Tuna salad could be actually scrumptious when it’s finished proper. My Basic Tuna Salad recipe has all of the fundamentals plus just a few upgrades like walnuts and a success of lemon, which makes this recipe a far cry from the gloopy mess I keep in mind from childhood lunches. I’ve additionally included just a few ideas for making a good tuna salad with loads of taste and texture, and just a few non-compulsory add-ins so you may make it your individual. Let’s go get it!

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“That is my go to tuna salad. It’s so crisp and refreshing but filling.”
Brandy
Simple Tuna Salad Recipe
In my view, to make a good tuna salad, you wish to use good tuna, make a dressing that has taste dynamic, and add in some crunchies to offer the salad some texture…one thing to chew on. I exploit chunk gentle tuna to maintain issues budget-friendly, mayo, easy seasonings, and lemon juice for the dressing, and I combine in loads of celery, walnuts, and inexperienced onions for crunch. No extra bland mush!
For those who’re trying to save just a little, go along with chunk gentle tuna. It’s normally one of the crucial inexpensive choices and works nice on this recipe. It has smaller, extra shredded items, however as soon as it’s blended with the dressing and add-ins, you gained’t miss the larger chunks. Stable albacore is dearer, however you’ll get good, massive, strong chunks of fish that give your salad extra texture. Nevertheless, for on a regular basis meals, chunk gentle will get the job finished with out stretching your grocery price range.
Basic Tuna Salad


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Drain the canned tuna nicely. Finely cube the celery, chop the walnuts, and slice the inexperienced onions.
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Mix the tuna, celery, walnuts, inexperienced onions, mayonnaise, lemon juice, pepper, and salt in a bowl. Stir to mix.
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Function a sandwich, salad over a mattress of greens, or with crackers and greens for dipping. Refrigerate as much as 4 days.
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**I like my tuna salad just a little on the “dry” facet. Add extra mayonnaise if desired.
Serving: 1cupEnergy: 365kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 29gFats: 27gSodium: 750mgFiber: 1g
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How you can Make Basic Tuna Salad Step-by-Step Pictures


Collect all your elements.


Mix the elements: Drain two 12 oz. cans of chunk gentle tuna in water. Finely cube about one cup of celery, chop ¼ cup walnuts, and slice two inexperienced onions. Add the tuna, celery, walnuts, inexperienced onions to a bowl with ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp freshly cracked black pepper.


Stir the elements nicely to mix.


Serve: Now it’s able to serve! I do like my salad just a little bit dry, so in the event you want, you may all the time add an additional tablespoon or two of mayonnaise to make it just a little “softer.”


What Else Can I Add?
There are a number of issues you may add to your tuna salad so as to add texture (and taste). I like so as to add celery and walnuts. They every have their very own “model” of crunch that actually provides to the curiosity as you chew (mushy is boring). Listed below are another elements you may add into this recipe for texture:
Serving Recommendations
There are a number of methods I prefer to serve this salad. We’re all acquainted with the traditional tuna salad sandwich, which is usually constructed on toast with lettuce. You possibly can additionally serve it with out bread over a mattress of greens, like in a Niçoise salad. Generally, I eat it with just a few crackers or veggies for dipping, or you may stuff it right into a pita or cottage cheese wraps. Additionally, take a look at my tuna salad lunch field. Plenty of choices, all scrumptious!
Storage Directions
This traditional tuna salad is certainly greatest served recent, whereas the celery is sweet and crunchy, however you might additionally meal-prep it for lunch. I’d preserve it in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days.
Our Tuna Salad recipe was initially printed 8/18/20. We’ve got up to date it to be the very best it may be and republished 8/20/25.



