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Tuna Salad Recipe
Aldrick Winters

Tuna Salad Recipe

This creamy tuna salad recipe is fresh, crunchy, and packed with bright lemon flavor. Made with canned tuna, celery, red onion, dill pickles, and mayonnaise, it’s perfect for sandwiches, lettuce wraps, crackers, or quick meal prep lunches.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 4
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 – 5 ounce cans tuna packed in water drained well
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • ½ cup celery finely chopped
  • ¼ cup red onion finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons dill pickles chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Equipment

  • Medium-sized mixing bowl
  • Small bowl
  • Fork
  • Whisk
  • Can opener

Method
 

  1. Drain the canned tuna very well using the can lid to press out excess liquid until the tuna looks dry and flaky.
  2. Transfer the tuna to a medium-sized mixing bowl and gently break it apart with a fork for your preferred texture.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
  4. Add the chopped celery, red onion, dill pickles, fresh dill, and parsley to the tuna bowl.
  5. Pour the dressing over the tuna mixture and gently fold everything together until evenly coated without overmixing.
  6. Taste the tuna salad and adjust with extra lemon juice, salt, or pepper if needed for brightness and balance.
  7. Cover and refrigerate the tuna salad for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can blend and the texture can firm up slightly.
  8. Serve chilled on sandwiches, lettuce wraps, crackers, toast, or over salad greens.

Notes

Drain the tuna thoroughly to prevent watery tuna salad after refrigeration.
For extra crunch, add chopped celery just before serving if meal prepping.
A squeeze of fresh lemon juice right before serving helps brighten leftovers.