Breakfast

Tuna Salad

Tuna Salad
©Dorcy

Tuna salad is a salad dish consisting mostly of tuna and mayonnaise, it is a light and fresh comfort food. The tuna used is pre-cooked, canned, and packaged in water or oil. Pickles, celery and onion are popular ingredients to add. When the mixture is placed on bread, it makes a tuna salad sandwich. Tuna salad is also regularly served by itself or on top of lettuce, tomato, or avocado and chopped boiled eggs may be added. This healthy Tuna Sandwich is great for lunch and a crowd pleaser because it is enjoyed by anyone who has a bite. It can as well be made in advance as a meal prep option for work or busy lifestyles. The recipe for this sandwich is definitely one you must try. So, lets get cooking!

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 2

WHAT IS THE BEST TUNA TO USE?

Any can of tuna will work in a sandwich. Just make sure to drain the water or oil before mixing with the ingredients for tuna salad. I prefer using water-packed tuna in tuna salad, because I’m already adding mayonnaise to the recipe.

TUNA SALAD ADD-INS

The best thing about basic recipes is how easily you can adapt them to your own tastes. Add-ins for tuna salad can be whatever you choose to add like;

  • Chopped apples
  • Chopped pickles
  • Chopped green chilli peppers
  • Any color chopped bell pepper
  • Grated carrot
  • Mustard
  • Yoghurt
  • Green onions
    You can also try these great herbs and spices for tuna salad:
  • Chopped parsley
  • Thyme
  • Oregano
  • Fresh dill

TUNA SALAD INGREDIENTS

All you need for this recipe are a few essential ingredients like;

  • Canned Tuna: I used tuna in cans with water, but any variety works.
  • Mayonnaise: This is your creamy binder. You can use any store-bought mayonaise of your choice or you can make mayonnaise at home if you prefer.
  • Red Onion: Finely diced red onion will provide the perfect savory balance.
  • Parsley: A few tablespoons of fresh herbs always makes this tuna salad recipe the best.
  • Salt and black pepper: Seasoning for this salad
  • Lemon juice: To add to its savory taste
  • Vinegar: To put diced onion in. The acidity of vinegar helps to soften the onions and infuse them with flavour.
  • Lettuce leaves: To add a vegan twist
  • Bread: A few slices of bread to enjoy this Tuna salad with.

HOW TO MAKE TUNA SALAD

  • To get started, put diced onion in a bowl with vinegar to sit for a while.
  • Drain your tuna after cutting the lid with a can opener, tilt the can to drain all the liquid out over a sink in a fine mesh or colander.
  • Pat dry with paper towels and place the tuna in a medium sized bowl.
  • Add all ingredients; mayonnaise, parsley, lemon juice to the bowl. Use a fork to mix everything together, while breaking up any large pieces of tuna. Add onion to the bowl and season with salt and pepper and that’s it!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 (5 oz) can chunk light Tuna in water (drained and flaked)
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoon vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
  • 2 tablespoon mayonaise (Hellmann's)
  • 2 tablespoon red onion, diced
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 4 leaves green-leaf lettuce
  • 4 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread PXL_20240328_113459949~2.jpg

DIRECTIONS

  1. In a small bowl, combine onion and vinegar ( you can make sure that the vinegar just covers the diced onions: if it does not, you can add some more) let it sit for 3-4 minutes.
  2. Drain the tuna in a fine mesh strainer and use paper towels to pat dry the tuna until completely dry.
  3. Drain onion in a colander, set aside to strain properly. Transfer the tuna to a medium bowl and flake with a fork. Add mayonnaise, lemon juice, parsley, salt and black pepper. Stir to combine. Add onion to the bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust the seasonings to your liking. Cover and chill or use immediately.
  4. Serve how you like it: Spoon tuna salad onto slices of bread to make a sandwich or serve it atop a bed of salad greens for a healthy meal. Layer each piece of bread with a lettuce leaf, add the Tuna Salad on the lettuce, top it with another lettuce leaf and add a slice of bread on it. Cut into halves or quarters and Enjoy.PXL_20240328_113923000~2.jpgPXL_20240328_114237017~2.jpgPXL_20240328_115122775~2.jpgPXL_20240328_115700987~2.jpgPXL_20240328_120103470~2.jpgPXL_20240328_120309290~2.jpgPXL_20240328_121112777~2.jpgPXL_20240328_121120174~2.jpgPXL_20240328_121622542~2.jpg

HOW TO STORE TUNA SALAD

Tuna salad tastes the best when it’s made and eaten fresh, but leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days in an air-tight container or ziploc bag. Reason is, this has fish and mayonnaise in it, don’t leave it sitting on the countertop for too long in room temperature.
If you are wondering if this can be stored in the freezer, yes it can. Just place the salad in a freezer safe container and store for up to 2 months. Just note that after you’ve thawed it in the fridge, drain out the excess liquid and give it a good mix before eating.

WHAT GOES WITH TUNA SALAD?

While this recipe is great on its own, there’s so many creative ways to serve and enjoy it;

  • Sandwich: Make it into a sandwich along with a layer of lettuce and tomatoes as you prefer.
  • Wrap: Turn it into a wrap with Tortillas.
  • Lettuce Wrap: Use lettuce leaves for a lighter, low-carb option.
  • Stuffed Avocado or Tomato: Stuff it into avocado or tomato halves.
  • Dip: Serves as a deep with chips or crackers.

NOTE

This recipe serves two, but you can double or even triple to serve more people.

NUTRITION FACTS

Per Serving

Calories: 393
Fat: 10g
Carbs: 51g
Protein: 53g
Fibre: 6g
Sugar: 5g
Calcium: 62mg
Iron: 5mg
Potassium: 580mg
Vitamin A: 119mcg
Vitamin C: 12mg
Sodium: 855mg
Cholesterol: 22mg

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