The Best Tuna Salad

Meggan Hill

5 from 2505 votes

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I never get tired of an excellent Tuna Salad Recipe, and of the hundreds of versions I’ve made, this version is the best. Serve on toast, crackers, a bed of greens, or grilled as a very delicious tuna melt.

A tuna salad sandwich on a plate next to chips and a pickle spear.


 

No matter how you mix it, making tuna salad at home is one of the easiest, most satisfying meals you can whip up from pantry ingredients.

Start with my recipe and enjoy it just as it is, or throw in your own favorite must-haves. It’s ready in minutes and always handy to have when hunger strikes.

Table of Contents

  1. Recipe ingredients
  2. Ingredient notes
  3. Step-by-step instructions
  4. Recipe tips and variations
  5. Recipe FAQs
  6. More From Culinary Hill
  7. The Best Tuna Salad Recipe

Recipe ingredients

At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.

Ingredient notes

  • Tuna: I prefer tuna packed in water with a dolphin-safe label. I usually buy cans, but you can use packets instead. Or, substitute oil-packed tuna (feel free to decrease the amount of mayonnaise if you do).
  • Mayonnaise: This recipe is heavy on the mayonnaise. Start with ¼ cup if you prefer and add more to taste.
  • Sweet pickle relish: Or substitute dill relish or minced dill pickles if you prefer that flavor.

Step-by-step instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, add tuna, mayonnaise, celery, onion, relish, lemon juice, and garlic.
Ingredients for tuna salad in a clear bowl before being mixed.
  1. Stir to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper (I like ½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Serve immediately or cover and chill until serving.
Tuna salad in a brown bowl.

Recipe tips and variations

  • Yield: This recipe makes about 3 cups of tuna salad, enough for 6 sandwiches (½ cup per sandwich).
  • Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
  • More mix-ins: Add a small amount of cut apples (Granny Smith would be perfect), a handful of thawed peas, or a couple of chopped hard-boiled eggs to your tuna salad.
  • Tuna Melt: Add melty cheese, juicy tomatoes, and golden brown, buttery grilled bread for the perfect tuna melt.
  • Lettuce wraps: Tuna salad is delicious wrapped in lettuce leaves or piled on a bed of lettuce.
  • Tuna pasta salad: Make a tasty tuna pasta salad by adding cooked macaroni, rotini, or your other favorite small pasta.
  • Stuffed tomatoes: Hollow out juicy tomatoes and fill with tuna salad for an old-fashioned and super-delicious lunch entrée.
  • Ahi Tuna Salad: Is the Ahi tuna looking fabulous at the fish market, or have you got an extra bit of Ahi tuna from last night’s dinner? Splurge and make tuna salad with it. Cook it through, then flake it up in this recipe.
  • More deli salads: If you love this Tuna Salad, you might also love my Chicken Salad, Turkey Salad, Egg Salad, Ham Salad, classic Potato Salad, and my favorite Macaroni Salad.
A tuna salad sandwich on a plate next to chips and a pickle spear.

Recipe FAQs

What can I put in on tuna instead of mayo?

Instead of mayonnaise, you can make tuna salad dressing with plain yogurt or whipped silken tofu. You can also add lemon vinaigrette (¼ cup olive oil, 2 tbsp. lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard, fresh herbs like dill, parsley, or chives and salt and pepper to taste).

Can I make tuna salad with oil-packed tuna?

Yes, oil-packed tuna tastes great in tuna salad (feel free to decrease the amount of mayonnaise if you do).

How do I remove the oil from oil-packed tuna?

If you prefer water-packed tuna but only have access to oil-packed, you can remove the oil yourself. Add the tuna to a fine-mesh sieve, rinse vigorously with cold water, and press with a spatula to extract all of the liquid out of the fish.

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A tuna salad sandwich on a plate with a pickle spear and potato chips.

The Best Tuna Salad

By Meggan Hill
I never get tired of an excellent tuna salad recipe, and of the hundreds of versions I’ve made, this version is the best. Serve on toast, crackers, a bed of greens, or grilled as a very delicious tuna melt.
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 6 sandwiches (½ cup salad each)
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Calories 345
5 from 2505 votes
ReviewPrint

Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • In a medium bowl, combine tuna, mayonnaise, celery, onion, relish, lemon juice, and garlic. 
  • Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like ½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper). Serve immediately or cover and chill until serving.

Recipe Video

Notes

  1. Tuna: I prefer tuna packed in water with a dolphin-safe label. I usually buy cans, but you can use packets instead. Or, substitute oil-packed tuna (feel free to decrease the amount of mayonnaise if you do).
  2. Mayonnaise: This recipe is heavy on the mayonnaise. Start with ¼ cup if you prefer and add more to taste.
  3. Sweet pickle relish: Or substitute dill relish or minced dill pickles if you prefer that flavor.
  4. Yield: This recipe makes about 3 cups of tuna salad, enough for 6 sandwiches (½ cup per sandwich).
  5. Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cupCalories: 345kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 19gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 516mgPotassium: 202mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 164IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 23mgIron: 2mg
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5 from 2505 votes (2,126 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  4. Made tuna melts with this recipe last night. A HUGE hit with the entire family! Delicious!! Thank you!!5 stars

    Reply

  5. Very nice recipe. I might suggest adding a little dill weed and if you have the capabilities, obtain Ahi steaks and smoke for approximately 40 minutes at 225 degrees and use instead of the canned tuna. Next level stuff.

    Reply

    1. Hi Mike, thank you for your question! When it comes to freezing cold salads with mayonnaise, it’s fine from a food-safety perspective but not really a great idea from a quality perspective. Mayonnaise is an emulsion so when it freezes and then thaws, it’s likely to separate and it won’t be what you want. The veggies might also lose their crunch, but really, the issue is the mayonnaise. If you are determined to press ahead, pack it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 4 months (it would last indefinitely but again quality-wise it’s going to really go down hill after 4 months). I hope this helps! – Meggan

  9. Love this recipe! I added some shredded carrots and used Safe Catch Wild Albacore Tuna (undrained). Delicious!5 stars

    Reply