and they are so watery/runny.
This was so perfect! I love how the savory tuna and refreshingly sweet cucumber just meld together in one bite. Mmmm. Will be making these again!
How far in advance can these be made? 24 hours? More? I want to make them for a wedding but not at the last minute. Thanks in advance for your answer.
Hi Cynthia! The cucumbers give off some of their water the longer they sit but you should be able to make them the night before. Basically the longer they sit the wetter they can get so feel free to do a test run before the big day if needed. xoxo
haha right meow! Love it! These were delicious. Perfect to use up some of the cucumbers growing in my garden!
Looks like I need to invest in some cucumber!
These sound so good! I love the way they look – perfect appetizer for a party =)
Haha! The first pic really captured my attention! Love the way you peeled the cucumber. Will try these now that the weather is getting warmer!
Omg, that first picture is KILLING me!! Hahaha!
Ugh, I can’t wait until summer…all this unseasonably warm weather has been taunting me! I’m ready for the summer fruits and veggies! And you just gave me the BEST idea ever! But I’m not telling you what it is…just expect a trackback as soon as I get my hands on some fresh zucchini! 😉
dang you and your craftiness! i need that. haha
Yummy! I love summer time when cold salads and snacks start to make their way back!
Ok so my original plan was to make the zucchini cups for lunch today, then I saw this and immediately went and made them. Yum!
This looks delicious! I love that you made it with greek yogurt too because I am nooot a fan of mayo!
What a great idea! I will be making these very soon! 🙂
I might steal this idea for a bridal shower! We’re doing tea sandwiches but these are way cuter than white bread cut in to triangles!
Haha no worries! — Try them with zucchini instead: http://peasandcrayons.com/2012/04/fun-feisty-zucchini-cups.html <3
Wow… I’m loving this idea! I have to admit that I’m not the biggest fan of cucumbers, but I really LOVE tuna, and this would definitely get me eating my veggies! Thanks.
I think you’re funny!
I also think your food is pretty… but I’m still not eating tuna. MUWAH!
SPRINT2THETABLE make them with chicken salad instead of tuna. Haven’t tried either but I bet either would be good.