Canned tuna is one of those foods that is always in my pantry. When I need a quick lunch or healthy after-school snack, it’s an easy solution that’s also budget friendly and high in protein. I came up with this simple tuna salad recipe one day when I wanted to use up some peperoncini that were in a jar in my fridge. That little addition made such a flavor difference, and now my kids request that I make tuna salad this way every single time.
Recipe Highlights
A few simple ingredients – the ingredients for this recipe are simple ones that I tend to always keep on hand, making this recipe one of my go-tos for a no-cook lunch or savory snack.
Fast, no-cook lunch – canned tuna is the ultimate convenience food since it doesn’t need to be refrigerated, cooked, or even chopped. It’s ready-to-use right out of my pantry, which is why I often use it to make a protein-rich lunch that is ready in just a few minutes in one mixing bowl.
Easy meal prep option – this tuna salad can be stirred together quickly and then stored in meal prep containers over a bed of greens or with some crackers for easy lunches for my kids or husband that are ready to go.
Nutritious – I try to get a minimum of 20 grams of protein with every meal, so this tuna salad is an easy way to meet my protein goals. It’s also low in saturated fat and has no refined carbohydrates while be a good source of healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamins, and minerals my body needs.
Main Ingredient Notes And Substitutions
This quick no-cook deli recipe comes together so fast from a few ingredients I tend to always have on hand:
- Canned tuna – I use two cans of tuna and I always buy sustainably wild caught canned tuna packed in water, such as Wild Planet albacore tuna or SafeCatch tuna. Those brands are naturally lower in mercury, better for the oceans, and have a clean taste and firm texture. I prefer it over tuna packed in olive oil.
- Celery – I love the crunch that celery adds, complementing the creamy textures of the tuna salad well. Feel free to swap in chopped cucumber or finely chopped carrots.
- Green onions – most often I use green onions (scallions) in my tuna salad, but finely chopped red onion or chives are good substitutes.
- Mayo – I always keep avocado oil mayonnaise on hand to make creamy salad like this one or for spreading on sandwiches or using to make dips. For a no mayo tuna salad, use Greek yogurt instead.
- Peperoncini peppers – this is the secret ingredient that makes my tuna salad such a delicious recipe, making it tangy and well balanced. In addition to the finely chopped peperoncini, I also add a tablespoon of the peperoncini juice to the salad. Finely chopped dill pickles (and dill pickle juice) also are good. If neither of those are available, add 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, capers, or Dijon mustard, or 1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Ingredient Highlight: Tuna
Canned tuna is one of my favorite pantry foods to keep on hand to make recipes like this classic tuna salad recipe, this tuna casserole, and this tuna pasta salad, which is like a classic macaroni salad with tuna mixed in. Not only is it convenient, budget friendly, and quick to use to make a simple salad like this, but it’s also a nutritious food. It’s:
- High in protein, containing 20 grams of protein per 3 ounces.
- A good source of omega-3 fatty acids, particularly DHA and EPA, which are two types of monounsaturated fat linked to heart health.
- A good source of vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B12, potassium, selenium, calcium, and iodine.
Try Other Mix-Ins
The beauty of tuna salad is that it’s a great canvas for getting creative with mix-ins and making new recipes. One of my kids’ favorite tuna salad recipes is when I mix in a dash of curry powder and diced apples. It’s also good with a chopped hard-boiled egg and some fresh herbs mixed in to make a type of tuna fish–egg salad.
Enjoy As Is Or Serve In A Variety Of Ways
Most often I enjoy this best tuna salad on its own or with cucumber slices or some of my favorite crackers for dipping. It’s also really good when used to make tuna salad sandwiches, these tuna quesadillas). Or I serve it over chopped lettuce leaves or inside lettuce wraps for a low-carb option.
For a gourmet option, I like to make a tuna melt, which is like a combination of a grilled cheese sandwich and a classic tuna sandwich, served open faced. I like to make it with Swiss cheese, but it’s also good with Colby Jack or thin-sliced Cheddar.
Storage Directions
Store leftover tuna salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Stir again before serving.
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Tuna Salad Recipe
A few simple mix-ins turn plain tuna salad into the best tuna salad recipe. Enjoy this quick mix-together salad as is, with crackers for dipping, or to make salads, sandwiches, wraps, quesadillas, or lettuce wraps.
Ingredients
- 2 (5-ounce) cans tuna packed in water, drained
- 1 celery rib, finely diced (¼ cup)
- 2–3 green onions, ends trimmed, sliced (¼ cup)
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons chopped peperoncini or dill pickles
- 1 tablespoon peperoncini or pickle juice (from the jar)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Optional: minced fresh dill or fresh parsley
Get Recipe IngredientsInstructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the drained tuna, celery, green onions, mayo, peperoncini, peperoncini juice, and pepper. If desired, add a little more mayo to achieve desired creaminess. Mix until all ingredients are well combined.
- Enjoy tuna salad as a filling for lettuce wraps, sandwiches, or with favorite crackers.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
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Notes
May use Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 197
- Fat: 12 g
- (Sat Fat: 2 g)
- Sodium: 596 mg
- Carbohydrate: 2 g
- (Fiber: 1 g
- Sugar: 4 g)
- Protein: 17 g
- Cholesterol: 36 mg
Dietary
Recipe Changelog
- January 2026: We previously published a version of tuna salad that was made with more vegetable mix-ins, including broccoli slaw, bell pepper, and red onion. It also called for fresh basil, lemon juice, and dry roasted cashews. Download the previous version here.
The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.
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Creamy and delicious!! This recipe will be made weekly in my house!
Completely honest. I have actually not made and tasted it but it sounds delicious. The only reason I haven’t made it is I have only regular tuna at home, and you convinced me that to wait an extra day or two is worth it to pick up some SafeCatch tuna on my next trip to the grocery store .
Tastier and more filling than I Thought It would be
Very good, I really liked it but I also had to adjust due to what I had on hand Chicken instead of tuna, carrots instead of slaw. dried basil instead of fresh. I can only imagine how much better it would be if I used the proper ingredients! It was delicious.
Great Debra! Thanks for the feedback and 5-star review!