Tuna Salad Recipe
When you need something quick, satisfying, and endlessly versatile, this easy Tuna Salad Recipe is the answer. Made with simple ingredients and ready in minutes, it's packed with creamy, crunchy, herby flavor in every bite. Enjoy it as a sandwich filling, roll it into a wrap, serve it in crisp lettuce cups, or set it out with crackers and fresh vegetables for an easy appetizer or snack. However you serve it, this tuna salad makes mealtime simple and delicious.
If you're anything like me, lunch ideas can sometimes feel a little repetitive. I like to make sure every meal has a good dose of protein, and tuna is an excellent lean option that's always easy to keep stocked in the pantry. As a kid, tuna sandwiches weren't exactly my favorite -they usually consisted of just tuna, mayonnaise, and salt and pepper. While that's the classic foundation of a tuna sandwich, I'm going to show you how to zhuzh it up a bit with this tuna salad recipe.
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Ingredients
I list exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom.
- Canned Tuna - star of the show. Tuna provides plenty of lean protein and forms the base of this easy, satisfying salad.
- Mayonnaise - Adds richness and creaminess, helping to bind all the ingredients together.
- Greek Yogurt - Lightens up the dressing while adding a subtle tang and extra protein.
- Pickle Brine - A secret ingredient that adds bright, tangy flavor and helps bring the whole salad to life.
- Dill Pickles - Provide a salty, tangy crunch that complements the tuna perfectly.
- Celery - Adds fresh flavor and a satisfying crunch to every bite.
- Red Onion - Brings a little sharpness and savory flavor that balances the creamy ingredients.
- Fresh Dill - Adds a burst of fresh, herbaceous flavor that pairs naturally with both tuna and pickles.
- Fresh Parsley - Contributes a fresh, clean taste and brightens the overall flavor of the salad.
- Salt & Pepper - Simple seasonings that enhance and balance all the other flavors.
Instructions
Chop your celery, dill pickles, and red onion into a small dice. Chop the herbs either fine or left a little bigger for a more rustic look.
Step 1: Add all the ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl.
Step 2: Use a fork or spoon to mix all the ingredients together. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
How To Serve it
For a quick lunch, you can serve it sandwich style using your favorite bread. Or you could stuff it into a pita pocket or roll it into a wrap. One of my all time favorite ways to eat tuna salad is as a tuna melt. you can make tuna melts grilled cheese style or open face cooked under the broiler. If you are looking for a lower calorie option though, you can spoon it into lettuce cups. To round out lunch you can mix and match simple sides like fresh-cut veggies, potato chips, potato salad, or pasta salad etc.
Tuna fish salad also makes an easy appetizer for entertaining, simply serve it in a small bowl and surround it with crackers, dippable vegetables, and crisp lettuce cups. You can even add cucumber rounds so guests can spoon the tuna salad on top for a fresh, bite-sized option.
Hint: You can serve right away or place in the refrigerator for an hour or so to allow the flavors to meld even more.
What Type of Tuna to Use
There are several types of canned tuna available, and the best choice for a tuna salad recipe depends on your taste preferences, budget, and the texture you're after.
I like white albacore tuna packed in water. It has a light color with a mild flavor. It is sold as solid, chunked, or flaked which refers to the size of the pieces of tuna in the can. Solid is large intact pieces of tuna, chunked is tuna broken into smaller pieces, and flaked is the smallest pieces. The larger the chunks the more expensive usually. For these pictures I used flaked tuna, but I often use larger chunks too. I don't usually buy solid tuna.
You can buy the tuna packed in water or oil. The oil version tends to be have a richer flavor and is more moist and tender, but has more calories. I personally like the flavor of the water packed tuna and since I'm adding mayo and Greek yogurt, moistness isn't a problem. If I can easily cut calories here and there, I will. I mean, you have to save calories for dessert! Mochi Donut anyone?
Substitutions
- Sandwich bread - tuna salad is also delicious in a pita pocket, wrapped in a flour tortilla, or served on small leaves of lettuce.
- Greek Yogurt - if you don't have Greek yogurt on hand you can just replace it with more mayonnaise.
- Pickle Brine - If you aren't using dill pickles or brine, you can replace the brine with fresh lemon juice.
- Red Onion - use white onion, shallots, or green onion. You could even use onion powder, but you won't get the crunch. I would suggest ¼ teaspoon of onion powder. You can taste and add more if you like.
- Fresh dill - could be replaced with dry dill in a pinch. Use about 1 tablespoon of dried dill.
- Fresh parsley - if you don't have, just leave it out. You could add dried parsley, but I feel like dried parsley doesn't have much flavor.
To make this tuna salad recipe dairy free, replace the Greek yogurt with mayonnaise. The recipe is naturally gluten free, but make sure you use gluten free bread or wraps etc. to keep it gluten free.
Variations
This tuna salad recipe is easily adaptable to your tastes, you can add lots of different ingredients to change the flavor and crunchiness. Try adding chopped hard-boiled eggs, capers, cucumber, green onions, avocado, shredded carrots, or even a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to make it your own. You could even spice it up with your favorite hot sauce.
Equipment
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Storage
Tuna salad stores well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days. I don't recommend storing a tuna salad sandwich in the fridge for more than a day as the bread can get soggy.
I do not recommend freezing tuna salad as the mayo and Greek yogurt can separate upon thawing.
FAQ
I prefer using chunk or flaked white albacore tuna packed in water because it has a mild flavor and firm texture that holds up well when mixed with the other ingredients.
Yes! In fact, tuna salad often tastes even better after chilling for a few hours, allowing the flavors to meld together. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Absolutely. If you prefer a richer tuna salad, replace the Greek yogurt with an equal amount of mayonnaise. You can also adjust the ratio to suit your taste.
Pickle brine adds a bright, tangy flavor that helps balance the richness of the mayonnaise and yogurt. It's an easy way to add extra flavor without additional ingredients.
Tuna salad can be a nutritious meal option thanks to its high protein content. Using a combination of mayonnaise and Greek yogurt helps keep it creamy while reducing some of the calories and fat compared to using mayonnaise alone.
Related
Looking for some other light dishes? These might hit the spot.
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with tuna salad:
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and may vary based on ingredient brands, substitutions, and portion sizes.
Tuna Salad
Equipment
- 1 medium sized mixing bowl
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 10 oz canned tuna 2 (5oz cans)
- 3 tablespoon mayonnaise (42g)
- 2 tablespoon Greek Yogurt (33g)
- 1 tablespoon Pickle Juice (brine from jar)
- 1 stalk of celery diced
- ¼ cup dill pickle diced
- 2 tablespoons red onion diced
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all ingredients into a medium sized mixing bowl. (10 oz canned tuna, 3 tablespoon mayonnaise, 2 tablespoon Greek Yogurt, 1 tablespoon Pickle Juice, 1 stalk of celery, ¼ cup dill pickle, 2 tablespoons red onion, 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley).
- Use a fork or spoon to thoroughly mix all the ingredients together. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
- Serve immediately or place in the fridge for an hour or so to allow the flavors to meld together more.
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