Description

This creamy, flaky simple tuna salad recipe with mayonnaise is a timeless, protein-packed classic perfect for quick lunches or speedy weeknight dinners. It’s an easy, family-friendly meal that comes together quickly and delivers satisfying flavor.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cans (5 oz each) canned tuna in water, drained
0.5 cup mayonnaise, made with vegetable oil
1 stalk celery, finely diced
2 tablespoons red onion, very finely minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
0.5 teaspoon salt, or to taste
0.25 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
0.5 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

Drain And Flake Tuna: Thoroughly drain tuna, pressing out excess water. Flake with a fork into a medium mixing bowl until well-separated and dry to the touch.
Prepare Vegetables: Finely dice one celery stalk and very finely mince the red onion. Add both to the flaked tuna.
Season Tuna Mixture: Stir in fresh parsley, salt, pepper, and optional lemon juice.
Mix With Mayonnaise: Pour in 0.5 cup mayonnaise. Gently fold until ingredients are combined and the tuna looks evenly coated and creamy. (If the mixture looks dry, add 1-2 tablespoons more mayonnaise until it reaches desired creaminess.)
Adjust Seasoning And Chill: Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes; flavors will meld as it chills.
Serve And Enjoy: Serve your delicious tuna salad chilled, mounded on crisp lettuce or as desired.

Notes

For a shortcut, finely chop celery and onion ahead of time, or use a food processor. For a healthier twist, swap half the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt to boost protein and lower fat.

Prep Time: 6 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Salad
Method: No-Cook
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 150 g)
Calories: 340 calories
Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 380 mg
Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
Unsaturated Fat: 17 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 3 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 22 g
Cholesterol: 25 mg

Keywords: tuna salad, easy, quick, lunch, dinner, family-friendly, protein-packed, classic, healthy, low-carb