Tips & Tidbits For Tuna Salad:
- Choose your favorite variety of tuna: My personal favorite is solid white albacore tuna packed in water I also use chunk light tuna as well, but feel free to use your favorite.
- Fresh herbs for flavor: Fresh dill is wonderful with fish, but other delicious and complementary herbs include chives, parsley, thyme, or even cilantro.
- A hint of mustard: Typically, I use a bit of yellow mustard because I happen to like the intensity of it but Dijon mustard is really tasty as wellor even whole grain mustard, which happens to be my hubby’s fave in tuna salad!
- Ways to enjoy tuna salad: I like to enjoy my tuna salad in sandwich form on a toasted bagel or on rustic bread but it’s mighty tasty scooped up with everything pretzel thins or crackers, or enjoyed over fresh greens, or even on its own.
The Perfect Tuna Salad
No matter how creative or spontaneous or inventive I aim to be with my weekday lunches, at some point I always end up craving just simple a tuna salad sandwich. Its lunchtime comfort food. Has it been a while since you last had tuna salad? Heres my favorite, most basic recipe. I think its just about perfect.
Theres not much to making tuna salad, really. My husband often just mixes the tuna with mayo and a few cracks of black pepper and calls it good! I like to add some crunch to balance out the cream, and so I mix in some chopped celery and shallots when I make it. A spoonful of pickle relish might not be the way you grew up with it, but try it the sweet-and-sour pickles add just a little something extra to each bite.
I also like water-packed tuna, partly because I think it has a cleaner tuna flavor. But if youre a fan of oil-packed tuna, by all means use that!
Delicious Healthy And Quick Meal
Ive mentioned a few times that tuna is one of my go-to lunches during the week. It takes only minutes to whip together, tastes great, and its pretty healthy! Theseavocado tuna wraps are my go-to on a daily basis, but the one drawback about them the avocado doesnt last over a day.
So lately Ive been making a slightly bigger batch of a variation of that same Tuna Salad and we eat it throughout the first few days of the week.
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How To Make Cilantro Lime Dressing For Spicy Tuna Recipe
In this spicy tuna salad, I use a hot sauce thats made from Caribbean Scotch Bonnet peppers were talking HOT. However, when its blended with the other ingredients, that undeniable heat is softened into a pleasant tingle on the tongue. If youre not into spice, you can skip it. If you have a favorite hot sauce, you can absolutely use it here but keep in mind that all hot sauces arent created equal thats why its important to taste all along the way, to make sure its not too spicy or too mild Like Goldilocks, you want it JUST RIGHT.
Ways To Enjoy This Spicy Tuna Salad
- Make sushi: For the adventurous , this is a great way to make a super affordable and delicious spicy tuna roll at home.
- Sandwiches and wraps: Just like classic tuna salad, this salad makes a killer sandwich. Layer it up with sliced cucumbers, tomatoes, sprouts, carrots, and greens.
- Sushi burritos: You can also make the easier sushi burrito by wrapping this spicy tuna salad up with some cooked rice and veggies in a large piece of nori. Drizzle some extra soy on top and add a very thin layer of wasabi for even more spice.
- Salad: We love using tuna salad as a protein for salads and this one is no different. Grab a big bowl of greens or shredded cabbage. Top with veggies and consider doubling up the dressing so you can add the extra to the salad as well. Crumbled seaweed on top is a great addition as well.
- Sushi Bowls: Make your own sushi bowls. Just grabbed some cooked white or brown rice, chopped cucumbers, shredded carrots, and avocado. Top with spicy tuna and you have a healthy meal ready to go.
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Tips For Making Spicy Tuna Salad
- Add sesame oil: If you want a bit more flavor in your tuna, consider adding a touch of sesame oil to the mix. I like to use toasted sesame oil and a little goes a long way. It will add some nuttiness and earthiness to the tuna salad.
- Use avocado: If you don’t like mayo, avocado is a great substitute. Just mash it up and use it in place of the mayo. You can also keep the mayo and add some chopped avocado to the mix as well.
- Sesame seeds and Furikake: If you have ever had tuna poke, one of my favorite things to use on top is Furikake, a Japanese seasoning mix that contains sesame seed, nori, salt, sugar, and a special seasoning. It’s delicious and is a really great addition to this spicy tuna salad. Sesame seeds also work to add crunch.
- Use a different protein: If canned tuna isn’t your favorite, you could always use a different protein. This salad works with chicken, salmon, cooked shrimp, tofu, chickpeas, and even hard boiled eggs.
Whats In Tuna Macaroni Salad
This salad has lots of protein to make it hearty enough to enjoy as a meal, and veggies add a nice crunchy texture.
- Canned tuna: I like using albacore because I think its got the best flavor. You dont get that metallic fishy taste that you can get with some kind of canned tuna.
- Macaroni: This is one ingredient that we are kind of snobs on! If you can find it, get Creamette brand macaroni because it cooks the best and has the best flavor.
- Hard Boiled Eggs: Make your own on the stovetop or buy pre-packaged to save time.
- Veggies: peas, celery and onions diced finely add crunch and freshness. Frozen peas are a must .
- Sauce: The sauce is made with mayo, pickle relish, mustard, salt and black pepper. You could add a little hot sauce to zest it up, or play around with flavors like adding garlic powder or paprika.
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Ways To Eat Tuna Salad
Though it’s great straight out of the bowl, here are our 3 favorite ways to use tuna salad:
How To Serve This Mediterranean Tuna Salad
When tuna is what’s for dinner, I usually add warm pita pockets and we just turn this tuna salad into loaded pita sandwiches.
But this Mediterranean tuna salad recipe makes a good amount to serve a crowd as a starter as part of a Mezze hour. Just add tomato slices that can act as a carrier, or these crispy homemade pita chips to go along.
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More Potluck Salad Favorites
If youre looking for other potluck favorites, try our classic Macaroni Salad, which is the recipe this tuna mac salad was derived from, or a hearty helping of Bacon Ranch Red Potato Salad, Hawaiian Macaroni Salad or lightened up Egg Salad. For a unique spin on classic tuna salad, Tuna Salad Lettuce Wraps are a fun twist and Tuna Pasta Salad is also quite delicious. My friends have some great options too, like Cashew Chicken Pasta Salad and Italian Cucumber Tomato Salad.
How Do I Keep Tuna Salad From Being Dry
To prevent your tuna salad from being dry, youll need to stir in at least one tablespoon mayo per one can of tuna. After mixing in the rest of your ingredients, taste the salad. If you want it creamier, stir in another tablespoon or two of mayo. A squeeze of lemon juice also adds moisture.
For a lighter salad, replace the mayo with yogurt. Or, for a looser, salad, opt for olive oil.
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Healthy Mediterranean Tuna Salad Recipe
Unlike classic tuna salad, this one has a bit of a Mediterranean flare. First, we ditch heavy mayo in favor of a healthier alternative, my zesty Dijon dressing with lime juice and Early Harvest extra virgin olive oil.
What all goes into this tuna salad? Loads of crunchy vegetables–cucumbers, celery, radish, and onions. Then, for a big extra fresh punch, I use a good amount of fresh parsley and mint. I like to throw in a handful of pitted Kalmata olives for a bit of a Greek twist.
Between the zesty dressing the fresh herbs and the peppery bite from radish and green onions, this tuna salad is one big flavor party in a bowl!
What To Add To Your Keto Tuna Salad
Need a good keto meal but are tired of not having customizable options for delicious recipes? Our keto tuna salad is low in net carbs, delicious, and 100% customizable to fit your likes and dislikes.
Weve compiled a list of all our favorite spices, ingredients, and tuna salad meal ideas to make your meal prep super easy.
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A Fresh And Flavorful Tuna Salad Recipe
I’ll admit that my tuna salad recipe has a few more ingredients in it than a classic tuna and mayo version but these fresh, flavorful and crunchy ingredients are what make this tuna salad the best tuna salad recipe, at least in my book.
I love the flavor of fresh herbs, so I chop up some fresh dill, and add that inhuge flavor boost!
I also love the sweet-spiciness of a little touch of very finely minced red onion, as well as some finely diced crunchy celery so those tasty ingredients get tossed into my prep bowl as well.
And for even more flavor, I add a touch of either yellow mustard or Dijon mustard, plus a kiss of lemon zest, sea salt, and freshly cracked black pepper.
Because I’m not a big fan of what I consider too much mayo, I keep my tuna salad on the lighter side, which makes this a slightly lower-calorie and lower-fat tuna salad recipebonus!
The combination of fresh, flavorful and crunchy add-ins give an otherwise typical tuna salad a big flavor pop with a bit of a kick and some extra texturea total must for me and my tastebuds!
Plus, this salad makes for the best tuna salad sandwich!
Just add a bed of fresh lettuce and some sprouts or micro greens onto some rustic bread or a toasted everything bagel, and you’ve got an incredibly satisfying and healthy meal.
How to Make Tuna Salad, My Way:
How Long Does Tuna Salad Last In The Fridge
Tuna salad can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to a week. And of course, sandwiches are just one of many dishes you can make with tuna salad. Mix in some macaroni for an easy pasta salad side dish, or pack it into avocado halves or scooped-out tomatoes for a gluten-free lunch. A few spoonfuls of tuna salad with crackers is also one of my favorite afternoon snacks.
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What Is The Best Tuna For Tuna Salad
When looking for canned seafood, we recommend looking for a can that has the MSC blue fish label. This label indicates that the product is certified by the , an organization that aims to make it simple for consumers to purchase sustainable, traceable, wild seafood. You can also order wild, sustainable canned tuna from Vital Choice, one of my favorite seafood suppliers!
As far as the type of tuna to purchase, I prefer to buy albacore tuna packed in water instead of oil. Albacore is a variety of tuna with a flaky texture and more mild flavor, which makes for a great end product!
What Spices To Add To Tuna
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Keeping this in consideration, what can I add to canned tuna?
Chopped celeryand its leaves! plus red onion, maybe some parsley or fresh dill are a good place to start. Then, consider a bit of whole grain mustard, or Dijon, and perhaps some chopped capers or olives for a little more brininess. And always, always, plenty of salt and fresh cracked pepper.
One may also ask, what can you mix with tuna other than mayo? Other suggestionsFreshly seared tuna also pairs well with onion, parsley, capers and tomatoes. These are all low-fat, high-flavor options. You could also try mustard, lemon juice, ginger, sesame oil, honey, soy sauce and garlic.
Likewise, how can I make canned tuna taste better?
Pour some Worcestershire sauce on the tuna, then begin to cook. Cook to desired texture, then eat. To add some more flavor, you can throw a slice of cheese on this. When the tuna is done cooking, turn the burner off, put the cheese on, cover the pan with a lid, and let the cheese melt on the tuna.
What’s good on tuna sandwich?
Deli-Style Tuna Fish Sandwich
- 1 5-oz can of tuna.
- 3 tablespoons celery, diced.
- 3 tablespoons yellow onion, diced.
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, regular or light.
- 1 tablespoon sweet relish.
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Should I Use Tuna Packed In Oil Or Water
You can actually use either for this recipe. I had tuna packed in water, so I added a little oil to the salad mix. If youre using tuna packed in oil, you can skip the olive oil listed in the ingredients below.
Nutritional values are estimates only. See our full nutrition disclaimer here.The equipment section above contains affiliate links to products we use and love. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Sweet and Spicy Tuna Salad stuffed into celery sticks and mini sweet peppers. This would make a great party appetizer!
This is the wrap I made with spinach, cucumber slices, and the Sweet and Spicy Tuna Salad. I wanted avocado as well, but all the avocados at the store were rock hard. That wrap is the sprouted grain wraps from Aldi. 🙂
Ways To Spice Up A Can Of Tuna
I can think of so many reasons to adore the lowly canned tuna fish: It’s affordable. It’s high in omega-3 fats . I love that I can store it in my cupboard until just when I need it. And it’s such a versatile ingredient. Plus, canned albacore tuna has low levels of mercury and is a sustainable choice if it’s labeled as troll- or pole-caught, from the U.S. or British Columbia. Another healthy choice is chunk light tuna, which comes from the smaller skipjack or yellowfin, and has less mercury than canned white albacore tuna. The FDA/EPA advises that women who are or might become pregnant, nursing mothers and young children consume no more than 6 ounces of albacore a week up to 12 ounces of canned light tuna is considered safe.
So when I think of the injustice done by drenching the poor canned fish in so much heavy mayonnaise you need an ice cream scoop just to ladle it onto your sandwich, I feel like I need to have an intervention.
Step away from the mayo, folks! Adding just a few fresh and nutritious ingredients can elevate even the most humble can of tuna from pantry staple to an elegant, satisfying meal. Dress up your canned tuna in these healthy recipes from the EatingWell Test Kitchen:
1. Sandwich Wrap: Add White Beans, Cherry Tomatoes, Scallions and Lemon
2. Antipasto Salad: Add Chickpeas, Chopped Veggies, Capers and Fresh Herbs
3. Dinner Salad: Add Green Beans, Potatoes, Eggs and Olives
4. Quick Dinner: Add Tomatoes, Pasta, Garlic and Parsley
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How Long Does Tuna Salad Last
If it doesnt 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 that tuna fish sandwich and put the tuna salad back in the fridge in an airtight container to keep it as fresh as possible! The best tuna salad is fresh and safe to eat!
Easy Cold Pasta Salad
- 1/4cupred wine vinegar
- 1tablespoonfresh lemon juicefrom 1 lemon
- 1/4teaspoongarlic powderor 1 clove minced fresh garlic
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the pasta salad:
- 16ouncesrotinior other small pasta
- 2cupsbroccoli floretschopped and blanched if desired
- 1red bell pepperstemmed, seeded, and chopped
- 1yellow bell pepperstemmed, seeded, and chopped
- 1/2red onionpeeled and thinly sliced
- 1cupgrated Parmesan cheese
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