My Favorite Tuna Salad

This is the best tuna salad recipe I’ve ever had. It’s a fun twist on classic tuna salad made with simple, pantry-friendly ingredients. It’s healthy and full of flavor without any fishy taste. Enjoy it as a sandwich filling, with crackers, or on a bed of leafy greens.

For the longest time, I wasn’t a fan of tuna sandwiches. Many recipes I’ve tried had too much mayo or not enough texture.

My husband, on the other hand, LOVES tuna because it’s packed with protein. I was determined to develop a recipe that we could both agree on.

This is by far the BEST tuna salad recipe ever! It’s easy to make for a fast lunch or even a light dinner. The key is to completely drain the water from the can of tuna to avoid a wet-tasting tuna salad.

Tuna salad recipe ingredients

Tuna: I use solid white tuna packed in water. You can substitute with your favorite type of tuna, just make sure that it’s fully drained of water or oil.

Celery: I usually use 1 celery rib for this recipe, but if you’re a huge fan of celery, you can use 2 celery ribs.

Jalapeño pepper: This adds a nice crunch and slight kick of heat to this recipe. You can leave it out if you’re sensitive to heat.

Green onions: This adds good flavor and is less sharp than the taste of red onion or white onion.

Chopped dill pickles: I know relish is a popular choice in classic deli-style tuna salad recipes, but I much prefer using freshly chopped pickles. Dill pickles are my favorite, but you can use sweet pickles if you prefer.

Capers: This adds a slight salty and briny taste. A little goes a long way, so I add just 1 teaspoon of chopped capers. You can add more or less, depending on your taste preferences.

Fresh herbs: Fresh chopped parsley or dill really bring this tuna salad recipe to life.

Mayonnaise: I don’t like tuna salad recipes that are drenched in mayonnaise. I recommend starting with 6 tablespoons and adding more mayonnaise until you reach your desired consistency.

Dijon mustard: This adds a tangy flavor that compliments the other ingredients.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice: This adds brightness and enhances the flavor of the tuna salad.

Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper: This helps balance the flavors of the tuna salad.

How to make the best tuna salad

Add the tuna to a medium mixing bowl and use a fork to gently flake it until your desired texture is reached.

Add the diced celery, diced jalapeño pepper, sliced green onions, chopped dill pickles, chopped capers, and chopped parsley or dill. Mix everything together until just combined.

Add 6 tablespoons of mayonnaise, the Dijon mustard, freshly squeezed lemon juice, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Give everything a good stir until thoroughly combined. Add more mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon at a time, until your desired consistency is reached.

How to serve tuna salad

Sandwich – I love serving it on toasted sourdough bread with green leafy lettuce and sliced tomatoes.

Crackers – Enjoy it scooped on your favorite crackers for a healthy snack.

Leafy greens – Serve it wrapped in Bibb lettuce, butter lettuce, or Romaine leaves.

Tuna melt – Spoon some of the tuna onto bread or an English muffin and top it with a slice of cheddar cheese (or your favorite cheese). Bake, grill, or air fryer it until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Stuffed veggies – Spoon some of the tuna in an avocado half, hallowed out fresh tomato, or a seeded and cored bell pepper half.

Please let me know how you like this Tuna Salad recipe in the comments below! Your feedback and review encourages me to keep creating new and yummy recipes. I hope you love this tuna salad as much as I do.

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