Nana’s Epic Tuna Salad
Unique Tuna Salad Recipe – A classic southern tuna salad recipe that’s easy to make with a handful of simple ingredients. Chunky, creamy, sweet, and tangy tuna salad is perfect on sandwiches or fresh greens!
Why We Love This Unique Tuna Salad Recipe
We love light and flavorful cold salads for quick summer lunches. Chilled chicken salad, egg salad, macaroni salad, and – of course – tuna salad are classic recipes that we make all season long. These creamy, chunky, fresh, and flavorful salads are great to enjoy for lunch or bring to picnics and potlucks to share!
Just as there are many different kinds of “salads” to make, there are nearly endless homemade varieties of each. Mayo or no mayo, egg or no egg, fruits or nuts, or both… Everyone has their own favorite version.
My mom’s Simple Tuna Salad recipe is a winner and is my personal favorite. Give it a try, and I’m sure you are going to love it, too!
It includes only a few staple ingredients, like celery, chopped apple, and dill. It takes just 10 minutes to prepare, with no cooking necessary. So, in a snap, you have traditional southern tuna salad that’s perfect for sandwiches, wraps, and more.
Ingredients You Need
Nana doesn’t mess around with complicated ingredients. Instead, her recipes include wholesome and simple goodness that is easy to find at nearly every grocery store.
For this Classic Tuna Salad recipe, you need:
- Canned tuna – in water, NOT in oil
- Mayonnaise – regular or low-fat
- Diced apple – choose a firm, sweet variety
- Pickle relish – sweet or spicy
- Celery – chopped
- Dill – fresh or dry
- Salt and pepper – to taste
How to Make Our Unique Tuna Salad Recipe
This no-cook recipe is ready in 10 minutes. Keep the ingredients on hand to whip up a tasty batch of zesty tuna salad anytime you like!
- Grab a large mixing bowl and gather your ingredients. Open the cans of tuna and drain them thoroughly. After pressing out any excess liquid, add the tuna chunks to the bowl.
- Then, add in the chopped apple, celery, and relish.
- Next, add the dill and mayonnaise.
- Stir and fold to get an evenly creamy and well-mixed salad.
- Then taste, and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Cover and chill until ready to use. Tuna salad will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Get the Complete (Printable) Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
There’s no rule that says you can’t jazz up this classic southern recipe to fit your tastes! Here are just a few ideas for ingredient swaps or extra add-ins:
- Paleo – Make this a paleo tuna salad recipe by subbing classic mayo with your favorite paleo-approved spread.
- Spicy – Use chopped pickled jalapenos instead of sweet pickle relish for a great spicy flavor.
- Fruit – Swap out chopped apple with halved grapes, or include both!
- Zest – Mix in a bit of lemon zest for a bright, summery taste.
- Herbs – Sub fresh dill with fresh rosemary. This makes the flavor more earthy and slightly less sweet.
Tips for Homemade Tuna Salad Sandwiches
Sandwiches with Tuna Salad obviously aren’t complicated. However, there are a few key points to keep in mind to making the BEST sandwiches:
- Be sure to thoroughly drain the canned tuna.
- Chop the fresh produce into very small and uniform pieces.
- Use regular sliced white or wheat bread, or serve on a croissant for a cafe-style sandwich.
- A layer of fresh lettuce helps to keep the sandwich bread from getting overly soggy.
- Load up your sandwich with other goodies like thinly sliced onion and/or tomato.
- Serve with potato chips and a pickle spear for a classic southern lunch.
Serving Suggestions
Yes, this classic southern tuna salad is ah-ma-zing for enjoying in sandwiches… But the fun doesn’t stop there!
Use this easy recipe to make tuna salad wraps with your favorite tortillas, or prepare as a low-carb lunch with lettuce wraps.
Place a scoop onto a bed of fresh mixed greens for a traditional tuna salad SALAD. Or, the truly old-school way to enjoy is to hollow out a tomato and fill it to the brim with the chilled tuna mixture.
You can even serve as a snack or dip with crackers or fresh slices of veggies, like cucumbers and celery sticks.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use either canned tuna in water or oil. Tuna in water is lower in calories and fat, while tuna in oil offers a richer flavor. Choose solid or chunk tuna based on your texture preference.
Tuna salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freezing tuna salad isn’t recommended as mayonnaise and dairy-based dressings tend to separate when thawed. If made without dairy or mayo, it can be frozen, but the texture might change.
Alternatives to mayo include Greek yogurt, mashed avocado, or cottage cheese for a creamy texture.
Looking for More Marvelous Retro Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- The Ultimate Southern Chicken Salad Recipe
- Grandma’s Best Ambrosia Salad
- The Best Deviled Eggs Recipe
- Perky Pimento Cheese Recipe
- The Best Potato Salad Recipe Ever
Get the Complete (Printable) Recipe Below. Enjoy!
Unique Tuna Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 15 ounces canned tuna in water drained (3 cans)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup diced apple pick a firm sweet variety
- 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish
- ¼ cup diced celery
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Set out a large mixing bowl. Open and drain the cans of tuna. Once pressed and well-drained, place the tuna chunks in the bowl.
- Add the mayonnaise, diced apple, pickle relish, celery, and dill. Mix well. Then taste, and add salt and pepper as needed.
- Cover and chill until ready to use.
This is a very good recipe. The flavors are nice and balanced. Will definitely enjoy this again
This tuna salad was amazing, I loved your idea of adding pickled jalapeno; it added a nice kick to the tuna salad. This made the easiest lunch, I served it on a butter lettuce leaf and it made for a simple, yet delicious lunch!
Sometimes, I am just craving this tuna salad!! I need to make it more, because it’s so tasty & easy to whip up. Love making a batch on Monday, then it’s my lunch all week long!
Oh my goodness! I’m so glad I got tuna at the store today and I’ll definitely be making this for my lunch tomorrow! I love a great tuna recipe and this one looks fantastic! So excited to give this a try!
this is one of the best tuna salad recipes that I have found in a long time! so great and easy to make as well!