I don’t know what it is about being home all the time, but Anel and I have become sandwich-obsessed. We try to eat them open-faced on good bread (like sourdough) and have been having sandwich-offs regularly. It’s a whole thing in our house right now.
One thing we both agree on? I make the best tuna salad.
Tuna salad can be a polarizing sandwich choice but I’m pro-TS and have spent years perfecting my recipe. If you Google “best tuna salad recipe” you’ll find literally hundreds of recipes that all have their own little twist.
My twists that really make this one pop are the shallot in place of a red onion which was an accidental swap one day when we were out of onions, and the chopped pickles + pickle juice that give it sweetness and a little crunch. I used to use celery for crunch-factor but Anel has a severe aversion to it so I swapped it out years ago. Which I now think is for the better.
I’ve played around with capers because Bon App told me to, but I prefer it without, despite my love for capers. If I’m feeling fancy I’ll add scallions or chives to this too.
We’re very picky about what tuna we buy and are pretty loyal to the Wild Planet brand. This article is helpful if you want to learn more about how to find great sustainably-caught tuna.
Update, 6/24/20: I tried a few of the most interesting recipes you guys posted below and shared my two favorites at the bottom of this post!
My Tuna Salad Recipe:
Serves 2
Ingredients:
– 1 can, water-packed tuna, drained (we use Wild Planet Albacore Wild Tuna)
– 1 shallot, finely chopped
– 6 bread & butter pickle slices, chopped + a little pickle juice
– 1 tbsp, mayo
– 1 tbsp, dijon mustard
– Dash of freshly squeezed lemon juice
– Salt and black pepper to taste
Directions:
1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine tuna, shallot, pickles, mayo, and mustard.
2. Gently stir until mixed.
3. Add salt, pepper, and lemon juice then taste.
4. Add more as needed.
5. If it’s too dry, add more mayo and if it needs more bite, add more mustard!
6. I like to enjoy it on a slice of toasted sourdough with sliced avocado on top or scooped on top of a romaine lettuce salad.
Your turn!
What is your go-to tuna salad recipe? I’m going to be testing out a few of my favorites and reporting back with reviews. If I find one that I like better than mine, I’ll eat my foot! Slash I’ll just eat your recipe for lunch tomorrow…
Update, 6/24/20
Here are my two favorite recipes from you guys. I loved the mango one so much and that is what is actually pictured above. I couldn’t stop eating it as I made it. This will for sure be my go-to for the rest of the summer. It sounds very strange but I promise you, it’s a winner. And the white bean version was a nice twist on the classic with Mediterranean flavors. Thank you to Sarah and Alexandra for sharing these great recipes!
Mango Tuna Salad (From reader, Sarah)
I have no idea of measurements because we always just kind of wing it!
Ingredients:
– Tuna
– Mayo
– Splash of Soy Sauce (Julia’s note: I used tamari)
– Splash of lime juice
– Red pepper flakes
– Mango (Julia’s note: I only had frozen but I thawed it out first in warm water and just patted it dry)
Directions:
1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine tuna, mayo, soy sauce, lime juice, and red pepper flakes
2. Gently stir until mixed
3. Add salt and pepper to taste
4. If it’s too dry, add more mayo
5. Serving on a tortilla is best – Add the tuna mix to the tortilla and then the sliced mango (Julia’s note: I put it on toasted bread and mixed the mango right into the tuna salad!)
6. Enjoy!
Tuna White Bean Salad (From reader, Alexandra)
Ingredients:
– 1 can tuna, drained
– 1 cup cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
– 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion (Julia’s note: I personally cannot stomach raw red onion so I used shallot here)
– 2 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives
– 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
– Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Mix together and enjoy!
