Tuna Salad

This tuna salad recipe is the only one you will ever need. It’s easy to make with canned tuna, celery, green onion, mayonnaise, and chopped dill gherkins, and it comes together in about 10 minutes. The pickles and a splash of their brine give it a tangy bite that makes it the best tuna salad.

Pile it on sandwich bread, scoop it onto a bed of lettuce, or serve it with crackers. If you like easy salad sandwiches, it fits right in next to my egg salad sandwich, dill pickle chicken salad, and chicken salad with grapes and pecans.

There is nothing fancy going on here. Drain the tuna well, chop a few things, and stir. That is the whole recipe.

Ingredients

This section includes ingredient notes and substitution options. Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

• Canned tuna — Use tuna packed in water, drained well. Solid white or chunk light both work here. Oil-packed tuna can throw off the texture, so stick with water-packed for tuna salad.
• Celery — Finely chopped, for crunch.
• Green onion — Adds flavor with a milder bite than other onions.
• Mayonnaise — Mayo is the base of the creamy dressing. We use and love Duke’s.
• Dill gherkin pickles — Gherkins hold their crunch and do not water down the salad the way full-size dill pickles can.
• Pickle brine — It’s basically seasoned vinegar, so it brings the same bright tang plus a little dill and salt flavor. You only need a small splash, so it will not thin out the salad.
• Salt and pepper — To taste.

How to Make Tuna Salad

This section shows you how to make the recipe with step-by-step photos and instructions. For the full printable recipe, see the recipe card below. 

Step 1: Finely chop the celery, green onion, and dill gherkins. Drain the canned tuna well.

Step 2: Combine the drained tuna, celery, green onion, mayonnaise, gherkins, and brine in a medium bowl. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

Step 3: For the best flavor, chill the tuna salad for at least 30 minutes before enjoying.

Step 4: Give a stir and serve.

Serving Suggestions

The classic way is a tuna salad sandwich. Toast two slices of bread, add crisp lettuce leaves, and pile the tuna salad on top. Sliced tomato or avocado is a good topping too.

It also makes a great tuna melt: spread it on bread, top with a slice of cheese, and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

To skip the bread, scoop it onto a bed of lettuce or serve it in a lettuce wrap.

Round out your plate with potato chips or sliced apples, plus a salad like macaroni salad, potato salad, or cucumber salad.

You can also set the salad out with crackers for scooping as a snack.

Storage

Store leftover tuna salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 3 days. Give it a quick stir before serving since a little liquid can settle at the bottom.

Tuna salad does not freeze well. The mayo separates and the celery loses its crunch, so make it fresh when you want it.

This one is make-ahead friendly. Stir it together a few hours ahead, or even the night before, and keep it chilled until you are ready to serve.

Additions and Variations

• Add a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the whole bowl.
• Stir in a teaspoon of Dijon mustard for a little extra tang.
• Add a chopped hard-boiled egg for a heartier salad.
• Use red onion in place of the green onion if you want more bite.
• Swap Greek yogurt for half the mayo for a lighter, less rich salad.
• No dill gherkins on hand? Sub the same amount of finely chopped regular dill pickles, patted dry. Or use 2 tablespoons of dill relish in place of the gherkins and brine to skip the chopping.

More Easy Lunch Recipes

• Italian Sub Chicken Salad
• BLT Pinwheels
• Open Faced Turkey Sandwich
• Broccoli Crunch Salad
• Italian Sub Pasta Salad