Tuna Salad Recipe

This Easy Tuna Salad combines chunky canned tuna with tangy mayonnaise, dill pickle relish, zesty lemon, diced celery and onion, and fresh dill for the perfect party appetizer, snack, or sandwich filler! Versatile and so easy to make, it’s the best tuna salad recipe you’ll ever make!

The Best Tuna Salad Recipe

Tuna salad brings back some of my favorite childhood memories. Ironic since, for more than a decade, I refused to eat canned tuna in my attempt to save the dolphins – a fun life story for another time.

Truthfully, tuna salad is one of my all-time favorite things to make for lunch. Right up there with egg salad.

This tuna salad is quick and easy to make (really, it takes just minutes to assemble), budget-friendly, and perfect for anyone who loves a good tuna salad sandwich or tuna melt.

What is the Best Tuna for Tuna Salad

When it comes to making tuna salad, your best bet is canned chunk tuna packed in water. 

These days, canned tuna comes in a variety of options, from solid tuna to chunk tuna, tuna packed in oil or water, plain tuna, or flavored. 

• Solid vs. Chunk: Canned chunk tuna contains varying sizes of tuna flakes, making it easy to distribute throughout the rest of the salad, whereas solid canned tuna first needs to be broken up. 
• Water vs. Oil: Whether you opt for canned tuna in water or canned tuna in oil is really a matter of preference. I prefer to use canned chunk tuna in water as opposed to oil as the oil can sometimes interact with other flavors in the salad and alter the overall taste. It can also make the salad very oily. 
• Plain vs. Flavored: Adding your own seasoning will always taste better.

Tip: If you only have oil-packed tuna, you can remove most of the oil by transferring the canned tuna to a fine-mesh strainer and rinse well with cold water, pressing with a spatula to remove as much liquid as possible from the tuna.

Key Ingredients and Substitutions

Find the printable recipe with measurements in the recipe card below.

• Mayonnaise – Use homemade or store-bought mayonnaise. Sour cream or full-fat plain Greek yogurt could be used instead, but it won’t taste “as good” in my honest opinion.
• Dill pickle relish – This will impart a delicious vinegary dill pickle flavor. 
• Lemon – I’ve used both the juice and zest of half a lemon. Don’t use bottled lemon juice as it won’t provide as vibrant a flavor.
• Salt and Black pepper – To taste. 
• Canned Tuna – I’ve used canned chunk tuna packed in water. Make sure to drain it well as you don’t want excess liquid making the salad soggy. Canned salmon can be used instead. Check out my canned salmon salad recipe here!
• Red onion – Adds a touch of sweetness and crunch. Mince the onion to avoid biting into large pieces in the salad.
• Celery – Celery is perfect for adding crunchy texture. Like the red onion, be sure to mince it small for the perfect texture.
• Fresh dill – Dill pairs beautifully with tuna and adds wonderful freshness to the salad. If you don’t like fresh dill, parsley, green onion, or chives are also welcome additions to tuna salad.

How to Make Tuna Salad

1. Combine the salad ingredients: Begin by whisking the mayonnaise, relish, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper together in a medium bowl. Gently stir in the drained tuna, onion, celery, and minced dill. 
2. Chill: Cover the assembled tuna salad and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3. Stir and serve: Give the chilled salad a stir just before serving. Enjoy it with your favorite crackers, freshly cut veggies, or wrapped in a soft tortilla.

Tuna Salad Variations

Perhaps you love this classic tuna salad but you’re craving something with bolder flavor? Here are a few ideas to add a little depth to this delicious recipe.

• Add a little sweetness with dried fruits like raisins and cranberries, or freshly diced apples.
• Add additional creaminess (or replace the mayonnaise) with mashed-up avocado.
• Spice it up with a dash of cayenne powder and curry powder.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Serve Tuna Salad

While I have been known to sit and eat this delicious tuna salad straight from the bowl by the spoonful, there are several other ways to enjoy this delicious salad.

• Sandwich: Slap a few spoonfuls between your favorite sandwich bread with a layer of lettuce and tomatoes. Or, make a cheesy, gooey delicious tuna melt (one of my all-time favorite sandwiches).
• Wrap or Lettuce Wraps: Same idea as the sandwich. I love making mine with soft flour tortillas with a layer of melted cheese and plenty of fresh veggies.
• Dip: Serve with crackers, chips, and fresh-cut veggies.

More Easy Salad Recipes

• Cherry Tomato Salad
• Italian Pasta Salad
• Avocado Egg Salad
• Chicken Salad Recipe
• Cucumber Salad Recipe
• Arugula Salad with Shaved Parmesan