Matthew McConaughey’s Go-To High-Protein Lunch

We all have a staple meal we look forward to each week, and on a recent episode of the podcast 2 Bears, 1 Cave, Matthew McConaughey revealed his top lunch.

“I’m a tuna fish salad master maker,” the actor shares. “Every Sunday night, clean out the fridge [and] gonna make a bada** tuna fish.” Here’s how to make tuna salad the McConaughey way—it’s going viral for a reason.

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First, the base needs to be a “good tuna,” according to the Interstellar star. So grab your favorite can (or one of our editor picks) to re-create the magic. Then, he adds just a touch of lemon and vinegar to add some tang while keeping the acidity at a minimum.

Something else that makes McConaughey’s tuna salad unique is that he mixes his mayo with wasabi before incorporating it into the dish. That special ingredient brings a nice hit of spice to the salad and elevates the flavor of the tuna. And for those of us who love wasabi on a sushi roll with tuna, it should be a welcome flavor combination.

“You’re blowing my mind right now,” Kreischer says in response.

There’s one more base ingredient McConaughey swears by: a little Italian dressing. (We’re pretty fond of our Easy Homemade Italian Dressing, but store-bought works here, too.) Then the actor adds in his veggies: chopped red onions and “finely sliced” dill pickles. For more texture and heat, he throws in crispy jalapeño chips—you could pick up jalapeño-flavored potato chips at the store or opt for the crispy jalapeños that are usually stocked in the salad dressing section of your grocery store. 

“I’ll throw in some apple for some sweetness, a touch of agave [and] I always have corn in there,” the self-proclaimed tuna master adds. The last ingredient he includes in his tuna salad is frozen green peas—and our editors agree that frozen peas are even better than fresh.

While it’s delicious when enjoyed ASAP, McConaughey recommends eating this tuna salad the next day, once all the flavors have come together and created a harmony of savory and spicy. 

We love that the actor’s go-to meal is a high-protein option to help keep him satisfied at the start of the week. Plus, canned tuna and other fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids can be a brain-healthy, heart-healthy, anti-inflammatory ingredient. And the fact that McConaughey makes this tuna salad every week to use up whatever’s left in his refrigerator makes us a fan; it’s a practical, food-saving lunch that’s customizable and worth the try.

This tuna salad would be great paired with crackers or on a sandwich. And although McConaughey’s recipe sounds more than alright, alright, alright, you could also try one of our highly rated lunches to switch it up, like our Lemon-Dill Tuna Salad or this Cucumber-Tuna Salad Sandwich.