Name: Easy Tuna Salad
Yield: 4

straightforward Tuna Salad Recipe with dried cranberries, fresh herbs, and a creamy dressing. Scoop onto bread or top an apple slice for a quick and flavorful meal!

author’s note

The Tuna Salad I’ll Never Stop Making!

Tuna salad has always been one of a reliable go-to lunches (this avocado tuna salad is another favorite!). I’m pretty sure my love for it comes from my mom making it all the time when I was growing up.

She made a creamy tuna pasta at least every other week, and for lunch, she’d often whip up tuna wraps or sandwiches.

This tuna salad recipe has great flavor and is straightforward to make, especially with a food processor to quickly chop the celery, red onion, and parsley. Change up the ingredients to your taste. Add more or less of anything, use less mayo for a lighter salad, or more for extra creaminess.

All the ingredients in this recipe are prepped and ready for straightforward assembly—apples, cranberries, lemon, oil, onion, celery, parsley, cheddar, Dijon, mayo, and meat.

Tuna Salad Recipe Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this Tuna Salad recipe:

Tuna: Oil-packed has more flavor. Drain well and gently flake apart with a fork.
Dried cranberries: Adds sweetness and a chewy texture. Chop smaller if needed.
Celery: Finely dice for a light crunch.
Flat-leaf parsley: Has more flavor than curly parsley.
Red onion: skippable but adds a little bite. Green onions work too.

Dressing Ingredients For Tuna Salad Recipe

Mayo: Use a good brand for the best flavor. If needed, add more for extra creaminess.
Dijon mustard: Adds more flavor.
Lemon juice: Use a fresh juicy lemon and add zest for a stronger lemon flavor.
Olive oil: Adds richness and extra flavor.
Salt and pepper: Start light, then add more as needed.

Quick Tip

Dice the add-ins finely so they mix into every bite.

All the ingredients for this straightforward tuna salad go into a bowl, ready to be tossed together.

chelsea’s recipe tip

Tuna Salad Recipe Serving Ideas

Sandwich: Load onto toasted bread with mayo and lettuce.
Lettuce wraps: Spoon into crisp romaine or butter lettuce.
Apple slices: Slice an apple, remove the core, add white cheddar, then top with tuna salad.
Stuffed avocado: Cut a ripe avocado, scoop out a little, then fill with tuna salad.
Tuna melt: Spread on bread, add cheese, and broil until the cheese is melted.

The dish comes together in a bowl for a creamy, low-carb lunch.

Storage

Leftovers?

Fridge: Store tuna salad recipe in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Stir before serving and add mayo if needed.
Freezer: Not recommended for this recipe.