These low carb tuna salad celery boats are my grown-up take on the snack my Aunt Denise always kept in the fridge for after-school raids. She’d line up celery sticks on sheet pans, pile them high with creamy tuna salad, and stash the pans in the fridge so the cousins and I could grab a few and run back outside. Now I make a batch on Sunday nights, slide the sheet pans right into the fridge, and they still disappear just as fast—only now it’s my husband, kids, and me sneaking them between Zoom calls and soccer practice. They’re simple, protein-packed, and totally doable on a busy weeknight.
Serve these tuna salad celery boats straight from the cold sheet pan for the full nostalgic effect, or transfer them to a platter if you’re feeling fancy. They’re great with a handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, or a small side of roasted nuts to round out the snack into a light meal. For a more substantial plate, pair them with a simple green salad or a cup of soup. They’re also perfect on a game-day snack table or as a quick, grab-and-go lunch component alongside cheese sticks or hard-boiled eggs.
Ingredients
2 (5-ounce) cans tuna, drained well
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard (optional but recommended)
2 tablespoons finely chopped celery leaves or extra celery ribs
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickle or pickle relish (sugar-free if low carb is strict)
1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion or green onion
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1–2 tablespoons lemon juice, to taste
8–10 large celery ribs, trimmed and cut into 3–4 inch pieces
Paprika, for sprinkling on top (optional)
Directions
Prep the celery: Rinse the celery ribs under cold water and pat dry. Trim off the ends, then cut each rib into 3–4 inch pieces. If the ribs are especially wide, you can slice them in half lengthwise to make more boats. Arrange the celery pieces in tight rows, hollow-side up, on 2 rimmed sheet pans.
Make the tuna salad base: In a medium mixing bowl, add the drained tuna and break it up gently with a fork so there are no large chunks. This helps it mix more evenly with the mayonnaise and seasonings.
Stir in the creamy elements: Add the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard to the tuna. Stir until the tuna is well coated and the mixture looks creamy but still holds its shape. If it seems too dry, add another spoonful of mayonnaise.
Add crunch and flavor: Stir in the chopped celery leaves or extra celery, dill pickle or relish, and red onion or green onion. Sprinkle in the garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper. Mix until everything is evenly combined, then taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
Brighten with lemon: Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and stir again. Taste the tuna salad—if you like it tangier, add up to 1 more tablespoon of lemon juice, a little at a time.
Fill the celery boats: Using a spoon, scoop generous mounds of tuna salad into the hollow of each celery piece, pressing lightly so it stays put and piling it just a bit higher than the edges for that classic, creamy look. Keep going until all the celery pieces are filled. If you have extra tuna salad, either spoon it a bit higher on each piece or save it in a small container for later.
Finish and chill: If you like, lightly dust the tops with paprika for color. Slide the sheet pans into the refrigerator and chill for at least 30 minutes so the celery stays crisp and the tuna salad is nice and cold—just like Aunt Denise’s after-school stash.
Serve or store: Serve directly from the chilled sheet pans, or transfer the celery boats to a platter. For easy snacking through the week, cover the sheet pans tightly with plastic wrap or foil and keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Variations & Tips
To channel different after-school vibes, you can tweak these celery boats a few ways. For extra protein and a bit of nostalgia, stir in 1–2 chopped hard-boiled eggs to the tuna salad (this is how my aunt stretched a can of tuna to feed a crowd). If you like a little heat, add a pinch of cayenne, a few dashes of hot sauce, or finely diced jalapeño. For a dill-forward flavor, swap the pickle for chopped fresh dill and add an extra squeeze of lemon. If you’re keeping things very low carb or avoiding added sugar, just be sure to use a sugar-free pickle relish or chopped dill pickles instead of sweet. You can also swap some or all of the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt for a lighter version, or use avocado oil mayo if you prefer. For kids, skip the onion and add a small handful of shredded cheddar on top of each boat before chilling. If you don’t have sheet pans that fit in your fridge, use any shallow container or baking dish—just pack the celery boats in snugly so they don’t tip over. And if you somehow end up with extra tuna salad and no celery left, it’s great rolled up in lettuce leaves or spooned onto cucumber rounds for more low carb snacks.