This tuna salad has a secret that most recipes leave out. Once you try it, you’ll wonder why every version doesn’t do it this way. The result is creamier, richer, more satisfying without weighing you down. It’s the kind of lunch that gets eaten straight from the bowl before it ever makes it to the bread.
Easy Tuna Salad Recipe
The ingredient that makes this version different is the hard boiled eggs. After making this enough times to know, they’re doing more work than you’d think. They add richness and body without making the whole thing heavy, and keeping them chunky means you actually get bites of egg throughout instead of them disappearing into the mix. It’s the difference between a tuna salad that’s just okay and one you keep coming back to.
I specifically call for white tuna (albacore) because the texture holds up in a way that chunk light just doesn’t. Chunk light tends to break down and get mushy once you stir everything together. Albacore stays meatier and gives you something more substantial to bite into. The one thing I’ll stress: drain it well. I’ve rushed this tep before and ended up with a watery salad that no amount of extra mayo could fix.
On the mayo versus Miracle Whip debate, I’m not here to tell you which one to use. In my experience, people who grew up on Miracle Whip swear by it, and people who grew up on real mayo won’t touch anything else. Both work here. Same goes for the red onion or shallot. I use it every time and think it adds a great contrast to the eggs and mayo, but if onion isn’t your thing or you’re serving someone who picks things out, just leave it out. It’s still great either way.
Why You’ll Love This Tuna Fish Salad Recipe
This easy tuna salad is a favorite (and the best tuna salad recipe in my opinion), for a few reasons:
- Convenience: It only takes a few minutes to pull this recipe together. With just five simple ingredients (plus a few more if you’re feeling fancy) this is an easy recipe to add to your lunch rotation.
- Flavor: Tuna salad is creamy and delicious. A combo of sweet and savory with a mixture of mayo, mustard, and sweet relish.
- Versatile: You can take your favorite tuna salad and turn it into so many things from a classic tuna salad sandwich to a tuna melt to a salad topping on a bed of crisp lettuce.
- Classic: Tuna salad is a classic recipe everyone should know.
- Customizable: You can add so many different additions and variations to make it your own.
Tuna Salad Ingredients
- canned white tuna – Get the kind of tuna that is packed in water. My favorite can of tuna is Sam’s Club Albacore Solid White Tuna. There are also cans of oil-packed tuna packed in olive oil, but water packed works best for this. I think the albacore tuna gives the best taste and texture.
- mayo – Duke’s is my favorite, but Miracle Whip works too. You can use light mayo if you prefer.
- dijon mustard – Dijon adds the best flavor but you could use yellow mustard too.
- sweet pickle relish – Dill pickle relish or chopped dill pickles are also really nice. If you don’t have relish on hand, chop the sweet pickles into small pieces.
- hard-boiled eggs – Make your hard-boiled eggs in the Instant Pot.
- salt and pepper – Sea salt or kosher salt and fresh-cracked black pepper work wonders in any recipe.
How to Make Tuna Salad
This recipe comes together so quickly and easily. Here’s what to do:
- First, add all of the ingredients to a medium bowl.
- If you are adding any mix-ins, you can add those now too.
- Stir everything to combine until it’s mixed thoroughly and the mayo is evenly distributed.
- Give it a taste, and add more salt, pepper, and/or seasonings to taste.
Easy Tuna Salad Variations
The great thing about tuna salad is it is super easy to customize. This makes it great for picky eaters or those days when you are out of a lot of your usual staples.
- Instead of mayonnaise, you can substitute plain Greek yogurt, hummus, or smashed avocado.
- Dill relish is a fine replacement for sweet relish.
- No onion? You can sub onion powder instead. You can also use green onion.
To play with flavor, try adding celery salt, lemon pepper, red pepper flakes, or everything bagel seasoning. If you like things spicy, check out my Buffalo Tuna Salad recipe.
You can also experiment with add-ins like diced jalapeños, avocado chunks, or chopped red onion or shallot.
Easy Tuna Salad Recipe Tips and Tricks
Keep your tuna salad from becoming watery by making sure you drain the tuna really well.
Once everything is combined, taste it and add more salt, pepper, or seasonings.
Wish it were creamier? You can add avocado or some more mayo for a creamier texture.
To amplify the flavor, add some fresh herbs and lemon juice. It’ll give an even better depth of flavor.
Serving Suggestions for Tuna Fish Salad
If you can keep yourself from eating it all straight out of the bowl (good luck!), here are some ideas for serving tuna salad.
Wraps: Spread some tuna salad on a wrap or tortilla along with some lettuce, cucumber, avocado, and/or diced onion to make a tuna salad wrap. You can also use lettuce leaves to make lettuce wraps.
Salads: A big scoop of tuna salad on a bed of lettuce is a great and easy lunch. You can also add it to bell pepper halves (or mini bell peppers) for a lovely presentation.
Tuna Salad Sandwiches: Add tuna salad to your favorite sandwich bread along with some avocado, cucumber, lettuce, and onion to make a delicious tuna fish sandwich.
Tuna salad dip: Serve it with some potato chips, pita chips, or veggies like cucumber slices and celery as an appetizer.
Tuna melt: Amp up a standard tuna sandwich by turning it into a melt. To make creamy tuna melts, butter one side of your bread and place the bread buttered side down on a sheet pan. Top with tuna salad in a thick layer and then top the tuna with a slice of cheese. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 2-3 minutes under the broiler, just until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the bread is toasted.
How to Store Tuna Salad
Store tuna salad in a food-safe, airtight container in the fridge and enjoy within 3 to 5 days.
If you are taking it in a lunch box, make sure it is insulated and has an ice pack.
How long does tuna salad last in the fridge?
If stored properly, tuna salad will keep for about 3 to 5 days in the fridge before it begins to spoil.
Can you freeze tuna salad?
While you technically can freeze tuna salad, it isn’t recommended. The mayonnaise will separate when frozen, which can change the texture of the tuna fish salad.
Simple Tuna Salad Recipe with Mayo FAQs
Tuna salad works best with canned white tuna packed in water. The “chunk”-style cans of tuna will create a creamy tuna salad. Popular brands are Bumble Bee, Starkist, and Chicken of the Sea. Be sure to drain it well so your tuna salad isn’t watery.
Tuna goes well with avocado, cucumbers, onion and eggs. It works incredibly well in tuna salad with creamy mayonnaise, relish, and mustard, too.
Salt and pepper are enough to flavor tuna, but you can also experiment with other seasonings like ranch, lemon pepper, seasoning salt, celery salt, red pepper flakes, hot sauce, and everything bagel seasoning.
Yes, you can. Oil-packed tuna has a slightly richer flavor and softer texture compared to water-packed tuna. If you likea more savory, silky style tuna salad, it’s a great option.
Just keep in mind that it will make the salad a little heavier and may require less mayo since the fish is already coated in oil.
The easiest way is to drain it well in a fine mesh strainer. Press gently with the back of a spoon to remove excess oil without mashing the tuna. If you want it even lighter, you can briefly rinse it under cold water and let it drain thoroughly before mixing. Just know that rinsing will mellow the flavor.
Yes, and it actually tastes better after a little chill time.
You can make this tuna salad up to 3 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Give it a quick stir before serving, and add a small spoonful of mayo if it looks a little dry after chilling.
More Salad Recipes
- Egg Salad
- Corn and Avocado Salad
- Old-Fashioned Potato Salad
- Cold Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Avocado Chicken Chopped Salad
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Simple Tuna Salad Recipe with Mayo
Ingredients
- 10 ounces canned white tuna packed in water, drained
- 1/3 cup mayo or miracle whip
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons sweet relish
- 2 hard boiled eggs chopped
- optional: red onion or shallot, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a mixing bowl.
- Stir to combine until it’s mixed thoroughly.
- Enjoy the tuna salad in a wrap, on a sandwich, straight from the bowl or any way you like!
Video
Notes
- use sliced cucumbers for dipping
- use celery for dipping
- stuff into bell pepper or mini bell pepper halves
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
