This Basic Tuna Salad Recipe uses onion, celery and mayonnaise for a quick and easy meal, snack or appetizer.
Classic Recipe – Basic Tuna Salad
If you’ve ever wanted to know how to make a Basic Tuna Salad, look no further than this recipe that’s made with a couple of ingredients and is delicious as a meal or snack.
When I think of tuna, I think of my mom who loved to eat it for lunch while watching her favorite soap opera on television. While we, her children, were taking naps, she indulged in a meal that was definitely packed with healthy goodness.
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Fast forward to today and tuna is still a great choice for any meal. It’s a high protein, low-cal fish that helps not only for weight loss but also provides omega-3 fatty acids that for seafood, that is very impressive, indeed.
However, tuna isn’t something that you’ll want to eat everyday, as it is considered high in mercury. But if you eat it a couple of times a week and in moderation, the benefits of eating this saltwater fish is a great heart healthy choice.
You’ll want to choose a smaller tuna, as they have the least amount of mercury. Albacore tuna is the largest of the species and has the most mercury. So choose a brand that uses something smaller is advisable.
DID YOU KNOW? If you worry about mercury levels in your tuna, you can always substitute with canned salmon, which provides omega-3’s and considered a heart-healthy fish, too.
Miracle Whip versus Mayonnaise
For this recipe, you can choose either dressing. I have made this dish many times using them or a combination of both.
Both MW and Mayo offer plenty of fat—but too much fat can ruin even a classic like tuna salad—so go easy on both.
How Much Tuna to Use
One can offer one to two servings, but once you’ve added chopped celery and onion, you’ve basically doubled the servings—which makes this recipe really budget friendly.
Since I usually eat one meal of tuna a week, my preference is Cento Solid Pack Light Tuna. It is packed in olive oil, versus water packed. But you can use either water or oil packed tuna for this recipe with great results.
Tuna Salad Recipe Variations
There are a number of variations that work well with this recipe. Here are just a few:
• Make a healthier version of tuna salad by using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise.
• Add 2 cups of cooked pasta per can of tuna to make it stretch up to four servings. You will need to add approximately a 1/4 cup more of either Miracle Whip or Mayo.
• Mix in mustard, chopped dill pickles or relish and eggs to make it Southern variety.
• Add more crunch with a handful of toasted almonds, French’s Crispy Fried Onions (original) or sunflower seeds.
How to Serve Basic Tuna Salad
Serve the tuna salad on lettuce wraps, tortillas, bread, or scoop with baked pita chips, crackers or vegetable wedges.
You can even scoop out cherry or medium size tomatoes for a healthy alternative to gluten.
Or you can make a quick and easy open-faced sandwich: Layer tuna on bread with a slice of tomato, topped with a slice of cheese and bake at 400 degrees F until the cheese melts.
What to Serve with Tuna Salad
My favorite option is to include fresh cut vegetables with tuna salad but you can also serve tuna salad with the following:
Basic Tuna Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 oz chunk tuna in water or oil
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 1/2 cup celery finely chopped
- 1/2 cup frozen peas thawed (optional)
- 1/2 tsp dill finely chopped (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Mix well. Keep chilled.
- Serve as is or with sandwich bread. Enjoy!
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