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Best Tuna Salad Recipe

OG Tuna Salad recipes were always missing that bite of crunch for me. I love a good crunch, so I said to myself, make it how YOU like it, and make it the best! It’s time to share the delish details [ready in 10] and make sure you get the perfect scoop of tuna from here on out!

Here’s my recipe for my classic soft Tuna Salad with Eggs, incase that’s more you. We’re all about treating yourself here at LQC.

The Best Tuna Salad recipe in a bowl on white marble surface.

Why You Should Try It

I love sneaking in small chopped veggies in a sly way, yes even as an adult. I am all for ingredients that are good for us and still keep our food delicious.

Washing veggies and drying them is key. Dicing pieces takes a few more minutes and precision but it’s worth it. Adding veggies makes a great tasting tuna and plus, veggies are good for us!

Say bye to basic tuna and hello to the joy of getting in the good stuff with a scoop of this easy tuna recipe. It’s a frequent for us when craving a savory and flaky sandwich especially with a fresh bolillo!

Womans hand holding The Best Tuna Salad recipe as a sandwich on bolillo bread with lettuce and tomato above dark cutting board surface.

Ingredients

Grocery Quick List: canned tuna in water, celery, red onion, dill relish, mayo, yellow mustard, salt + pepper.

  • 2 cans tuna packed in water, 4-5 oz each preferably cold and drained
  • 1 + 1/2 cups celery, diced small
  • 1 cup red onion, chopped small 
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon, dill relish
  • sea salt and pepper to taste

Ingredient Notes

Tuna types – Pouch or canned tuna in water with a dolphin safe label. We also use yellowfin tuna in olive oil, when using oil packed type tuna, we drain some oil and reduce our mayo by 2 tablespoons.

Celery and red onion – Washing the celery and drying it is key. Dicing pieces takes a few more minutes and precision but it’s worth it. Adding veggies makes a great tasting tuna and plus, veggies are good for us!

Mayonnaise substitute – 1 mashed ripe avocado.

Ways To Spice Up Tuna Salad

Half of 1 small diced serrano pepper or 1 teaspoon of pickled jalapeno juice mixed into recipe. Or, spice it as you go and top it with your favorite red hot sauce.

Step-By-Step Instructions 

For chilled Tuna Salad

  • Refrigerate canned [or packages] before prep of recipe. Chilling for about 1 hour after prep of tuna is recommended if using room temperature tuna.

To make The Best Tuna Salad

  1. Dice veggies first. Then, in a large bowl, combine celery, red onion, tuna, mayonnaise, dill relish, mustard, and salt + pepper to taste.
  2. Mix all ingredients well into tuna and scoop onto your fave leafy greens, stuffed in a ripe red tomato, avocado, or a bread of choice.
tuna-salad-recipe- diced celery and red onion prepped in bowl.

A printer friendly recipe card with instructions is at the bottom of this post.

tuna-salad-recipe ingredients measured in a bowl.
mixing tuna salad ingredients in large bowl.

Foods To Eat It With

A few ideas for eating tuna salad: on top of a bed of mixed greens for a refreshing salad, crisp cut romaine lettuce, stuffed in pita bread, bolillo [french bread], or a baguette with a few slices of fresh tomato, romaine, and cucumber rounds or pickles.

Eating it with some tostadas or saltine crackers and is delicious too!

Tip: Don’t forget about your favorite fresh or pickled peppers. We favor yellow peppers, jalapenos, or fresh serrano for tuna sandwich meal perfection!

The-Best-Tuna-Salad-sandwich

Ways to Flip [The Best Tuna]

Tuna melt time! Make a tuna melt on sliced rye or sourdough bread with any remaining tuna salad.

Pro Tips / Receta Notes

  • If you prefer tuna on the sweet side, swap the onions for diced red or honey crisp apple and the dill relish for sweet relish.
  • Dill it up! Looking to add more earthy / herb-acious flavor? Use finely chopped dill for that tuna turn up!
  • Want to skip on the bread? Stuff a scoop of the salad into a halved red or yellow bell pepper, ripened tomato or avocado (my favorite).
  • Love eggs in your traditional tuna salad? Feel free to add them as you wish! We’d recommend using 1 large hardboiled egg chopped, for the size of this recipe.
Off center photo of The Best Tuna Salad Recipe topped with cracked pepper-final.

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best-tuna-salad

Best Tuna Salad

5 from 3 votes

DESCRIPTION

OG tuna salad was always missing that bite of crunch for me so I made The Best Tuna Salad, my style and you'll love it. I love a good crunch from fresh vegetables, so sneaking in small chopped veggies was the solution for a very simple to make, yet tasty, Tuna Sandwich.
prep: 10 minutes
total: 10 minutes
servings: 4
calories: 296
category: Lunch
cuisine: American
keyword: Atun, Best Tuna Salad, Celery, Mayonnaise, Tuna, Tuna Recipes, tuna salad recipe, tuna sandwich recipe

Equipment

  • Large bowl glass / ceramic (for faster chilling time, if needed).
  • 1 Tablespoon
  • 1 cup + 1/2 cup measuring cups for precise measuring of ingredients.

Ingredients

  • 2 cans tuna packed in water, 4-5 oz each or packed in oil. preferably chilled.
  • 1 1/2 cup celery, small chopped washed and dried of moisture.
  • 1 cup red onion, small chopped ¾ of half of large red onion.
  • 1 tbsp dill relish
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp yellow mustard
  • sea salt + pepper to taste.

Optional, very recommended, chili on the side:

  • pickled yellow chilis
  • pickled jalapenos

Instructions 

For chilled tuna

  • Refrigerate cans of tuna for about an hour, or night before making recipe. OR have some time to chill tuna after preparation for best lunch results.

To make the best tuna salad

  • Wash and dice ingredients and in a large bowl, combine tuna, celery, red onion, mayonnaise, dill relish, mustard, and salt + pepper.
  • Mix all ingredients well into tuna and scoop onto a bed of leafy greens, stuffed in a halved bell pepper, or onto your favorite warm toasted bread.

Notes

Recipe Yield: 4 servings of tuna salad [enough for 4 sandwiches / salads / wraps / crackers].
Storage: Best eaten fresh. Store remaining tuna in an airtight food storage with lid and eat within 3-4 days.
The tuna used in making this recipe was chilled before preparation for best taste. It is preferential. Upon opening, tuna is a good source of protein chilled or room temp!
Spice it up:
  • Half of 1 small serrano pepper (finely diced rounds, or diced small).
  • 1 teaspoon of juice from pickled jalapeños jar mixed into recipe.
  • Or, spice it as you go and top it with your favorite red hot sauce.
Tuna types: Pouch or canned tuna in water with a dolphin safe label. We also use yellowfin tuna in olive oil, when using oil packed type tuna, we drain some oil and reduce our mayo by 2 tablespoons. 
Mayonnaise substitute: 1 ripe avocado- thorough mashed until creamy.
Check out the full post on LatinasQueComen website for more tips on The Best Tuna and more delicious recipes true to your flavor!

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Best Tuna Salad
Serving Size
 
0.33 cup
Amount per Serving
Calories
296
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
22
g
34
%
Saturated Fat
 
4
g
25
%
Trans Fat
 
0.1
g
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
13
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
5
g
Cholesterol
 
42
mg
14
%
Sodium
 
519
mg
23
%
Potassium
 
326
mg
9
%
Carbohydrates
 
6
g
2
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
2
g
2
%
Protein
 
17
g
34
%
Vitamin A
 
249
IU
5
%
Vitamin C
 
4
mg
5
%
Calcium
 
47
mg
5
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition Facts
Tried this recipe? Pin it for the Party!Mention @latinasquecomen or tag #latinasquecomen!

Equipment

  • 2-3 quart bowl, glass or ceramic
  • 1 tablespoon, for mixing
  • 1 cup + 1/2 cup, for measuring

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