A classic tuna salad recipe is an easy lunch and can be made ahead of time for meals throughout the week.
This recipe combines flaky canned tuna with celery, onions, pickles, and mayonnaise for a refreshing and satisfying lunch!
Tuna Salad Is a Favorite Because…
- It’s quick and easy to prepare.
- Tuna salad is versatile, add in any of your favorite ingredients.
- A good source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
- It’s great to make ahead and serve for lunches or with crackers as a snack.
Ingredients for Tuna Salad
I love an easy lunch sandwich, from chicken salad to ham and cheese, and this tuna salad recipe is no exception.
- Tuna: I prefer water-packed tuna over oil-packed tuna as it’s lighter, but you can use any variety. Solid tuna has larger pieces, while chunk tuna has smaller pieces.
- Dressing: The dressing for this tuna salad recipe is really simple and uses mayonnaise as the base. Lemon juice and a bit of Dijon mustard are added for some tang.
- Add-Ins: Diced celery, chopped pickles, and sliced green onion add flavor and crunch.
Variations
Vary this salad by adding different flavors and textures. Here are some favorites:
- Add fresh herbs (like flat-leaf parsley or dill).
- For extra crunch, try diced red bell pepper or red onion.
- Elevate this salad with capers, chopped olives, or chives.
- To stretch the salad further, add chopped hard-boiled egg.
How to Make Tuna Salad
Tuna salad is so easy and requires very little prep.
- Drain the tuna well (recipe below).
- In a medium bowl, combine drained tuna, mayo, dill pickles, celery, green onion, Dijon, and lemon juice.
- Gently stir them together. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
Serving Suggestions
- I like to serve tuna salad sandwiches with lettuce leaves and tomato on whole wheat bread or rye.
- This tuna salad recipe is also great tucked into large tortillas as a wrap.
- We love to serve it with potato chips on the side (and I usually sneak a few into my sandwich too)!
Storage
If it doesn’t get eaten up first because it IS that good, tuna fish salad can be stored in the fridge for up to 2 days.
More Tuna Favorites
Did you love this Tuna Salad recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Easy Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces canned tuna well drained
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons chopped dill pickles or sweet pickles, or 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 rib celery finely diced
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or prepared mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
-
Drain the tuna well.
-
In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, dill pickles, celery, green onion, Dijon, and lemon juice. And mix to combine.
-
Add the tuna and gently break it up with a fork. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.
-
Use to top a salad, in sandwiches, or to add to pasta salads.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Fish, Lunch, Snack
Cuisine American
© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
very quick and easy to make!
Yummy
This recipe wasn’t for me. Too many crunchy bits and too much sour for my liking. However, the mayonnaise ratio was perfect.
Howdy,
I often change up what I mix into a Tuna Salad Sandwich; touch of garlic powder, freshly ground pepper, sea salt, Ripple Plain Potato Chips, pinch of mildest Horse Radish, freshly squeezed lemon juice, Cross & Blackwell red seafood sauce. Golden Oktober German White Wine, etc.
I love the recipes in this page!
I love the easy recipes!
Perfect,,,,but I like sweet pickles. Sometimes I add both! Old family recipe,,and we love it. Been doing this for years. (like50 + years) :) Want a salad,,,you can do that too,,,just add noodles and hard boiled egg. Did that did weekend. Try sprinkling some McCormick Salad Supreme on top!