Every recipe I create starts in my own kitchen, with my family as the ultimate taste testers. This tuna salad has been a weeknight hero for us for years, quick to make, full of flavor, and just a little nostalgic with each creamy bite. Whether you love it on toasted bread, fresh lettuce, or simple crackers, it’s one of those dishes that feels like home in every mouthful.
My Grandma always said that adding Sweet Pickle Relish to recipes was key to making it lick your plate clean. I for one, believe her and I'm not a huge relish or pickle fan either. But it does add some extra zest to this Tuna Salad Recipe for sure.
Tuna Salad Sandwiches can be made so many ways. Open Faced, grilled, or even a Tuna Melt topped with cheese. They are all delicious and so easy to make. I want to show you how simple this recipe is and how quickly you can be eating.
Best Tuna Salad Ingredients
- Tuna - packed in water, or in a pouch.
- Mayonnaise - not all mayo is created equal. Use a name brand like Best Foods or Kraft. For a stronger flavor use Dukes Mayo or even a Kewpie Mayonnaise.
- Pickle Relish - Sweet Pickle Relish is where it's at for this recipe.
- Celery Diced - dice and chop fine, the celery will add texture and a slight crunch
- Red Onion - dice and chop fine. You can even grate red onion for paper thin pieces to add flavor without having the pieces noticeable in the recipe.
- Salt - Redmonds Salt is my favorite. It provides a nice added flavor.
- Pepper to Taste
The Must Haves
- Mixing Bowl ~ I love using a glass bowl when mixing tuna salad because it does not absorb the flavors like a plastic bowl will.
- Silicone Spatula ~ Flexible, easy to scrape edges of bowl and get all the goodness.
Step by Step Directions for Tuna Salad Recipe
- In a bowl combined your drained Tuna, Mayonnaise, Relish, Diced Celery, Diced Red Onion, and Salt and Pepper.
- With fork combine the mixture and break up the Tuna chunks.
- Season to taste, I always add a little extra salt or pepper for my liking.
- Serve it on bread or with crackers. You can even serve it on a lettuce wrap!
Try This Instead for Canned Tuna Recipes
Additions
- Tuna Melt: Add a slice of Cheddar or Provolone Cheese and melt
- Tuna Wrap: Serve on a leaf of Romaine Lettuce with matchstick cucumber and carrots for a light low calorie lunch
- Tuna Salad with Pasta: Hot or Cold I've got a recipe for you! Try this Cold Tuna Pasta Salad or a family favorite Hot Tuna Noodle Casserole. They won't disappoint.
- Tuna Salad with Apples: Dice your favorite apple, Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Gala and throw it in the Tuna Salad Recipe. It's delicious!
- Extra Crunch: Adding diced cucumber adds great texture and crunch to a delicious recipe.
Substitutions
- Plain Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise
- Canned chicken or salmon in place of the tuna
"This is delicious hot or cold! Most times I use your suggestion of adding a diced cucumber and omit the relish. Perfect on these hot days that I don't want to turn on the oven."
— Lisa
How to Store Tuna Salad
Keep your uneaten tuna in an airtight container in the fridge. You can keep it in a Tupperware style container, in a plastic wrap covered bowl or even in a Ziploc style bag to keep it nice and fresh.
Frequently Asked Questions
Homemade Tuna Salad Recipe
Tuna salad goes great with potato chips or fresh cut veggies! Even serving up a few peeled boiled eggs on the side can be a great addition to the plate.
Yes, tuna salad is keto friendly when served with keto friendly options.
You can use plain Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise for a healthier alternative.
Prepared tuna salad is good for about 3-5 days. Just be aware that you’ll want to eat it while it’s fresher and sooner rather than later. The older it gets, you may notice some separation. Just stir it up to get the liquid mixed back in and use as desired.
Use the lid to press out as much oil as possible before removing the tuna from the can. Then place Tuna in a strainer and allow oil to drain off. Tuna can also be placed on a paper towel to absorb excess oil
I prefer an Albacore Tuna packed in water in a can or a pouch.
A 12 ounce can of tuna with the additional ingredients will make about 2 cups of Tuna Salad. Enough for 4 servings.
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Best Tuna Sandwich Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can Tuna
- ¼ cup Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon Pickle Relish
- ¼ cup Celery - Diced
- 3 tablespoon Red Onion - Diced
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- Pepper to Taste
Instructions
- In a bowl combined Tuna, Mayonnaise, Relish, Diced Celery, Diced Red Onion and Salt and Pepper.
- With fork combine and break up Tuna.
- Serve on bread or with crackers or in lettuce wrap
Variations
- Use yogurt in place of Mayonnaise
- Substitute canned chicken, salmon, in place of Tuna
- Diced Cucumbers add extra crunch
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutrition values are approximate and calculated by a plugin and are provided as a courtesy. Adding or subtracting ingredients will change the nutritional value.
Lisa
This is delicious hot or cold! Most times I use your suggestion of adding a diced cucumber and omit the relish. Perfect on these hot days that I don't want to turn on the oven.