A classic tuna salad recipe is an easy lunch and can be made ahead of time for meals throughout the week.
In this recipe, flaky canned tuna is mixed with crisp celery, onions, dill pickles, and a creamy mayo-based dressing. I sometimes sneak potato chips right into my sandwich… anyone else?!
Perfect for tuna salad sandwiches or creamy tuna melts with some coleslaw on the side! Whip up a salad or sandwiches or even scoop it into half an avocado for a fancy (and low carb) dish!
Ingredients
This tuna salad recipe is kept simple but of course, you can spice it up however you’d like!
Tuna – We prefer water-packed albacore tuna because it’s lighter but of course, oil packed works just as well. Regardless of the type you use, drain the tuna well so the salad doesn’t get watery. Canned salmon works in this recipe too.
Dressing – This tuna salad has an easy mayonnaise-based dressing. Lemon juice and a bit of Dijon mustard are added for some tang.
Add-Ins – Diced celery, chopped dill pickles (or sweet relish if you prefer), and sliced green onion add great flavor and crunch.
Variations – Swap up the mix-ins with fresh herbs (like flat-leaf parsley or dill), diced red bell pepper or red onion, or even a chopped hard-boiled egg. Add a pinch of your favorite spice mix if you’d like!
How to Make Tuna Salad
Tuna salad is so easy and requires very little prep.
- Drain flaked tuna and place it into a medium bowl. Use a fork to gently separate the pieces.
- Add the mix-ins per the recipe below.
- Gently fold in the dressing. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste and keep chilled!
I like to serve tuna salad sandwiches with lettuce and tomato on whole wheat bread or a darker loaf like rye. It’s also delicious on croissants like a shrimp salad!
Serving Suggestions
We love how easy tuna is to add to recipes like tuna casseroles but did you know there are lots of great ways to repurpose tuna salad?
- Stir in pasta to make a tuna macaroni salad.
- Cut the carbs and make it a lettuce wrap! Fill lettuce leaves with the mixture or even just top a bed of romaine lettuce.
- Spoon it on a cracker with cheese or fill a wrap with tuna salad and fresh veggies.
How Long Does Tuna Salad Last?
If it doesn’t get eaten up first because it really IS that good, tuna fish salad will keep in the fridge for a few days. Because it has fish and mayonnaise in it, be careful to not leave it out on the counter for too long.
Make a tuna fish sandwich and put the tuna salad back in the fridge in an airtight container to keep it as fresh as possible!
More Easy Sandwich Recipes
Did you love this Tuna Salad recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Easy Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces white flaked tuna in water, drained
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 2 dill pickles finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery finely diced
- 1 green onion sliced
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Drain the tuna well.
- Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
- Use to top a salad, in sandwiches, or to add to pasta salads.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Fish, Lunch, Snack
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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I love the recipes I have seen so far.
Thanks Brandy! Glad you are enjoying them.
Love this recipe!
Great recipes
Hoping to make a Tasty Tuna Salad for my daughter baby Shower.
Hello!
This is terrific thanks!
I have two questions:
How much is one serving size about?
Is the nutrition information ( calories and such) the total batch or one serving size?
Hi Terry, a serving is about 1/2 cup for this recipe and the nutrition information is per serving. Hope you enjoy it!
Great
I didn’t add pepper or salt, but it was soooOOooo good! I also used toasted potato bread.
New lunch favorite. Thank you.
I am so glad you enjoyed the tuna salad Selena!
delicious!
Thanks Chris!
Great basic recipe. I’ve never added mustard! I had it rolled up in romaine leaves.
What a delicious way to enjoy this tuna salad Jana!
What type of bread do you buy.
I buy whatever looks the tastiest at the time Joe! Feel free to use your favorite variety!
Perfect, as usual, another recipe worthy of 10 stars. I however use tuna in oil, and info for viewers, if you use tuna packed in oil, drain it really well, like in a strainer and reduce the mayo to 1/2 cup.
I used Japanese Kewpie mayo and was out of pickles so I chopped some capers, perfect and did not distract from the intent of the recipe. I made sandwiches on plain bread, with a layer of lettuce.
Thank you for a great recipe, Holly :)
Those sound like delicious variations Lee! Thanks for sharing!
i live alone and would like to take this for lunch, but how long will it still be good in refrig?
3 days is a safe bet for Tuna Connie. I hope you enjoy the tuna salad when you try it!
Chopped apple is also an excellent addition to tuna salad…not to big or small. I usually chop the apple and gently toss it with a little lemon juice to keep it from turning brown. I also use sweet relish a just a tiny bit of grated onion… sometimes with and sometime without the dijon mustard.
Apple sounds like a tasty addition to tuna salad Cheryl! I will have to try it!
Tuna salad is a go to for my lunches! I can’t wait to try out this recipe!
I hope you love it Mikayla!
Yum! Tuna salad is always a favourite for us, especially for picnics and boating, and I love your addition of pickles.
So glad you loved the pickles Colleen! We did too! Next time you’re taking tuna salad on a picnic and boating can we come too!!
I haven’t had a good tuna salad in so long that I actually forgot there were pickles in a classic version. Definitely making this next week for lunches!
Mmmm! Your lunches are going to be dill-icious Lauren!!
I’ve made a lot of varieties of chicken salad but I always stick with a classic tuna salad recipe. Now I’m craving tuna salad!
You can never wrong with a classic Jill! We don’t blame you for craving it!
I haven’t made tuna salad in a while. Your recipe is simple and it sounds delicious. Adding it to our menu. :)
We are glad to be able to bring you and tuna salad back together! Enjoy Lizet!
A slice of Swiss Cheese and iceberg lettuce completes a great sandwich on crusty rye bread for us.
I do love the crunch of iceberg!!
We’ve always loved a good Tuna Salad – be it in a sandwich or in lettuce cups. Once again, WHY the mustard? Don’t get me wrong, I love mustard, but seafood and mustard are not compatible. Mustard definitely has it’s place, since it’s a very tasty condiment, but NOT in any type of dish which contains seafood. Is the use of mustard in (almost) all cold salad recipes a southern tradition? (I ask this with the utmost respect).
You can certainly leave it out if you’d prefer. I’m sharing the recipe the way I make it! Enjoy! :)
I’ve always added mustard to my tuna salad, as well, but I usually use yellow mustard. It adds a bit of tang, and it makes it a bit less sweet. Also, mustard contains tumeric, which is a great antioxidant, so even healthier. It still tastes great without it, so make it how you like it. Definitely do not omit the pickles and celery though. They give it the crunch needed.
Mustard is great on fish! Love it in tuna salad and its wonderful on fried catfish ! And it is a southern thing !
Hi Angelina, I brush a marinade of dijon mustard, honey, and cracked pepper on salmon fillets and cook on the grill and the adition of dijon mustard to this salmon marinade is absolutely delicious !!
That sounds so tasty Barbara. Yum.