This tuna, egg and arugula salad serves two in about 35 minutes. Its ingredients need little cooking beyond the eggs, but each has a texture worth protecting: large tuna flakes, clean egg quarters, dry peppery leaves and a smooth dressing. The recipe uses 240 g drained canned light tuna, not the weight of an unopened can. Start with the eggs, then use their cooking and cooling intervals for everything else.
Tuna, Egg and Arugula Salad makes 2 servings, with 35 min estimated total time. View the standalone recipe page.
Cook the eggs until both centers are firm
Put three large eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water by 2 cm. Bring to a boil, cover, turn off the heat and leave for 12 minutes. The covered standing time is part of the cooking method. Do not start that timer when the cold pan first goes on the stove.
Very large eggs or high-altitude cooking can need longer, as the recipe notes. Transfer to ice water for 5 minutes, then peel and quarter, checking that both yolks and whites are fully firm. The goal here is a firm topping that holds its shape. A liquid or jammy center is not the intended doneness for this recipe.
Drain the tuna before measuring and flaking
Use canned light tuna packed in water and measure 240 g after draining. The liquid in the can is not part of the salad dressing. A sieve can make draining straightforward; let the free liquid run away without aggressively squeezing the tuna into a dry, compact lump. Read the drained-weight label when planning how many cans to open.
Break the tuna into large flakes just before assembly. Stirring it vigorously with the mayonnaise would turn the dish into a mixed sandwich-style filling. Here the dressing is drizzled over separate ingredients, so keeping the flakes distinct lets diners pick up tuna, egg and leaves together without every component becoming the same texture.
Dry the arugula and prepare the tomatoes
Wash and dry the 100 g arugula, then halve the 250 g cherry tomatoes. Check that water is not collecting beneath the leaves. A spinner or clean towel helps remove moisture that would otherwise thin the dressing once the salad is plated. Use clean utensils and surfaces after handling eggshells.
Arrange the leaves in loose beds on two plates instead of compressing them into dense piles. Spread tomatoes throughout rather than setting all the juicy cut faces in one small area. The salad does not need a long marinating stage; the fresh leaves are meant to remain distinct underneath the more substantial toppings.
Whisk the dressing until completely smooth
Combine 40 g commercial mayonnaise, 30 g plain yogurt, lemon juice, Dijon, salt and pepper. Whisk thoroughly so small yogurt or mayonnaise streaks disappear. The lemon and yogurt loosen the mayonnaise and give the dressing its tang; adding more lemon automatically would change that balance before you have tasted it with the other ingredients.
Keep the dressing separate while the eggs cool. It should flow from a spoon in a controlled drizzle rather than require vigorous tossing through the delicate leaves. The exact thickness can vary with the yogurt, so scrape the bowl thoroughly and distribute the existing dressing evenly instead of leaving its thicker portion behind.
Assemble gently and plan ahead in separate containers
Distribute the drained tuna over the leaves and tomatoes, then add the egg quarters. Three eggs produce twelve quarters, so each plate receives six. Spoon the dressing across the toppings and some leaves, and serve promptly. A final heavy toss would break the egg quarters and tuna flakes you have taken care to preserve.
For advance preparation, keep cooked eggs, drained tuna, dry leaves and dressing covered and refrigerated separately, then assemble when ready to eat. FDA guidance allows properly refrigerated hard-cooked eggs up to one week, but that is not a promise about the shelf life of an already dressed salad. The leaves will lose their best texture much sooner once coated.
Common questions
Should I use the tuna can weight or drained weight?
Use 240 g of tuna after its packing water has drained away. Check the label for drained weight when buying; total can weight can include liquid the recipe does not use.
Can I mix everything into one bowl in advance?
Separate refrigerated components work better. Once dressed, arugula softens and egg quarters and tuna flakes can break down during mixing; assemble near serving.
Technique & food-safety references
These primary references support the technique, safety and storage guidance. The recipe and cooking explanations are original Recipe Pinboard content.
