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A straight-on view of a white circular platter filled with dinner rolls that have been cut in half and filled tuna salad on a layer of green leaf lettuce.

Best-Ever Tuna Salad

Course: Lunch / Dinner, Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: how to make tuna salad, Lunch, Tuna
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 405kcal
This is one of the most popular recipes on the blog. It's easy, beautiful, and the flavors work perfectly together. The slight sweetness of the cranberries matched against the salty, briny capers is perfect! We highly recommend using fresh dill. It really makes a big difference. You can easily double (or triple) the recipe if feeding a group.
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Ingredients

  • ½ cup red onion finely chopped
  • ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 2 5 oz. can albacore tuna in water we love Wild Planet, drained
  • ½ cup dried cranberries
  • 2 celery ribs chopped
  • ¼ cup capers drained
  • 2 tbsp dill fresh, chopped
  • 1 tbsp parsley fresh, chopped
  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 large lemon the juice from
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt start with 1/2 teaspoon, then add more, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Place the red onions in a small bowl and cover with apple cider vinegar. Set aside for 15 minutes, and then drain.
    ½ cup red onion, ½ cup apple cider vinegar
  • In a large bowl, add the drained tuna, pickled onions, cranberries, celery, capers, dill and parsley.
    2 5 oz. can albacore tuna in water, ½ cup dried cranberries, 2 celery ribs, ¼ cup capers, 2 tbsp dill, 1 tbsp parsley
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper (add the salt in 1/2 teaspoon increments, to taste).
    ¾ cup mayonnaise, 1 large lemon, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tsp Kosher salt, Freshly ground black pepper
  • Add the mayo mixture to the tuna mixture, and using a large wooden spoon, stir the salad to fully incorporate all ingredients.
  • Refrigerate for at least 1 hours before serving. (Can be prepared 24 hours in advance of serving).
  • Serve on a bed of greens or as sandwiches.

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 
The dressing can be made up to 3 days in advance. You can assemble the salad up to 24 hours in advance. Give the salad a good stirring before serving. 
Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 to 7 days. It can be frozen for up to 2 months. 

Nutrition

Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 905mg | Potassium: 100mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 123IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg