Tuna Salad

5 from 2 votes

This tuna salad is full of texture, color and crunch. It's light and refreshing, not gloppy or heavy. Eat it straight from the bowl with a spoon, or piled high on toasted sourdough with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Prep Time30

Course: lunch, salads

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 497kcal

Author: Leigh Anderson

Ingredients

4 5-ounce cans tuna packed in olive oil, drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise or Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice or red wine vinegar
2 stalks celery, finely diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
8-10 cornichons, finely diced or dill pickles
1/4 cup chopped dill
1/4 cup chopped parsley
freshly cracked black pepper

Instructions

Prepare the tuna: Drain the tuna, gently pressing out any excess oil. Transfer to a medium-sized mixing bowl and flake apart with a fork breaking up any large clumps.
Combine the ingredients: Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl: mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, celery, red onion, pickles, herbs and a few turns of freshly cracked black pepper.
Mix: Gently stir all of the ingredients together until just combined. Be careful not to over mix, as this can make the tuna salad mushy. You want the tuna and other ingredients to maintain their individual texture.
Chill (optional): For the best flavor, cover the bowl and refrigerate the tuna salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. However, it can be served immediately if desired.

Notes

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

Tuna: This recipe really shines with olive oil-packed tuna. The flavor is richer, the texture is more luxurious, and it just elevates the whole salad. However, if you only have water-packed tuna on hand, don't let that stop you! Just be sure to drain it really well and consider adding a drizzle of good quality olive oil to the mix.
Mayonnaise: substitute: greek yogurt
Red Onion: substitute: shallot
Cornichons: substitute: dill pickles, capers

Nutrition