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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.
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
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
- In a medium bowl, add tuna, mayonnaise, celery, onion, relish, lemon juice, and garlic.
- 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.
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.
Recipe FAQs
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).
Yes, oil-packed tuna tastes great in tuna salad (feel free to decrease the amount of mayonnaise if you do).
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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The Best Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 4 (5 ounce) cans tuna packed in water drained (see note 1)
- 1 cup mayonnaise or less to taste (see note 2)
- 1/3 cup celery finely chopped (about 1 rib)
- 2 tablespoons red onion minced, about 2 small slices
- 2 tablespoon sweet pickle relish (see note 3)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
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
- 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.
- 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.
Nutrition
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.
I like raisins in my tuna also. Very good. Apples are nice.
WOW! I’ve been making tuna salad for years with celery, mayo and old bay. This rocks! I made it exactly as is. Incredible flavors. I always freeze fresh lemon and lime juice so it’s always on hand. Just microwave for 15 sec and pour in the amount needed then refreeze. Fresh is best! Thank you for my NEW tuna recipe!
Hi Kathi, I’m so glad you loved it! You’re so welcome! Take care! – Meggan
This was so delicious and easy to make! The only change I made was I used 1/2 cup of light Hellmann’s because I am following a particular diet and it lowered my points. I am so glad I found this recipe, it will be in my regular meal prep rotation!
Hi Dana, I’m so glad you loved it! Thank you for your comment. Take care! – Meggan
I love tuna salad but don’t like the taste of fish. I added a little italian seasoning. This was a great recipe. Great flavor.
So glad you loved it, Karen! – Meggan
Perfect tuna salad! Only changes were chopped sweet gherkins instead of relish and Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise. Thank you my go-to written recipe!
Hi Chestnutt, so glad you loved it! Take care! – Meggan
This is my second comment. Ha! This is so unbelievably good, it’s a must try!!! I’ve made it six more times since my last comment. Love your website, Meggan!
Thank you so much, Stacy! 🥰 I’m so glad you love it! – Meggan
Unreal. Best ever.
Thank you for your comment, Anne! So glad you loved it! – Meggan
This recipe is excellent. Used the lesser suggested amount of mayonnaise. The lemon and garlic really enhanced the tuna salad. Served on croissants with lettuce and tomato for a quick Lenten dinner.
Hi Colleen, so glad you loved it! Take care! – Meggan
I got about half way through making this recipe and realized I didn’t have an onion… it was still delish. I’ve never added garlic before but loved the addition! Thanks!
Hi Keri, I’m so glad you loved it! You’re welcome! – Meggan
This recipe deserves 100 stars!!! So delicious! I use to use grapes in my tuna, but my husband didn’t care for the grapes. However, the granny apple andddd my fave, garlic – wowsers! I love this website and will achieve my New Year’s goal becoming “ Chef Stacy”. :)
Thank you, Stacy! I’m so happy you loved it. I hope you achieve your goal! Please write and let me know if you have any questions along the way, I’m happy to help! – Meggan
Not bad. Takes longer than 5 minutes to prepare, for sure. Good basic recipe that you can tweak to your liking.
I found this recipe randomly on the internet.
My 26 year old daughter and I made it today following the recipe exactly.
She loves tuna salad sandwiches.
She LOVES this recipe.
My 33 year old son just made a sandwich and he also says it’s a hit.
Works out good for us.
Just saying…
Hi Mark, thank you so much for your comment! Happy they love it! Take care! – Meggan
Just a comment on the metric conversations While the US measurements are given in volume the metric are in weight and therefore do not work. 1cup = 227ml not 224g. 1tbs = 15ml
Cheers
The conversion is correct, Jeff. European recipes measure by weight, not volume.
Love it. Great add-on suggestions! I added chopped pecans and dried cranberries and about 2 tsps of Dijon. Addictive!! Thank you!
You’re so welcome, Theresa! Happy you loved it! – Meggan
I usually add mustard to my tuna salad but my daughter prefers to not have it. This is a great recipe and I didn’t miss the mustard! I added some slices of avocado and tomato onto the toasted bread…it was delicious!
Hi Jodi! So happy you loved it! – Meggan
Thank you! I loved this recipe. I’d never added the garlic before and its definitely a go to now. You taught a old dog a new trick.
Hi DJ, you’re so welcome! Thank you for trusting me and trying it out! Glad you loved it! – Meggan
Best tuna salad I have ever had. I replaced red onion with shallot, and dill pickle for sweet, only because I didn’t have those. The garlic really rounds out the flavor.
I would serve this to company.
Hi Carol, I’m so glad you loved it! Take care! – Meggan
The best tuna sandwich we’ve ever made! Followed the recipe to a T and it did not disappoint.
So happy you loved it, Robin! THank you for your comment! – Meggan
Hi Meggan,
This looks so delicious! Do you have any bread recommendations to accompany the tuna?
Hi Tammy, I love it grilled on sourdough as a tuna melt and I love it on Oatnut bread from Oroweat. I love it on buttery croissants. Also, any basic honey wheat is my go-to, like Nature’s Own. I hope you love it, too! – Meggan
Hi. I haven’t tried your recipes yet but they look very good to me. I am especially interested in the vegetarian recipes. Thank you for your emails. I wondered if you have a book published on some of these recipes. Thank you, Iris
Hi Iris, thank you so much for your comment! You’re welcome! I don’t have a book out, but I do have quite a few vegetarian-friendly recipes that can be found here: https://www.culinaryhill.com/eats/vegetarian-recipes/. Hope you enjoy them! Take care! – Meggan
This is excellent tuna salad. Thank you for a good simple recipe.
You’re welcome, Joe! – Meggan
Great recipe! Something I have always done is pop the can or cans of tuna in the fridge for an hour or two or overnight. This way your salad is chilled and ready to eat as fast as you mix it!! YUM!!
This is such a great tip, Lisa! I love it! – Meggan
Wow, this is good! I had to substitute chopped bread and butter pickles for relish and Vidalia onions for red and it was still amazing. Thank you for sharing!!!
Hi Pat, excellent substitutions that will only enhance the tuna salad! I really think you can’t go wrong here. Thank you for trying the recipe and leaving a comment with your review. I appreciate it so much, and thank you again! -Meggan
All my family loved this recipe. Now I’m thinking how my college son can benefit from it as well…
Can this salad be frozen and then thawed in the fridge before eating?
Hi Maria, I’m SO happy you guys liked the tuna salad! 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! Thank you for your comment! -Meggan
Delish! Almost identical to our favorite tuna salad recipe we’ve been making for several years – just add a little Dijon and less mayo – and it’s the best EVER‼️
So delicious
Glad you loved it, Philipp! – Meggan
Excellent tunafish salad especially if you’re using the Costco albacore tuna, which is excellent to begin with
I added diced tomato and corn so yummy 😋
Yum! Great suggestion! – Meggan
Add horse radish. It tangs it up and puts a new spin on the hohum
Great suggestion, D! Thank you! – Meggan
She’s not joking… DELICIOUS! Made for a work lunch-on and people loved it. Paired it with lettuce wraps and sprinkled some extra sea salt on top.
SO SO good. I made this last week, didn’t have all the ingredients so I improvised (white onion instead of red, no celery, and only 2-3 tbs of mayo). But it was still delicious, I ended up eating the whole batch in one sitting 😬 I made it again tonight and I’m so excited bc it will help to hit my protein macros much easier and tastier! I keep the mayo very low, prob 1/3c at the most so it’s relatively healthy! I eat it on Ezekiel bread toast. It’s also great on a French baguette.
So glad you loved it, Klola! I’m happy you were able to substitute with what you had on hand, and it still came out amazing. Take care! – Meggan
I like to add eggs to mine. Great recipe 👌🏿
Thank you, Tiera! Sounds delicious! – Meggan
I made this recipe and it came out delicious I needed a sprinkle more of salt I used pita bread with Romaine lettuce everyone really liked it
Happy to hear, Loraine! Sounds delicious!
Yum! I added a good dash of smoked paprika….really gives it depth. Thank you
You’re welcome, Mark! Sounds delicious!
Deliciouso! I subbed minced shallots for the onion and garlic. Next time I will follow the recipe exactly and see which is better!
Hi Carol, thank you so much! Hope you love it as written, too! – Meggan
Instead of mayo, has anyone tried making tuna salad for sandwiches / crackers with buttermilk ranch dressing?
This is THE bests “unboring” tuna sandwhich I ever had! The hard boiled egg addition and garlic was what made this work. Thank you so much for sharing.
PS……mayo amount was perfect IMHO
You’re so welcome, Diane! I love it! Take care! – Meggan
I am completely surprised at how good this is. I never dreamt of garlic in tuna salad but fresh pressed garlic is so good. I didn’t have the celery which I’d like to try next time so I put in green onions, celery seed and white onions, because I didn’t have the red. Absolutely delicious! You’ve taken boring tuna to a whole new level.
Hi Lisa, so glad you loved it, especially the garlic! I often substitute white onion, so delicious! You’re so welcome! – Meggan
100% best ever!!!
Thank you, Holly! Glad you loved it! – Meggan
Can’t wait to try them all out.
Turned out great! I even fine tuned it to my preference by adding some diced banana peppers. Thank you!
Yum! Sounds delicious! – Meggan
Best recipe 😋
Why thank you, Jennifer! – Meggan
This was so easy to make and taste so good 😋
I added a whole onion cause I love onions and also added sliced pickle which really added a nice kick.. I really recommend it!!!
Thank you, Cezanne! Take care! – Meggan
Incredible! You nailed it!
Thank you, Lisa! Glad you loved it! – Meggan
Delicious tuna salad. Followed recipe except left out garlic. Best we’ve ever had!
Hi Helen, so glad you loved it! Thanks! – Meggan
Amazing! We all loved it!
Thank you, Debbie! So glad you loved it! – Meggan
My feet are cold because this recipe knocked my socks off! I’ve had a couple of 12 oz. cans of Albacore in the pantry for a year or so and I’ve been craving tuna for a hot minute now but I have grown tired of my old recipe. Meggan’s Tuna Salad has earned a spot next to Barbie’s Chicken Salad in my all-time favorites book!!! Definitively delicious!!
Hi Tee, thank you so much! Your comment made my day! I’m so glad to help you make use of your pantry stock. Thank you for taking the time to write! Take care! – Meggan
Nommers! So, I can’t follow a recipe to save my life but your recipe inspired me to use chives as I was out of celery, sprinkle of old bay seasoning, dill relish because that’s what I had. What a great way to jazz up something that sounds so boring; tuna salad. You have wonderfully inspired me, I haven’t had tuna salad in over a decade (my family hates canned fish).
Hi Suzie, that’s so wonderful! I’m so happy this recipe inspired you! I love the creativity! Take care! – Meggan
This is a wonderfully prefect recipe! We made this one evening when we didn’t want to cook. I might try the one suggestion to add banana peppers, that sounds great too!
You are a tuna salad magician. I absolutely love this. I’ve made this for a lot of folks, including people who said they dont like tuna. I ask them to try it and let your tuna work its magic. Usually it only takes one bite and they’re converted too. :)
Hi Emily! You have made my day! I’m so happy you love this recipe, and are sharing it! I love this! Take care! – Meggan
Ooops! Forgot to rate it. 5 stars, of course!
Hi RJ, thank you soo much! I’m happy it was a hit for your get-together! Thank you for taking the time to comment! Take care! – Meggan
Made this for a get together, in sandwiches, and it was a complete hit! Then I prepared it again this morning with pasta, and oh my goodness . . . sooooo good! Best tuna salad ever!!!
Just found out I’m deficient in protein and what better way to add protein but with tuna sandwiches, stuffed tomatoes or pasta using this recipe. The ingredients are similar to what my mama made when I was young. Can’t wait to get the ingredients and make this. It’s been years since I’ve had a tuna sandwich. Thanks for this recipe.
Hi Vela, I hope you enjoy it! It’s a staple in my house, and I hope it becomes one for you! Take care – Meggan
Perfect! My husband is happy with mayo and tuna but I need more flavor and crunch. Made this for him and he is a CONVERT. There is no going back now! We’v had it as a sandwich and part of a salad…on rice cakes…on crackers…in celery sticks…and in scooped out mini cucumber halves. Satisfies everyone.
Hi Shannon, same here! I’m glad you were able to find a recipe you both love! Take care!- Meggan
where is the recipe list? on my screen there is the heading but nothing else.
Hi there, are you using Firefox by any chance? There is a glitch in that browser that conflicts with the sharing buttons on the site. I checked on our side and am able to see the recipe. I’m so sorry about this! Since you left your email, I will have a pdf of the recipe sent to you. Sorry again! – Meggan
I never could figure out what I was missing in my tuna salad. This is the best tuna salad for sandwiches that I have ever made. I used less than a cup of mayonnaise and an extra tablespoon of relish that we love (Wickles Green.) I had no red onion and used one shallot. Delicious. Thanks, Meggan Hill.
Hi Sherrie, I’m so glad you loved it! Take care! – Meggan
The best!! I refuse to give my husband the recipe so I can keep the families mouth watering.
This is the best tuna salad I’ve ever had!! It’s the perfect combo and my whole family loves it!!!
My son was asking for tuna croissant. I usually buy those pre-packed ones but this time decided to look up for a recipe. So glad I found yours as it was simply delicious. This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thank you!!
Any tuna salad recipe that omits some soy sauce can never achieve the status as “best tuna salad.” A dash of soy sauce is a game changer, try it.
Yum. I added a little harrisa for a kick.
This is a very good, basic tuna salad recipe. As it stands it’s not exceptional. I like lots of crunch in my tuna salad and so added more celery and onion, red and yellow chopped peppers, cucumbers, capers, dill, sunflower seeds, seasoned salt, and a healthy squeeze of lemon juice. I served it over romaine lettuce. It was delicious and very filling.
It’s tuna salad. You don’t need to put your entire pantry into it for it to be ‘exceptional’.
Spot on Jennifer
Absolutely Delicious!
Thanks Tiffany! – Meggan
Just made it for myself and my roommate for breakfast in 15 minutes, better than any tuna salad I ever brought out there. 10/10
Thanks Mark! – Meggan
I have been making my tuna salad this way for a long time because my mom did too only difference is we add boiled eggs to it once in a while not always though but anyways this is a very good tuna recipe.
Fantastic recipe. Thank you for the suggestions- I prefer the dill pickle version. My family loves it!
I’m wondering if Kewpie/Japanese mayo would take it up a notch, has anyone tried it?
A completely delicious Tuna Salad recipe! Thank you Meggan Hill for posting this and the suggested alternations. We loved it.
I’ve never been a fan of sweet relish nor have I ever put relish in my tuna salad…so I’m a bit nervous! Anyone make it with dill relish? Or just omit the relish all together? How did it turn out? Did you add cheese or any lettuce? TIA!
I add relish to my tuna salad and I love it. Try it you will not be disappointed.
I used the sweet relish to balance out the tuna taste. Then using Romaine Lettuce as the base, place the Tuna Salad on the lettuce and serve with a wedge of your favorite dill pickle.
I don’t care for sweet pickle relish, so I dice up a pill pickle or 2.
This is a very good recipe, the flavors are really balanced. I like to add water chestnuts to tuna and chicken salad for the extra crunch.
excellent!made it yesterday stuffed into sweet peppers and mama it was great.
Mustard and lemon made the difference.
I’ll never go back to blah tuna salad
Love love this recipe! Very tasty and includes all the essentials for an amazing tuna salad.
Seriously the best combination of ingredients and the best ratios for the perfect mix! I never put garlic in my tuna salad before – I will definitely be following this recipe again!
I’m currently stuck in the hospital with the pancreatitis I’ve had for the last 2 months, waiting to transfer to another hospital to get the surgery I need to finally start healing (I haven’t been able to eat for the last couple of weeks). Once I’m able to start eating again, I’m definitely trying the recipe! I can think of some additions or modifications I would like to try, but I want to try it your way first. It’s definitely different and interesting looking!
Growing up, I remember my grandma’s way of making a tuna melt was to put a hefty amount on both sides of a hamburger bun, put a thick slice of red tomato on top, sprinkle that with black pepper, cover with a slice of American cheese, and broil it open faced until the cheese is melty and slightly charred on the top. Serve with Lay’s potato chips and a pickle on the side. Soooo delicious! Definitely going to try this with your recipe!
This is a great recipe. I also sometimes add sunflower seeds and/or chopped pecans or walnuts
Delish! Only did about a tbsp of Mayo per can of tuna and a squirt of Dijon. Really, really good :)
Very delicious never had it prepared like this. YUMMY 😋 I saved recipe
Thanks
This is definitely a great base recipe. I’m outta celery unfortunately, and the crunch is a must for me. so, im using a can of Diced waterchesnuts and
celery salt in placeof. Also adding some Dijon, a bit of paprika, and at least 4 roughly chopped hard boiled eggs for sure!! Can’t wait to slather this between two toasted slices of brioche bread just like mortar between two bricks…just comparing the textures and assembly method, not the taste of course. Forgive me, I’ve been doing alot of home improvement projects lately….. can ya tell?? Lol
This was fantastic! Thank you.
Very good recipes love to eat in a tomato
oops I meant to enter the 5 Star rating!
OMGosh – I LOVE this recipe – I always double it, with 4 (5oz) cans ‘Light’ tuna, and about 4 (5oz) cans of Albacore tuna. Remember, as Meggan states, you can also freeze tuna. The recipe is fabulous as is, but of course depends on individual tastes as to quantities. For double, I DO NOT double the mayo – I found for the double recipe, 1 1/3 c mayo perfect (if too mayonaissey- gets too liquid-y in fridge). I may use a little more red onion, and sweet pickle relish (oh so good), as today when I used 1/2 c each. I used 1/2 t garlic powder instead of garlic clove, juice of 1 medium whole lemon, 1t salt, 1/2 t pepper, and ALSO ADDED about 3T Italian spices (1T Basil, 1T Oregano, 1T Parsley, or other you prefer) (I added the latter as per another popular recipe). This is my GOTO for tuna salad – delish!!
This looks great! I plan to try this Friday for lent
This recipe is good, but I also like making tuna salad with tuna, mayo, onion, jalapeno, tomatoes, canned corn, and cilantro.
Gotta add boiled eggs and mustard
This is a dish of delish! This is now my go to tuna salad recipe. I sometimes add hard boiled eggs. And I always add fresh dill at the end! It’s lovely on a bed of greens and wonderful on toast or a chaffle! Yum!! Thank you!
You can also substitute avocado for the mayo.
Best tuna salad I ever made, did not change one thing. If I wanted to add ingredients, I would not have looked up a recipe for tuna salad, I would have made my own version. I would definitely make this again, exactly as is. Thank you Meggan!
Thank you Renee, so happy you loved it! – Meggan
Excellent ! You can add extra ingredients if you prefer. However, there is no need. This recipe is simple, balanced and delicious.
Not big on celery, but add celery seed. Use chopped bread and butter pickles. Occasionally throw in a couple of boiled eggs. Great recipe to add a little something to make it your own.
Genuinely the easiest and most delicious tuna mayo I have ever made
Thanks Sara! – Meggan
Apple Strudel made at home! WOW!!!! I am a customer for life!
Only 4 stars… Why.. i like mine slightly more…
Replace celery with celery seeds.. stringy celery IMO doesn’t belong…
add 1/2 tsp or more mustard…
Add tomato ketchup to sweeten it…. you can add some sugar..
Cut courgette once lengthways and then julienne for the texture
Mince some jalepeno for the kick…
Damn sounds good. You need a tuna Restuarant!
Hands down the best tuna salad I have EVER eaten! Seems so simple but something so savory going on here. Delicious!!
Thanks Tracy, so glad you liked it! – Meggan
I love this recipe and wouldn’t change a thing. Nice diversion from adding Dijon and other ingredients. Perfect balance, simple and wonderful flavor!
Thanks Sheila! – Meggan
We LOVES this recipe!! I norm make 9 servings (6 cans), its all gone in a week. I add about a tbsp of fresh chives, to enhance the flavor.
I will try this!
Hope you enjoy Paul! – Meggan
Why do you prefer dolphin safe tuna? I never noticed a difference.
Hi Brian, dolphin-safe tuna is fished in a way that is more sustainable and in compliance with laws and regulations that help protect dolphins. – Meggan
Amazing flavors! This will be my go to Tuna Fish Salad
Thank you Rita, so glad you liked it! – Meggan
Was out of sweet pickle relish so used hot pepper relish instead. Wow. Will never make tuna again without it! For anyone who likes a little kick, I highly reccomend.
Thanks for sharing Diana, I’ll have to try it! – Meggan
Phenomenal! I threw in a little dijon mustard, chives, and parsley as well. Ran out of mayo so I substituted a few tbsp of olive oil instead and it turned out beautifully.
That sounds delicious Ak, so glad you enjoyed! – Meggan
Love this recipe. I made this with Mexican mayonnaise and eliminated the sweet pickle relish. I served this on toasted sourdough bread and I thought it delicious!
Delicious Tuna recipe!! I added twp small red chilis and added a dash of cayenne pepper for a little heat😍 My husband loved it!!❤
Thank you Angie, that sounds amazing! – Meggan
I use some avocado in my tuna and also egg salad
Sounds great Robin! – Meggan
This tuna salad is by far the absolute best that I have ever had in my life! Do yourself a favor … make it for yourself and make it for your friends if you are looking to wow them and win them over!
In my this relish I used Jalapeño relish and added an extra large clove of garlic … so incredibly good
Thank you Jody! Jalapeño relish sounds delicious, definitely trying that next time! – Meggan
Very delicious recipe! Super quick and easy, great served many ways. I added a jalepeño for a little spice but it’s great both ways.
Hi Leanna, thanks! Jalapeño sounds delicious, I’ll have to try it. – Meggan
WOW! Truly the best tuna salad I’ve tasted. First time making it. Followed directions (reduced portion), substituting yellow for red onion, and it is amazing. Probably even better with red onion, will test that next time. No need to ever make another version of tuna salad IMHO. Thank you for taking it to the next level.
Thank you Mary! So glad you love it as much as I do. – Meggan
Your tuna salad recipe is delicious. I added a little bit of hard-boiled egg too. Yum
That sounds great Justine, glad you enjoyed. Thanks! – Meggan
I absolutely love this recipe. I cannot stand tuna, but I usually make tuna salad for my husband, but only eat enough to make sure it isn’t over salted or anything. I made this for him and I actually liked it. I think the lemon juice and garlic made the biggest difference. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
That’s so great Mary, I am so glad you like it. Thanks! – Meggan
I made this and it was delicious! I’m making more today. I’ll guarantee this is the best ever. Thank you and I give it a 10 star.
Thank you so much Pamela, glad you love it! – Meggan
Just made this the best ever tuna salad Ever!!
I did use white pepper not black and added some dill otherwise followed receipe. Delicious. Thank you
Thanks Carol, sounds great! – Meggan
I can never leave this recipe I eat like 10 tins of tuna a week just because of this. It’s just perfect I recommend this and this only
Hi Ketiyiah, thank you! – Meggan
My favorite way to prepare tuna salad is with fresh steamed or poached tuna, served on toasted homemade sourdough with a glass of white wine.
Sounds great Michael! – Meggan
Never had a tuna melt grilled cheese style…only open faced. This tuna salad is the best I have EVER had and toasting the sandwich on the stove. It was perfection!!! It had everything. Crispy, buttery, salty, acidy/lemony, crunchy, and very slightly sweet. It was better than any fancy fish sandwich. Better than anything I’ve eaten in a restaurant! Thank you!
Thank you Lizzy, I’m so glad you love it! – Meggan
Ohhhhh tuna melt….on a English muffin!!!BEST COMMENT SO FAR!!
Just the way momma liked it, If I can say so, it’s just like hers and it melds really well with macaroni, And is excellent on a Ritz cracker, Awesomeness’.
So glad you both liked it George! – Meggan
Best tuna I ever tasted!! Thank you
Thank you Rosalba! – Meggan
I made this with only one can of tuna, and substituted a bok choy stalk for celery. I’m not a huge fan of celery. It is delicious and a little less tuna-y for my husband who hates tuna, but liked this. Simple, easy, and most of all, delicious.
Thanks Stephanie! – Meggan
Nothing left to be said…..Absolute Perfection. I used hot dog relish since it’s what I had in the house. BOOM! I’m convinced that this recipe must have snuck out of a restaurant somewhere!
Thank you so much James! It really is one of my favorites, glad it’s yours too! – Meggan
I just finished making this and taste tested it. Made a half recipe, used celery seed instead of celery (since there’s no celery in my house, and I have some sensory issues with celery anyways), decided to use about a 1/4 of an apple as a mix-in, and went a little easy on the relish and the onion.
I must admit I was a little nervous since I don’t like relish or onions, but one taste and I had to stop myself from shouting! This is amazing, and I appreciate all the little tips you give for substitution. Going to have to make this again next time there are hard boiled eggs in my house.
Wow Lindsey, I am so glad you ended up liking it! The hard boiled eggs will definitely be a great addition next time. – Meggan
Simple and fabulous!
Thanks Judson! Glad you enjoyed. – Meggan
Best tuna I ever made.
Glad you enjoyed Paula! – Meggan
Good recipe. very tasty. But ever since I discovered Dill pickle relish, that’s all I ever use in recipes.
Thanks Alex, that relish sounds great! – Meggan
This is nearly identical to what I’ve been making for fifty years, with the addition of two hard boiled, chopped eggs. Also, I use sweet white onions, and don’t usually have celery to include. IMHO, the sweet pickle relish is what sets it apart.
Hard boiled eggs sounds delicious for this recipe, I’ll have to try! Thanks Karen! – Meggan
This is how I make mine. I love it.
I’ve never much liked canned tuna, but this combination of ingredients has sent my taste buds to the clouds! I recommend this recipe to everyone I know!
Thanks Adrienne, I’m so glad you ended up liking it! – Meggan
I love this tuna salad. I did not have celery, used red, yellow, orange peppers instead. Fantastic, I added extra red onions, delish!!! I never thought of adding fresh lemon juice or garlic….perfect!!
Sounds delicious Cindy! Glad you liked it! – Meggan
I chopped a bread n butter pickle since I didn’t have relish and it turned out really good! Thank you for the note about Mayo, I’m normally a huge fan next time I will use slightly less than the recipe calls for.
Sounds great Savannah, glad you enjoyed! – Meggan
This tuna salad recipe is the bomb. com!!!! I added a bit more sweet relish and it made for a tasty sandwich!
Thanks Jordan, so glad you liked it! – Meggan
OMG! Wow. I always mess up my tuna salad and so I thought I would try yours out. This is fantastic and I did not have any onions so I put in chopped up Apple with the celery and I used seed salt with turmeric and it was amazing I love this recipe thank you
That sounds great Karen! So glad you enjoyed! – Meggan
I made it for a midnight snack! Best recipe so far! I added a little sugar and egg to mine though and it was still so good!
That sounds great Keke, glad you enjoyed! – Meggan
I discovered that adding a tablespoon or so of sugar neutralizes the overly fishy taste that Tuna often has.
Thanks Adam! – Meggan
Taste great, I substituted light mayonnaise and it didn’t make any difference still great text I used to love going to a restaurant and having a tune about but all the restaurants I go to have stopped making tuna melt. What’s wrong with these people LOL
I’m so glad you enjoyed Robert! Those restaurants are missing out! – Meggan
Made this exactly as written- excellent. To bring it up a notch the next time, I added tarragon!! Wow! Just a teaspoon or two will do it. Yum!!!
Hi Mary, that sounds delicious! Glad you enjoyed! – Meggan
Thank you for the great recipe. I’ve made this recipe many times at this point and it’s excellent every time!!! I often sub in Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise because I like the slight sweetness it lends to the recipe.
That sounds great Mon! So glad you enjoyed! -Meggan
Hi Meggan,
I also made your tuna salad. (canned in water) It is absolutely delicious!! I’ve been trying to get my youngest son Jude (12) to try new things. Processed is almost all he will eat. I made him the stuffed tomato option. I used cherry tomatoes instead. Only to make it less overwhelming. I cut the top with a small knife like a pumpkin. Used a toothpick to scrape the inside and kinda shake out the insides. The tuna salad makes the perfect paste to reapply the top. It’s a very easy finger food. I’ve even served them as hors d’oeuvres. My son loves them!! Thank you so much!!!
Wow Dustus that sounds amazing! So glad you all enjoyed! -Meggan
Simple and delicious!
Thank you Bonnie! -Meggan
I always use red wine vinegar for tuna melts (swiss cheese, too) I have often found that my tuna fish salad ends up runny no matter what I use in it, I’m thinking it’s the celery? Love your version and will try it this weekend. Wish me luck, no matter how much I drain the tuna or towel dry the celery, it ends up with watery salad the next day.
Hi Vicky! I hope you love our recipe but if it separates, just give it a stir! I always make it ahead and it’s fine, but now the pressure is on. I hope you love it! -Meggan
Perhaps the extra LIQUID vinegar is making it runny, rather than the dry celery.
Delicious! Added a good handful of chopped parsley and a dessertspoon of chopped capers. Didn’t have pickle relish so used one large pickle finely chopped instead. Then decided to go all out and finely grated the zest of half a lemon. Glad there’s leftovers!!!
Hi CK, that variation sounds great! Glad you enjoyed. -Meggan
Wow! That is the BEST tuna salad recipe!! Had it on wheat toast with avocado slices and lettuce, yum!!!!
Thank you Tanya! Sounds delicious! -Meggan
Perfect! I made it with dill relish instead of sweet because I’m cutting carbs and this was DELICIOUS
OK. I am just one person with one can of tuna. I cut the recipe by 1/4 but I forgot to read the note about heavy on the mayo. That was way too much 1/4 cup per can of tuna. I don’t even have a 1/4 cup measuring cup. My smallest is 1/3 so I filled it about 2/3 full. I could have used more onion and relish, but perhaps the mayo drowned it out. If I attempt this again I will try 1 tablespoon of mayo and more onions and relish.
Hi Birder, I’m sorry about your tuna. I would definitely recommend starting with less mayo if you’re sensitive to the taste. I hope your next tuna salad is better. – Meggan
Awesome recipe but simple to make
I had a tuna wrap from a deli while we were traveling. I have been trying to replicate it for awhile now. This is it!! So delicious.
Tasty. We used Famous Dave’s pickles instead of the sweet pickle relish and it was really delicious.
Purrfect!!!
Very good recipe. Added a tablespoon of dijon and a some extra celery and relish to add a bit more flavor
Great base! I added some mustard and mushroom umami. Subbed green onion for celery and a shallot for the onion and garlic lol so I tweaked it a ton but thanks for giving me an idea! My husband is enjoying this for lunch this week!
By far best recipe! So tasty but I used a quarter of the mayo and it still was amazing!
Best tuna salad ever! We couldn’t believe how delicious it was. A delicious balance of everything. Thank you!
I am going to try this Tuna Salad recipe.
However, I only want to use 2 5 oz. can of tuna.
From the perspective of the tuna ingredient, I am halving the recipe.
But, if I apply the reduction factor of 1/2 to all ingredients, the celery looks like its being short-changed.
1/3 Cup becomes 1/6 Cup — how do you even measure 1/6 Cup?
Also, some of the other ingredients seem to be poor candidates for halving.
I have always wonder if it is possible to reduce a recipe by some factor by applying that factor equally to all ingredients!
I suspect the process of reducing a recipe is NOT always a linear one — what do you think?
Hi Ray, I would recommend just using half a rib of celery. Culinary math is tricky sometimes when reducing recipes, so 1/3 of a cup is 16 teaspoons, half of that would be 8 teaspoons, or 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons. I hope this helps! Take care – Meggan
Ray,
This recipe calls for 4 – 5 oz cans of tuna. If you are using a single 2.5 oz can of tuna, you would have to divide each ingredient by 8! I divided by 4 because I used a single 5 oz can, here is what I came up with, you would have to divide by 1/2 again:
5 oz can tuna
<1/4 cup mayo
4 tsp celery
1/2 T red onion
1/2 T sweet relish
3/4 tsp lemon juice
1/4 clove garlic
salt & pepper
The nutrition content appears to be incorrect. For 2/3 cup of the tuna salad, it’s only 1gm protein?
Hi Pamela, you’re totally right, it was wrong. It was only pulling 4 ounces of tuna total, not 20 ounces (because we had it listed as 4 (5 ounce) cans and didn’t correct it). It’s fixed now! 19g protein per serving. Thanks for finding that, and I’m really sorry. So embarrassing. Thanks. -Meggan
Just made this… it’s fantastic with some key alterations. I was saddened by absence of celery, so I added celery. I also topped the salad with some delicious roasted red peppers. Next time I’ll add some lemon juice and see how that goes :) And maybe a little less sweet. Overall, super delicious recipe.
Hi Veronica! I’m so glad that you added the celery, food should never make you sad! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe! -Meggan
I have been making tuna salad for 20+ years. Never have I ever. This is so similar to what I’ve always done. BUT, this is next level. Exactly why I looked on line to see if there was something even better than mine. There is! Yours!
This turned out super tasty!! Love it. I’ll be using this many times.
Haven’t tried this yet but I’m sure going to. I’m also going to try some of the other sandwich recipes. Thanks for the site.
SO GOOD! And if you like spice I highly recommend adding a tablespoon of potbelly hot peppers (it’s a giardinara mix w more like green olives) and it perfects this recipe and adds more crunch. love it on toasty seedy grain bread
Great tasting tuna fish sandwich. Thank you for sharing
Total success everybody love it!
Regards from Mexico
Best tuna recipe ever! Delicious!!
Best Tuna Salad on the Planet!
My boys are finicky and they’re RAVING about this Tuna Salad…Thanks Culinary Hill
The tuna water should definitely not be drained down the sink! Pets love it!
Yummmmm! I chopped everything finely, omitted the sweet relish & onions (SO can’t handle the latter), added extra kalamata/green olives & used leftover grilled Ahi tuna shredded! Taking this, (as well as homegrown tomatoes, sliced avocados, water crackers & Brie) to the beach later & can NOT WAIT!
Love this recipe! Thanks for sharing.
Delicious, I added a tablespoon of yellow mustard
This was soo good! How long can I keep it stored in the the fridge?
Hi there, glad you enjoyed it! You can keep leftovers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. – Meggan
Wow really good recipe. I used it for Salmon Coho (not my favorite ) and your recipe came out great! Thank you, Diana
I just made this recipe which BTW was my first time making tuna salad! It turned out Amazing! I did leave out the celery since I didn’t have any on hand and it was still awesome. Put it on some white bread with some Romaine lettuce, tomatoes and strips of bacon. Super fast and easy to make and completely delicious!
I dont know how much mayo, onions…etc to put in… tht would be helpful
Hi Kimberly, the recipe card is in the post and it lists out how much of each ingredient you’ll need. Sorry about that! – Meggan
Delicious! Thanks for the share.
Easy to make and a Wonderful flavor
Just tried it. So good and simple.
No reddish so left that out. Used more celery.
I gave it four stars because I prefer the dill relish. I also prefer my tuna melt on sourdough bread with cheddar cheese. That’s my preference. If you have never tried it, you might wanna give it a whirl. I’
Am I allowed to say it? FREAKIN’ AWESOME!! Bachelor number 1 here and I love to cook. A simple meal with a simple recipe designed to impress. With a glass of Prosecco……………..ummmmm.
My family and especially my husband and I love this recipe!
We like things really zesty and crunchy so we add more of the following ingredients: 2 ribs of celery, 4 tablespoons of relish, extra yellow and red onion, and I chop up two pickles for some salty not sweet flavor (Claussen brand pickles are the best!) I don’t add extra garlic or lemon juice to the recipe though.
As a pregnant woman, It’s hard to find protein sources outside of the usual chicken and beef. I use the brand Safe Catch tuna and this is just the best recipe and healthy too! Thanks so much.
This was the best tuna I have ever had. This will be my stand by recipe.
This is an uninformed recipe from the get-go. Tuna in water? What a waste: water leaches out most of the omega-3 oils and flavor! Then you say if you buy tuna in oil, smash the oil out through a sieve – whoops, there goes the omega-3’s again. The best possible scenario is to buy tuna in olive oil – dump tuna and oil into the mix, and use less mayonnaise…
You are certainly entitled to your opinion, but my personal preference for tuna packed in water does not make me “uninformed.” It is just my “preference.” I am not eating tuna salad for the omega 3’s and not ever dish has to be maximized for its nutritional value. I do love when people are able to tweak recipes to their own preferences, in your case using tuna packed in oil and using less mayonnaise. Enjoy! -Meggan
Tad bland…I would add a little horseradish sauce to it…..adds a little bit of zing.
Hi Ida, horseradish sounds like an amazing addition! Thanks for the suggestion! – Meggan
You were so rite less than 10 minutes with crackers and or toaster bread filling better the next day children loved it
Big hit with the family!! Very tasty
This was the best recipe I ever made. My 96 years old mother in a low never eat tune in her life. I toasted 2 slices of rye bread 1 slice of tomato and a small amount of lettuce. She loved. She sad, please make more. I hand chop all the ingredients very fine. She asks me what was in the tuna. I sad Tuna
Super quick and easy to make. Much more flavorfull than how i used to make it. Delicious!
Best to use Italian tuna in cans packed in olive oil……
I’m allergic to cucumbers, so I omitted the relish. But this was still amazing!
Wow, your recipe is so awesome. I have never known this recipe. Thanks for sharing. I will try to follow your recipe and I hope it looks delicious as your picture. I will share this recipe for my friends and my family. I think they love it too.
Delicious. I made this as an appetizer (my husband thought is dinner 🙂) you don’t taste the actual onion and garlic. Very flavorful.
Easy and super delicious. I was looking for a recipe to mask the fishyness and this hit the spot.
Soooo good!
Perfect tuna salad recipe!!! How long do you think it would stay good in the refrigerator ?
Hi Tracy, it should keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. Just make sure it gets refrigerated as soon as possible after you make it. – Meggan
Radishes..thin, chopped radishes in tuna salad is great crunch.
Love this recipe as it is how my mother made it with one exception: Sub out the lemon juice and use dill pickle juice instead. We use sweet relish to offset the tang of the pickle juice.
On light toast with some crispy iceberg lettuce…yummy.
Delicious!
I used fresh caught tuna, lightly boiled it Added some sliced grapes. Very yummy!!
Keith
I’m glad I found your recipe for tuna salad! It is delicious! Thank you for sharing!
such a great tuna melt recipe. Tried it and love it!
Utterly delicious! I was also dubious about the garlic, but with the apples, it was great!
Thank you so much for this recipe. I am in love. I never thought to add garlic to my tuna. It was delicious!
I’m so glad you liked it! Thank you! -Meggan
Normally I tinker with a recipe but this one seemed to have everything just the way I would expect right from the start. I was very impressed with the balance of this salad, keeping it for future reference! Looking forward to seeing what else you have! :)
I usually don’t leave reviews for recipes, but for this one I had to make an exception. This tuna salad is fantastic. I was a little bit skeptical of the addition of the sweet relish, but I had some so I gave it a shot. Delicious. The fresh garlic was also a lovely touch which I hadn’t thought of adding before. Enough savory power, enough zip, just a touch of sweetness from the relish, it really worked. It all came together to create a lovely combination. My kids–who found the fishy smell of the tuna off-putting–loved it. Also, I used frozen chopped celery. I was worried that it wouldn’t come out well with the frozen celery, but after reading accounts of success with it I tried and it was wonderful. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Hi Christina, that’s wonderful! Thank you soo much for the lovely comment, I’m glad your kids loved it. – Meggan
This recipe is very similar to the tuna salad I’ve made for years, with a couple of exceptions…
First, I love good mayonnaise (I use Duke’s), but 1 cup of mayonnaise is just WAY too much, IMO. Only 1/3 – 1/2 cup is needed.
Second, it has more balance and zip with the addition of 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard (regular yellow is okay too).
Overall very good recipe, but be careful unless you like a whole lot of mayonnaise.
Hi, I love tuna salad sammiches,but I usually only use mayo and relish. I’m going to try it with the other ingredients you listed, especially the lemon juice (fresh squeezed, of course) and garlic.Also, I love to cook salmon on the grill, with a little bit of butter and dill weed, over hickory chips. I always cook a big fillet, and use the leftover salmon and to make this salad with salmon instead of tun. Delicious!!!
That sounds simple and delicious! YUM! I hope you enjoy the tuna! – Meggan
I love tuna but I’ve always found it difficult to make just right at home. This recipe is amazing! I use it all of the time! Definite winner!!!
I like to substitute avocado for the some of the mayo. I’ll also add sun dried tomatoes, finely diced up into the tuna mix. I do not like red onion as much as white onion (which is a little sweeter in my opinion). I also do not add extra salt. There really is no need. It’s one of my go-to meals!
Excellent comprehensive coverage of one of my favorite sandwiches.
This really is the BEST tuna salad recipe! I usually just throw a little of this and that I to my tuna when I make it and sometimes it just isn’t quite “right”. But this recipe takes all the guesswork out and the result is the perfect tuna salad. It’s worth putting in the fresh ingredients rather than dried— so take the few extra minutes and do the chopping!
Great taste. Made with dry onion and garlic salt. Loved the relish in the recipe!!
I love this recipe and added a little mustard.
Does albacore make a difference?
Thank you.
Lizzy
Hi Lizzy! I have honestly never made this with albacore. I tend to stay away from it because of the higher mercury levels, I just love tuna and I’m always eating my limit. So if I eat albacore, that just means less. So I’m not sure! I imagine it’s just personal preference. I love the idea of mustard. I might try some Dijon next time. Thank you! -Meggan
It’s how I usually make it so good recipe.
I add fresh dill .
I also add sautéed onions in butter to the melt and sliced tomatoes! Killer☺️. Only problem is turning over😋
Wonderful Recipe! I like more relish and more salt and pepper.
thank you
To make it even healthier, add a tin of sardines. Even better is a tin of sardine and small can of salmon.
We make ours a tiny little bit differently than this but the most important thing to remember is: buy quality, wild caught albacore. In a side by side taste comparison, salad made with the cheap stuff tasted like it washed up on shore and laid in the sun for awhile before processing. The good stuff does not have that off-putting “hey I’m a fish” odor. 😊
A word of caution on Albacore. It has the highest mercury content. Best choice is Skipjack, also labeled as chunk light. Even Yellowfin is safer but it’s larger than Skipjack. It’s best to go for smaller varieties.
I’m SOOO glad to see that you didn’t add mustard (gaaag)! I make my tuna almost the same way, except that I add a bit of fresh minced dill when I have some. Also, try using “Duke’s” mayo. It’s absolutely delicious.
This is excellent! I made a tuna melt with a toasted pita, melted sharp white cheddar, tomato and sprouts. the sprouts give it a fresh nutty flavor. I work on a yacht and will be making this for my crew!
Sounds amazing Shan! -Meggan
The Nutrition Facts per serving seems way off. I have 167 cal per serving, not 400.
Hi Mike, agreed. Sometimes the nutrition calculators have values that are totally wacky. I recalculated it within the recipe card and got 264 calories per serving without bread. That’s assuming about 2/3 cup tuna salad, so if your portion is smaller, your calorie count might be smaller. I’m assuming 6 servings per batch. Thanks for pointing that out! So sorry about that. -Meggan
Best over leafy green lettuce with tomato slices. I put it on lightly toasted Oro wheat with buttermilk ranch dressing for lunches. The addition of garlic & lemon put the right touch on this recipe.
I just made this yesterday and it is so easy and so good! I can’t wait to try it as a tuna melt. Thanks!
You can also substitute avocado instead of mayo or mix reduced amount of mayo with avocado (using a food processor to mix the avocado with the mayo–or just use all avocado. Another option is to use the mayo that’s made with avocado oil.
So easy and yes, it is really the BEST!
I used kalamata olives instead of pickle relish. I don’t want my tuna salad to be sweet. I also added water chestnuts for extra crunch. And I added some Italian seasoning. It was very good! I think the mayo amount is a bit too much so I added an extra can of tuna. Next time I will just use a little less mayo. Maybe 3/4 cup.
I used dill relish, added some chopped bacon and apples…this was so good! Thank you!
I used Veganaise instead of Mayo and added avocado, serrano, tomato, cashews, and a little bit of mustard and it was FANTASTIC! Thank you!!
This is one of the best tuna salads I have had in quite some time!!
Just made this for lunch and we both loved it. I didn’t find that it needed any additional salt since the pickle relish is already salty, but that’s just a matter of personal preference. I’ll definitely be making this again. Thanks for a great recipe!
This is my favorite tuna salad recipe!
Won’t use any other recipes from now on!
Can i add boules eggs
Yes! I used to do this all the time, I had a friend from Ukraine and that was his preferred salad. Tuna with eggs. It is literally so good, and I haven’t thought of it in years. Thank you for the reminder! -Meggan
I made this tuna recipe for my family. Now this is the only tuna recipe I make. They love it. Thank you.
What great news! Thanks Michelle! -Meggan
how many calories for one serving?
230 calories
Made it, with homemade pickles, thanks.
Awesome recipe
Easy to follow, simple and yet so delicious and nutritious! This will be on top of my favorites now.
DELICIOUS!!!!!
This is soooo good! I added half the mayo and had it with a simple salad on the side & Croûtons. It was delish!
Thank you so much Marina! I am happy to hear you liked it! -Meggan
It looks so healthy and yummy. My son loves to eat so much and ask me make it for her whenever i have free time. It helps to enrich my recipes for my family. not only this recipe, i also love all your recipes. Thanks for your sharing.
Good tasting – I subbed Sweet Pepper Relish, white onion, and celery salft for the celery and left out the garlic (inadvertently), and it was excellent. Bookmarked.
I agree with all, except the sweet relish..I detest sweet relish in deviled eggs as well. Both always reminding me that as a boy I had to suffer through what seemed to be many endless Presbyterian “after church pot luck lunches” with my family! What I do is add two teaspoons of Wright’s “Liquid Smoke” with two of the large cans of solid white tuna IN OIL, and mix in well at the end. This addition tastes exactly like “smoked” tuna fish salad, and it’s a very pleasant change,. The upshot of my doing this is that I get many compliments on my “Smoked Tuna Salad”! Try it…for a pleasant change!
I LOVE tuna salad. It’s my comfort food and I’ll order it anywhere as well as make it at home a good bit. I was looking for a new recipe today because my current one just wasn’t hitting the spot.
This. Is. The. Best. Tuna. Salad. Ever.
Trust me. I was worried the garlic might be too much but I used a normal size clove and just went for it. I’ll never use another recipe. This one is incredible.
Im worried about the relish, but might add some dill, looks yummy 😊 about to make it an put in a soft white roll as that’s all I have !
Thanks for the inspiration 😊
Teena
My wife is catholic and since it’s lent we eat fish on Friday. Being that co-vid 19 has shut down all the restaurants, this was awesome! Thanks
Trying to find different things to eat during our national quarantine and this recipe really kicks up the tuna fish sandwiches from days past. I used cajun spice and black pepper and served open face on wheat thins. Awesomeness! How do you keep from eating it out of the bowl before you get it on your plate? Thank you for making day 13 lunch exciting and flavorful!
Started trying to eat healthier and this mostly ticks the boxes for me. Thanks! Any tips to help reduce sodium?
Loved it with extra honey mustard
This tuna salad is the bomb!
I will be trying this recipe!!
I just finished making and eating this one with my mom and oh my god. It was amazing.
I added capers and skipped the salt. But what a delicious recipe thanks for sharing such a delicious treat. I’m making tuna melt sandwiches tonight. But I’m also doing a tuna wrap for myself. YUMMY 😍
Wow, you’ve covered all the bases on possible variations of tuna salad. Not much more to add, except these two ideas: Sometimes I mix in shredded cabbage (sort of a glorified coleslaw!). Also, for wraps, I use tortillas or raw (veggie) wraps. I like to use vinegar a lot and absolutely don’t use any other kind other than balsamic.
Made this exactly as written, will be our new go-to recipe. Thanks so much for sharing!
The minced garlic clove was overpowering. I’d leave that out unless you really like garlic.
The best tuna salad recipe ever!!! This is the first tuna salad recipe I’ve tried to make. To my surprise, it’s better than then deli!!! I also added it to my regular salad! Now I can save money by making my own sandwiches for lunch!! Score!! Thanks!
Thank you so much Christina! Such high praise. :-) I’m really glad you like it! -Meggan
Its good stuff.
Great Tuna salad. Wonderful.
Thanks for the tip about lemon juice! I didn’t know that.
Why not use tuna that’s packed in rice brain oil? You won’t need mayonnaise. I looked up rice bran oil, and it’s very healthy stuff. Tastes good, too. Pour off some of it. I always chop up an onion and stir in some sweet relish.
This will surprise you: Forget the salad and the bread. Heat the tuna up in the microwave and eat it with a spoon.
Hot tuna!
Thanks from Jim Shea in Thailand
Yum! Thank you Jim! I will have to try your hot tuna trick!
Thanks James this sounds amazing. Where do i find tuna with rice brain oil?
Husband and I tried this tonight. We kept the ingredients as listed except halved the mayo and even then that was way too much and had to add more tuna to compensate. Still, it is an interesting recipe with a crisp, fresh-feeling, fresh-tasting crunch that I think we are going to keep around for a while.
I have never been able to make good and tasty tuna salad. Never! This recipe is exactly what I’ve been trying to do. It is absolutely delicious. It has all the right taste bud flavors. I seasoned it a little Cajuny, so it lights up and pleases. So tasty!!! Thank you fir this recipe. My search is over.
Wow! I’m glad you like it! Thanks Dorese! -Meggan
Great recipe! I had way too much tuna on hand and I love how you even mentioned what to do if you only have oil-packed tuna and your tips of how to adjust the tuna salad recipe to personal tastes. Overall, great recipe and great suggestions! Thanks!!!
Best Tuna Salad I have made in 40 years. This is a keeper.
Best tuna salad I have made in 40 years. This is a keeper
Twas vera good. I added Celery salt and a pinch of white pepper.
Has anyone made this recipe without onions and celery? I would prefer not to use these ingredients.
Hi Amy, I definitely have. Sometimes I’m just too lazy to chop veggies. I do like the crunch though, and the flavor. If you don’t want to use them, just omit them entirely (you will obviously have less salad overall) or you could replace them with something you DO like, such as carrots? It sounds weird but I’ve tried it, I like it. Or just nothing. You could also add in hard-boiled eggs if you’re feeling crazy. But just leave out whatever you don’t like! Thanks. -Meggan
Great recipe, I love this so much!
Hi Joanne, we have no idea why Amy was thinking of leaving those out (she hates them? allergies? who knows). -Meggan
Yes I have and it was great..just not a heavy crunch. I dont like the onions and celery either. And it was still good to me. Had a light crunch from the sweet relish. I also added a little honey mustard to mine for a little extra flavor.
Yes. I added eggs, honey mustard and extra sweet relish for crunch. I dont like those either. I ommitrd the garlic as well. It was really good on a sandwich and I ate some chips with it.
Hello,
How long can the Tuna Salad last in the fridge? I would like to use this for lunch meal prep.
Please let me know
Thank you
Hi Kazekage, 4 days at the most. That’s the standard CDC amount of time for leftovers. The texture might also change a little bit after a few days. So as far as food safety goes, 4 days yes. But as far as your personal taste, you’ll have to see if you still like it at Day 3 and 4! I have never had a problem but everyone is different. It’s a great meal-prep idea. Thanks! -Meggan
Hi Meggan!
This tuna salad recipe looks so yummy! My tuna salad usually comes out different each time because I just throw a bit of this and bit of that, each time.
I’m going to have to actually make THIS recipe because it looks divine!
I also wanted to let you know that I featured this recipe on my “49 Easy, Healthy and Nut-Free School Lunch Ideas” post round-up, with full credit back to you and your wonderful website.
Thanks for sharing such a great recipe with us!
-Cherelle
Great sandwich for lunch or snack. The recipe is clear. Many thanks.
You’re so welcome! :D
Excellent recipe, still don’t understand why every single recipe online has to jibber jabber for fifteen minutes before getting to the point, list the ingredients and quantities first then put your big ol’ spheel after because I’ll already have my browser closed and be eating by then.
Hi Bob, you should ALWAYS look for a “jump to recipe” button at the top of every recipe website you go to. Most sites (such as mine) have them, so it saves you the trouble of scrolling. It takes you right to the recipe. As for why we jibber-jabber, that’s how we make money. So just look for that button! Sorry for the trouble. -Meggan
I add as much celery as tuna practically as I <3 celery. I use a lot of relish but prefer Cain's Tangy Dill Relish instead of sweet, and use Old Bay Seasoning as it already has paprika in it. I use white onion as that's what is always on hand. I add extra lemon juice and lots of fresh ground pepper, but have never tried adding garlic … hmmm.
Awesome recipe! I was looking to jazz up my standard tuna,mayo, boiled egg, and relish recipe and this is it. The lemon,red onion and garlic just give it something extra that my go to recipe did not have. I also added celery salt instead of celery I like the flavor of celery just not the celery itself. Does that even make since? LOL Thanks!
Thanks so much Jennifer! Yes, that makes sense about the celery. Celery can take a lot of effort to eat! :D -Meggan
I usually make tuna salad as side dish in my busy day. That’s great you share tips and a lot recipe for canned tuna, thanks so much.
Tuna Salad is great! It is a perfect combination, I always love fish, they are always on my menu. added Tuna Salad to the menu for the weekend. Thank you for sharing the recipe to do it
Best. tuna. salad. EVER! I can’t wait to try the tuna melt recipe. I sampled the final product before adding salt and pepper and it was perfect… I added the salt and pepper and tasted it again. I died and went to heaven. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Thanks Brian! I love that you think it is the best! Maybe I should put ‘ever’ at the end of the recipe title? :D Thanks for your feedback! -Meggan
I followed your instructions. It is really delicious and fragrant. a special recipe, only a little celery, I don’t seem to fit its taste
The ingredients are on point but the bread is completely too burnt for my liking. I honestly wouldn’t even have use that bread for the picture , it throws the whole mouth watering idea off. Yet I’m sure it taste good just wayyyyy to burnt to sell to the public.
The photographer that shot this recipe for me was fired in January. It’s on my list to reshoot, so hopefully soon I can get this fixed. Thank you, sorry about that! -Meggan
This is the basic recipe I have always used but I add 2or 3 chopped hard boiled eggs, lemon juice and finely chopped red and green pepper!
Very good recipe. I think dill relish may be better but that’s also personal preference
1 Cup of mayonnaise is way too much. I had to add another 5 oz can of tuna into the mix just to make it reasonable, and even then it was too much mayonnaise. I suggest people start with half a cup of mayonnaise and adjust accordingly.
It makes my life is more easier than before to enjoy tuna salad. I love it
Your ingredients/proportions worked out fine….love tuna salad. But I love as a sandwich. In the store debating between french bread and potato rolls???? This time went with the soft and chewy potato rolls.
One of the best tuna salads with a sandwich I’ve been tried.
Thank you so much Robert! That means a lot. I love it too so it always makes me happy when someone is willing to try it. :D -Meggan
FOUNDATION TO A GREAT RECIPE. I’m admittedly a bit obsessive about following a recipe to the letter the first time I try it (to be as objective as possible in my review), but it’s rare that I have all ingredients on hand to do so. This time I did. and went for it. One cup of mayo sounded like too much, but given all the positive reviews, I just threw it in. I should have gone with my gut and started with half that amount and added more if necessary–with the full cup, it looked like a mayo soup. Fortunately I had a six-ounce can of tuna on hand to mix in. With that, the consistency was just right for my taste.
With extra tuna salad, I split the batch into two before seasoning. One I seasoned with salt & pepper per the recipe, the other I used Old Bay seasoning (and also added two diced hard-boiled eggs). Both were excellent, but will go with less mayo, Old Bay and eggs as my permanent go-to. Thanks for sharing this!
Hi,
This was great. It taste like a deli-style tuna sandwich with rye. It taste fresher and better. Instead, I used a quarter of squeezed lemon to replace of the lemon juice. Also, Albacore. Thank You for this fresh receipe.
Thank you so much! Yes, albacore. Good call. :) Take care and thanks again! -Meggan
Girl, tuna never gets old! This recipe is really good. I make my own mayo to keep the sodium down. I had NO idea Hellman’s was so salty! Keep the recipes flowing, thanks for this classic!
Yum! Gotta have that pickle on the side when having a tuna sandwich! I used a dill pickle instead of sweet for the relish (personal preference), but it was delicious! What kind of pickles do you usually prefer? I like Bubbies because they don’t use vinegar in their brine. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Sam! I’m super delinquent in replying to your comment. I ADORE Bubbies products, I always have the kraut in my fridge. A spoonful a day for gut health at minimum, or it’s the easiest way to add a side of vegetables to my plate without any prep at all. I love the pickles too! So much better than the shelf-stable ones (gross). Do you ever work with bloggers? I love you guys. Have a great day! :D -Meggan
I am probably really late to the party but I love a good tuna sandwich. I am on board with most of this but the sodium content is a bit high for me. I also meal prep my lunches for the week and had to think of ways to keep my tuna from becoming too watery over the course of a couple of days. I borrowed an idea from subway. I use tuna in water but take the draining of the water a bit further than most so that I get the tuna very dry and very well mixed. Their technique is on youtube & it works very well for the water I always seemed to have at the bottom of my mixing bowl.. I also add only lemon or lime, celery and mayo. However, i am experimenting with using both greek yogurt and mayo for the extra nutrient boost. For the yogurt I will try to drain it of whey so that it does not become watery over the couple of days it takes for me to consume the tuna salad. I also add the veggies to the sandwich as toppings. I typically add spinach, lettuce, bell pepper, red onion, shredded carrot & mushroom. For the meal prepped sandwiches for lunch I add a slice of cheese (preferably a cheese with a lower so sodium content and as few additives as possible) & little Dijon to the bread and pack that separate from the tuna. The veggies are also packed separately in either a baggie or reusable container.
This is a little extra work when I am ready to eat at lunch but allows me to get a serving of veggies in a D.C. Meal prep my lunches for a couple of days at the same time.
FOr the grilled sandwich I recently read that using mayo instead of butter works very well. Ive not tried that yet but I’d like to try mayo made with olive oil for this’d technique as it would be slightly be lower in saturated fat.
Will definitely add minced garlic to this.
One last thing finely chopped dried fruit like tart cherries or cranberries are also great additions.
I know it doesn’t seem like it, but I love your recipes. However, I do have to modify them for sodium & fat as I am on a weight loss journey. I like the flavor profiles of your recipes. 🙂
Thank you so much for your wonderful posts.
Great great recipe! I usually add dash or 2 of curry powder…..try it!
Such a great idea! I make curried chicken salad on a weekly basis, I’ve never tried adding it to tuna salad. I’m sure I will love it. I can’t wait to try it! Thanks Barbara. :D -Meggan
Just made your tuna salad recipe. Wasn’t in the mood for bread so used butter lettuce to wrap. May never eat it any other way! Thank you!
Hmm. Thanks for the advice as I never thought of adding pickle relish
or lemon juice
& garlic. It taste Great already…
Now for the tuna, are there not more omega 3’s in oil pack tuna?
Well I grabbed my cans of whitefish & tuna as only had that lying around, but just before adding I finally realized that its Friskies tuna n whitefish :-O
A close call but at least the cat is happy. I’ll have to wait till I get to the store tomorrow so I can be happy :-(
Wonderful recipe! I am a bit finicky when it comes to tuna salad but the ratios and flavours in your recipe were PERFECT!
Hi Meggan,
. I Love a good Tuna Salad but I lost my receipe over the years. I came across yours online and decided to give it a try. I did make a few modifications though. I pretty much followed your receipe as you have it. What I did change, was I finely chopped sweet pickles in the processor instead of Sweet pickle relish. I used the same amount as your receipe called for. I also added 2 Hard Boiled Eggs, finely chopped. I used 1/2 cup of Miracle Whip and 1/3 cup Kraft Mayo, instead of 1 cup of Mayo.
I’ve been told that this is THE best Tuna Salad I’ve ever made. Thank you very much for getting me back on track with Tuna Salad. Very Sincerely, Teddy
Hello Meggan,
I’m old, like really old. Growing up and until I think like the 80’s all tuna was packed in oil. Then someone figured out packing it in water. Now you can buy either way. I prefer the oil packed as I grew up with it. I just take the tuna out of the can in my hands (well washed) and squeeze the heck out of the tuna over the sink. Then I make whatever I want with it. Like your yummy tuna salad recipe. I think the oil gives the tuna more flavor. But everyone can decide for themselves. My grandchildren swear they only like water packed tuna. But they gobble down my oil packed tuna every time. I think I’ll wait a few years to tell them.
Hilarious, Nora! And actually, I’m obsessed with oil-packed tuna now. I finally tried it. And it makes sense because more fat, and fat is DELICIOUS. So yes. I’m a changed woman. :) I appreciate your comment!
I used dill pickle
Relish and not sweet relish very good also do you have a melt recipe
Hi Joe! I like both kinds of relish, glad you made it to your taste. To make a melt, spread butter on two pieces of bread (1 side of the bread). Take 1 piece of bread and place it butter-side down on a pan over medium-high heat. Add a piece of cheese and 1/4 cup or 1/3 cup of tuna salad. Top with a second piece of buttered bread (butter side out). When the bottom piece is golden brown, flip it over and cook the other side. I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! Take care.
Thanks for the recipe by any chance do you have a recipe foe these Mina melts
Just surfing through Pinterest this morning & found this recipe. I got right up & made it (I cut it in half) & love it. I did add a little more celery & relish than the recipe calls for.
Hi Jen, thanks so much for your comment!! You know, sometimes I add more celery and relish too. I think it’s totally a personal preference on how much crunch you want. I’ve also added carrots which I love, especially when I’m feeding it to my kids. My mother-in-law adds green olives. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I love tuna salad and tuna casserole. I prefer the water packed also, and found it interesting that you don’t like it warm but you’ll make it into a melt? lol.. to me the oil makes it slimy. ;)
Patti, my mom shares your opinion. No idea what my deal is. :) I think I like the contrast of hot bread with cold salad? Same reason I like to dip hot pizza in cold ranch. There is probably a technical name for what is wrong with me. :)
I love a good tuna sandwich, and this one looks perfect! And your tuna melt sounds amazing too!
Erm … I actually do like tuna in oil, Meggan! I like it because the oil soaks into the bread and makes it yummy. I usually try to choose olive oil, though. ;-)
I really love that you’ve given me a proper tuna salad recipe here. I usually just open up the tuna and slap it on some bread with some mayo and tomato!
Well that’s awesome, Helen! I do think it is likely that there is a difference between the tuna in oil you’ve had and the stuff in the US. Not positive but it’s entirely likely! And even if it’s exactly the same, I certainly haven’t given it a fair shake. I only ever make tuna salad with canned tuna and the oil + mayo combo seems like overkill to me. But I trust your foodie judgement. :)
I love a good tuna salad sandwich. I often make them when I want a quick lunch. In fact, I have all of the ingredients – I can have this for lunch today :)
It is one of the quickest lunches around! I pretty much always have the ingredients on hand too. So convenient. Thank you so much!
I like packed in water as well, it’s too rich for me in oil. This is a very tasty sandwich and I have to say I’m a tuna melt kinda girl.
Like I said… put “melt” on the end of anything and it sounds better. Hot fudge sundae melt? Check. Oreo melt? Check. ;)
You’ve just made me to start thinking lunch now. And it’s only 10:30 in the morning… :P
It’s never too early for lunch! I’ve always preferred having lunch for breakfast, anyway. :) Thank you for visiting !
Yes, a standard and a favourite for me!
Thanks Rachel! :)
Meggan, I am totally with you on preferring water packed tuna. Once upon a time you could only get oil packed tuna, but since I found water packed, I’ve never looked back. I think people think tuna is more flavorful when packed in oil, but I like the flavor of water packed and certainly don’t need the calories.
Susan, I have heard that about tuna packed in oil. Specifically when I was googling something along the lines of “why would anyone eat tuna packed in oil” that was the general feedback. Perhaps because I’m not a big consumer of fish in general, I don’t necessarily WANT more flavorful tuna! Ha! ;)
I’m with you on that, Meggan!
Personally I’ve always like tuna in oil. I adore the extra flavor. Tuna in water tastes flat to me. Tuna in oil has the flavor I grew up in with my Italian famly
I was planning to make something with tuna today, but might as well make a tuna sandwich for myself! Looks so delicious!
Thank you, Mira! :)
Hi Mark, thanks for the feedback. Sorry about that! – Meggan
Hi B, sorry you didn’t care for this recipe. Sounds like you’ve already fine-tuned your own version that you prefer. Have a great day! – Meggan
The recipe calls for 1 C. mayo for FOUR 5oz cans of tuna. While that might still be a lot, it helps if you follow the recipe properly. I always add the mayo slowly until it suits my preferences.
Since the recipe says four 5oz cans totaling 20 ounces of tuna, I guess it makes sense that 1 cup of mayo would indeed be way too much for 5oz.