Matthew McConaughey says he makes this high-protein lunch every single week

On November 29, 2024By Littum

It’s going viral for a reason.

Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, MS, RD

McConaughey: Nathan Congleton/NBC/Getty Images. EatingWell design.

We all have a main meal we look forward to each week and in a recent episode of the podcast 2 Bears, 1 CaveMatthew McConaughey revealed his best lunch.

“I’m a champion of tuna salad,” the actor tells me. “Every Sunday night, clean out the fridge (and) make a bada** tuna.” How to make tuna salad the McConaughey way – it’s going viral for a reason.

First, the base must be a “good tuna”, according to Interstellar star. So take your favorite can (or one of our editor chooses) to recreate the magic. Then he adds just a touch of lemon and vinegar to add some zing while keeping the acid to 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. The special ingredient brings a nice hit of spice to the salad and elevates the taste 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 me away right now,” Kreischer says in response.

There’s one more staple ingredient McConaughey swears by: a little Italian dressing. (We’re quite fond of ours Easy homemade Italian dressing(but store-bought works here, too.) Then the actor adds his vegetables: chopped red onion and “finely sliced” dill pickle layer. For more texture and heat, he throws in crunchy jalapeño chips—you can pick up jalapeño-flavored potato chips at the store or choose the crunchy jalapeños usually stocked in the salad dressing section of your grocery store.

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

Although it’s delicious when enjoyed ASAP, McConaughey recommends eating this tuna salad the next day when 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 protein-rich 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 what’s left in his fridge makes us a fan; it’s a convenient, food-saving lunch that’s customizable and worth a try.

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