Dice the cucumber into bite-sized pieces, finely chop the red onion, chop the tomatoes, quarter the artichoke hearts, halve the Kalamata olives, mince the garlic, and chop the fresh parsley. Having everything prepped and ready ensures the salad comes together quickly and the flavors meld evenly. Drain the tuna thoroughly using a fine-mesh strainer or by pressing gently with paper towels to remove excess liquid—this prevents a watery dressing.

In a small bowl, combine the extra virgin olive oil, red wine vinegar, minced garlic, Italian seasoning, and a generous pinch of salt and black pepper. Whisk together until the garlic is evenly distributed and the flavors begin to integrate. I like to let this sit for a minute or two so the garlic releases its essential oils into the oil and vinegar—this creates a more flavorful dressing than if you mix everything at once.

In a large bowl, add the drained tuna from Step 1, then add the cucumber, tomato, red onion, artichoke hearts, olives, and most of the parsley (reserve a small handful for garnish). Pour the dressing from Step 2 over the mixture and gently toss everything together until evenly coated. Be careful not to break up the tuna too aggressively—you want to maintain some texture and chunky pieces.

Gently fold in the crumbled feta cheese, being careful not to break it into too-small pieces—you want distinct pockets of creamy, salty feta throughout. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and black pepper as needed. Garnish with the reserved fresh parsley. I find that letting the salad chill for at least 15-20 minutes before serving allows the flavors to meld beautifully, though it can be served immediately if you prefer.