Light and fresh this Tuna Salad makes the ideal comfort food for a quick, delicious lunch. Ready in just 10 minutes!
This Tuna salad recipe is a classic, protein-packed dish that’s both simple and satisfying. Made with canned tuna and mixed with mayonnaise, pickle relish, and herbs it delivers a creamy texture with a crisp, refreshing bite. This recipe only makes 10 minutes to make so it’s a quick and convenient meal option for any time of day.
For more yummy sandwiches, you have to check out my Deviled Egg Salad Sandwiches, Autumn Chicken Salad Sandwiches, and Copy Cat Chick-Fil-A Chicken Salad Sandwich.
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Salad
- This simple Tuna Salad recipe uses basic pantry staples.
- Tuna Salad is great for meal prep as it can be made ahead and stored.
- Tuna is a wonderful, low-cost protein option. It is also nutrient-rich, containing essential vitamins, minerals, and omega-3 fatty acids.
Recipe Ingredients
- White Tuna: Mild and flaky, it provides the primary protein and a light, fresh taste.
- Mayonnaise: Creamy texture enhances moisture and richness, binding the salad together.
- Sweet Pickle Relish: Adds a tangy, sweet crunch, balancing the creamy mayo.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
For a healthier alternative to mayonnaise, try using plain Greek yogurt or mashed avocado. Greek yogurt provides a tangy flavor and creamy texture while reducing calories.
How to Make Tuna Salad
Step 1: Add tuna, mayo, relish, and cheese to a medium bowl.
Step 2: Add parsley, dill, and garlic powder and mix well.
Step 3: Serve with crackers or as a sandwich.
Expert Tips
- Achieve the Perfect Texture: Use a fork to flake the tuna evenly. This helps blend the ingredients thoroughly, ensuring a consistent texture throughout the salad.
- Properly Drain the Tuna: After cutting the lid, press it down against the tuna to squeeze out the excess water. This ensures your tuna salad isn’t watery and maintains the desired texture.
FAQs
Absolutely, adding chopped celery, onions, or bell peppers can provide extra crunch and flavor to the tuna salad.
Use wild-caught Yellowfin or Albacore tuna for the best quality. For a lower-fat option, choose tuna packed in water instead of oil-packed tuna.
Storage Info
To STORE, place the Tuna Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. We don’t recommend freezing the leftovers as the mayonnaise can separate and alter the texture of the salad.
To REHEAT, if you prefer it slightly warm, gently microwave for 10-15 seconds, but avoid overheating to maintain its creamy consistency. Always stir well before serving to ensure even flavor distribution.
More Delicious Salads You’ll Love
Tuna Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 (7oz) can white tuna - grained and flaked
- 6 tbsp mayonnaise - or salad dressing
- 3 tbsp sweet pickle relish - or dill relish
- 1 tbsp Parmesan Cheese - shredded
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
- 1 pinch garlic powder
Instructions
- Add tuna, mayo, relish, and cheese to a medium bowl.
- Add parsley, dill, and garlic powder and mix well.
- Serve with crackers or as a sandwich.
Added some diced apples for crunch and it turned out amazing.
I love tuna fish sandwiches, and this blend of flavors was amazing! I will be making this again 😍
When I was in high school I used to eat tuna salad every day for breakfast AND lunch. I know, I know…a little weird to eat it for breakfast! But I love tuna. I even love how it makes bread soggy and stick to the roof of my mouth! Adding the dill and the parmesan is genius! I had not thought to add those in before. Delicious! I personally love to add in chopped crunchy pickles like Clausens. And I love it on crackers just as much as I love a good soggy stick to the roof of my mouth sandwich! Or open faced with mozzarella cheese under the broiler! Yum, yum!
That’s dedication to tuna salad to have it for breakfast too! I love it!! 😉 And open faced with mozzarella sounds amazing! I’ll have to try it that way next.
If anyone knows a way to get that awful fishy taste out tuna, please tell me. I have tried lemon, rinsing in water, rinsing in milk, buying the expensive tuna…ect…need something to help. I loved tuna as a kid and it didn’t have that bad taste then, what has changed. I literally crave it sometimes. This is also true of most fish. I can’t find a decent fish sandwich without biting into it and gagging on that nasty metal fish taste. I use to love flounder too, best delicate fish there was. Sorry for the rant😓
Hi Cookee, you might have already tried all these, but here is an article to read that might help: https://www.livestrong.com/article/13731242-how-to-make-fish-taste-less-fishy/
Delicious! I love the addition of parmesan cheese.