Tunafish Salad Recipe

Salad

1. 1

   Prepare ingredients

   Drain the canned tuna well: open cans and press gently with the back of a fork or spoon to remove excess water. Transfer tuna to a medium mixing bowl and flake with a fork until mostly broken into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the celery (about 1 cup packed) and thinly slice or finely dice the red onion to measure 1/4 cup. Chop the parsley and, if using, the dill pickle or relish. Rinse and roughly chop capers if they are large.

2. 2

   Make dressing

   In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise (1/2 cup), Greek yogurt (2 tbs), Dijon mustard (1 tsp), and fresh lemon juice (1 tbsp) until smooth and well combined. Season the dressing with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a little more lemon for brightness or more mustard for tang.

3. 3

   Combine salad

   Add the chopped celery (1 cup), red onion (1/4 cup), capers (1 tbsp), chopped parsley (2 tbsp), and optional chopped dill pickle or relish (2 tbsp) to the bowl with the flaked tuna. Pour the dressing over the tuna mixture. Gently fold everything together using a rubber spatula or large spoon until the tuna is evenly coated but still slightly chunky. Avoid over-mixing so the tuna retains texture.

4. 4

   Adjust and chill

   Taste the tuna salad and adjust salt, pepper, or lemon as needed. If time allows, cover and refrigerate for 15–30 minutes to let flavors meld. If serving immediately, a short rest of 5 minutes is still helpful.

5. 5

   Serve

   Serve the tunafish salad over 2 cups of celery leaves or mixed salad greens, or use it as a sandwich filling, on crackers, or in lettuce wraps. Garnish with an extra sprinkle of chopped parsley or a lemon wedge if desired. Makes approximately 3–4 servings.