The best tuna salad recipe with celery, purple onion, dill pickle, hard-boiled eggs, and just the right amount of mayonnaise.
This is my mom's famous recipe for her tuna salad. Since sharing it originally on my site in 2014, it went viral on Pinterest and many have written to tell me that it is the best tuna they have ever had and I couldn't agree more.
What's to love
This protein-packed tuna salad is loaded with crisp celery, red onion, dill pickles, hard-boiled eggs and a light amount of a mayonnaise based dressing. It is an easy and healthy lunch recipe that can be made in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients you'll need
My go-to tuna salad is made with canned tuna and a few other simple ingredients found in your fridge or pantry.
- Celery: This adds a nice crunch to the salad.
- Purple Onion: I prefer a purple (red) onion, but white or yellow may be substituted.
- Dill Pickles: Use a good quality, crisp, dill pickle. I like to use Vlassic Kosher Dill Pickles.
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- Tuna: This recipe is best with a tuna packed in water.
- Mayonnaise: I prefer a high quality mayonnaise such as Duke's mayo. This recipe has less mayo than many tuna salad recipes.
- Salt & Pepper
- Lemon Juice
- Tabasco Sauce: Or a dash of cayenne pepper or smoked paprika may be substituted for the Tabasco.
Recipe Tips
- For quick prep, chop celery, onion and pickles in advance.
- Allow the hard-boiled eggs to cool before adding to the tuna.
- If the can of tuna has juice or liquid, be sure and drain it before adding to the veggie mixture.
- For the hot sauce, I use Tabasco. Tabasco Sauce can be substituted with a dash of paprika or cayenne pepper.
Serving Ideas
Here are some of my favorite ways to enjoy this tuna salad.
- Make a delicious sandwich by placing a generous scoop of the tuna spread on two pieces of whole wheat bread, top with lettuce and sliced tomato, if desired.
- Make an entree lunch salad by placing a scoop of tuna egg salad on a bed of lettuce or spring mix.
- Serve with a variety of crackers for a snack.
- Make lettuce wraps by placing a scoop of tuna on a crisp lettuce leaf.
- I typically serve potato chips with tuna sandwiches. Some people even like to put their chips on the sandwich for extra salty crunch.
📖 Recipe
Mom's Classic Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 3 stalks Celery finely chopped
- ½ cup Purple Onion finely chopped
- ½ cup Dill Pickles diced
- 2-3 whole Hard Boiled Eggs diced
- 2 - 5 oz. cans of Tuna packed in water, drained
- ⅓ cup Mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 3 dashes Hot Sauce
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Finely chop celery, purple onion, dill pickles, and hard boiled eggs. Combine in medium-sized mixing bowl.
- Drain and flake tuna. Add to chopped vegetable mixture.
- Add mayonnaise, black pepper, fresh lemon juice, hot sauce and salt. Mix until ingredients are incorporated. For best flavor, chill tuna salad for 1 hour before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Story behind the recipe ...
Growing up in Central Texas, summertime meant heading outdoors to a favorite swimming hole for the day. Mom always packed drinks, snacks and lunch. Most of our friends got bologna, turkey, or even PB&J, but our mom always made us Tuna Salad Sandwiches.
After leaving for college, I realized that not all tuna recipes were created equal. Most sandwich shops I have encountered serve a little tuna with a whole lotta mayo. This remains a favorite and I now make this for my own kids! This recipe went viral on Pinterest and that always gives my mom a little smile.
FAQ
What type of onion is the best to use in tuna salad?
I prefer using a red or sometimes called purple onion. It adds some nice color and crunch to the tuna salad dish.
What tuna do you recommend?
I buy the Bumble Bee tuna from the grocery store. For an online option, when it goes on sale I will buy Wild Planet Tuna which or Rain Coast Skipjack Tuna. Both brands offer tuna that are sustainably pole and line caught.
Words on the label like “canned light tuna” or “skipjack tuna”indicate tuna that have lower levels of mercury. Albacore tuna are larger and therefore have more mercury.
Can pregnant women eat a tuna fish sandwich?
Yes, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that pregnant women consume 2-3 servings (8-12 oz.) of best choice fish per week. Choose “light” or skipjack tuna to make your sandwich, it is lower in mercury.
Enjoy -
Alaine
More recipes you may also enjoy:
- Cranberry Apple Tuna Salad
- Chicken Salad with Grapes
- Jalapeno Pimento Cheese
- Pimento Cheese Pinwheels
- Creamy Dill Potato Salad
This recipe was originally published on May 24, 2014 on My Texas Kitchen. Updated in March 2025 with new photos.
Christie
Mom's Classic Tuna Salad - I will be trying this, this evening. Thank you for sharing!
Tiffanie
I made this today, scaled down, with a can of boneless, skinless sardines in olive oil. I included the oil and eyeballed the veggie and egg ratio. I then adjusted the seasonings for taste. I made a sandwich with toasted whole wheat bread, a slice of provolone, and a handful of mixed microgreens. It was very good! I wouldn't take it into work or on a plane, though. Lol.
Angie
My favourite! This recipe is a keeper, thank you!