The Best Tuna Salad

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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.

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.
  • 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, 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.

More delicious salads

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

The Best Tuna Salad

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 2389 votes

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
Did you make this recipe?Tag @culinaryhill on Instagram so we can admire your masterpiece! #culinaryhill
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Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.

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Comments

  1. I have been a tuna fish sandwich lover my whole life, but lately I’ve been bored with the ones I’ve had. This recipe did not disappoint. I did use dill pickle relish due to that I prefer it with canned tuna sandwiches. I didn’t have a red onion, and it still tasted great. Thanks for posting this recipe. It will definitely be my new go to for a tuna sandwich.5 stars

    1. Hi Diane, this is great! I’m so excited my recipe reignited your tuna fish appetite. Your changes were perfect, too, and the recipe is very forgiving as you found. It’s more of a starting point for your own ideas anyway! Glad you loved it, thank you for leaving a comment, and I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Take care! -Meggan

  2. Question: I’m making a platter of these for a party. I know I can make the tuna the day before, but do I have to wait until the day of the party to put the sandwiches together, or can I do that the night before? I think I”m going to use mini croissants.5 stars

    1. Hi Kathy! Personally I would wait until the day-of to make the sandwiches just so they don’t accidentally get soggy. They shouldn’t because of all the mayonnaise, but I haven’t tested this personally and I would feel so sad if everything was ruined for your special day. I think mini croissants would be so good. If you can possibly wait until day-of to assemble them, that is the safest bet. If not, they shouldn’t be too wet because it’s a lot of mayo, you’d probably be fine. I just don’t want to steer your wrong. Thank you Kathy! Take care! -Meggan

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