Best Tuna Salad

This tuna salad recipe is easy and delicious! The chunks of fish are mixed with a combination of creamy mayonnaise and fresh vegetables, and herbs. A protein-packed dish that’s versatile to add to vegetables, sandwiches, and pasta for a quick lunch or dinner.

Every home cook should have a delicious go-to tuna salad recipe. It’s a great quick, affordable, protein-packed meal when you don’t feel like cooking. You only need canned albacore tuna, creamy pantry staples, and fresh mix-ins for a tasty meal.

Tuna salad is versatile and convenient, from making tuna salad sandwiches for lunch, adding to crisp vegetables, or incorporating it into a hot or cold pasta dish. It’s perfect for meal prepping, as you can transform it into various dishes throughout the week.

Key ingredients

• Canned Tuna:Use packed in water for a lighter taste or oil for a bolder fish flavor. Use four 5-ounce cans of tuna in water. Selecting light or white tuna impacts the taste and texture. I prefer light tuna for its softer texture. It mixes easily into a salad. Tuna in pouches can be used and do not need draining.
• Mayonaise:The egg and oil emulsified sauce adds characteristic creaminess to the salad. Adds richness to prevent a dry taste from the fish.
• Vegetables:Chopped celery and red onions for crunch and depth of flavor.
• Relish:Sweet pickle relish, dill pickle relish, or chopped pickles for tanginess.
• Herbs:Chopped parsley and green onions for a delicate herbaceous note.
• Mustard and Citrus:光滑的第戎mustard and lemon juice for pungency and tartness to balance the creamy mayonnaise.
• Seasonings:Salt and pepper to enhance the savory taste.

The difference between light and white tuna

White tunais solely from albacore and has lighter-colored flesh. It may also be labeled as chunk white or solid white albacore. It has a more firm, steak-like texture, drier, with a mild flavor.

Light or chunk light tunais darker in color, more flavorful, slightly saltier, lower in protein, and softer in texture. It’s made mainly from Skipjack but can also include Yellowfin tuna, big eye, or tongol.

Make the salad

If using white tuna, use a fork to break it down into smaller flakes. I prefer a more cohesive, scoopable salad with smaller fish pieces. However, leave it chunkier if you like bigger bites. Add in the mayonnaise, celery, onion, pickle relish, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine, mixing until the desired texture is reached. This makes about three cups of tuna salad.

Astand mixercan make the tuna salad faster, with a smoother consistency. This method works well for preparing a larger batch.

Flavor variations

There are endless ways to customize tuna salad. Try these tasty options to make the dish even more flavorful.

• Eggs:Choppedhardboiled eggsfor richness and more protein.
• Vegetables:Chopped bell peppers, carrots, corn, or cucumber for crunch.
• Fruit:Add diced red or green apples, cranberries, and golden or regular raisins.
• Alliums:Minced garlicor dried garlic powder, onion powder,pickled onions.
• Nuts:Crunchy sliced almonds, pecans, or walnuts.
• Avocado:Mash or dice avocado and mix it into the salad.
• Beans:Black beans, pinto, garbanzo, or white beans for fiber and protein.
• Herbs:Parsley, cilantro, dill, tarragon, basil, chives, green onions, or oregano.
• Spiciness:Make it spicy with印第安人香料or diced jalapenos.
• Cheese:Mozzarella, smoked gouda, cheddar, pepper jack, Monterey Jack, or Gruyere.

Serving suggestions

• Tuna salad sandwiches with dill pickles
• Tuna melt
• Serve in avocado halves or stuff in tomatoes
• Tuna pasta salad or tuna casserole
• Serve tuna salad with fresh lettuce and tomatoes for a low-carb option

Frequently asked questions

Pin this recipe to save for later

Pin This

Best Tuna Salad

Looking for a delicious and healthy tuna salad recipe? Look no further! This recipe is packed with fresh ingredients and is perfect for a quick and easy lunch or dinner.

Pin Print Save Saved! Review

4.77from13votes

Prep Time 15minutesmins

Cook Time 0minutesmins

Total Time 15minutesmins

份 6servings

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Ingredients

US Metric

1x 2x 3x

• ▢20盎司canned tuna packed in water,drained
• ▢1cupmayonnaise
• ▢½cupdiced celery,⅛" dice
• ▢¼cupfinely chopped red onion
• ▢2tablespoonsdill relish,or sweet
• ▢1tablespoondijon mustard
• ▢1tablespoonsliced green onions
• ▢2teaspoonslemon juice
• ▢½teaspoonkosher salt
• ▢¼teaspoonblack pepper

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Make the Salad– In a large bowl, use a fork to break up the tuna into smaller pieces. Add the mayonnaise, celery, onion, pickle relish, mustard, green onions, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine, mixing well until the desired consistency is reached.
• To Serve– Season with more salt and pepper as desired. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Recipe Video

Notes

• Recipe Yield:About 3 cups
• Serving Size:About ½ cup
• Storing:Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Light Tuna:Flavorful, softer, darker in color, and easier to mix.
• White Tuna:Albacore is firmer, lighter in color, and milder in taste.
• Pouched Tuna:Does not require draining.
• Tuna Packed in Oil:Drain well.
• Using Freshly Cooked Tuna:Use 2 cups.

Nutrition Facts

Serves: 6servings

Calories386kcal(19%) Carbohydrates3g(1%) Protein23g(46%) Fat31g(48%) Saturated Fat5g(25%) Polyunsaturated Fat18g Monounsaturated Fat7g Trans Fat0.1g Cholesterol55mg(18%) Sodium876mg(37%) Potassium276mg(8%) Fiber0.5g(2%) Sugar1g(1%) Vitamin A102IU(2%) Vitamin C2mg(2%) Calcium24mg(2%) Iron1mg(6%)

Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.