I like mine vinegary and tart and I dislike too much mayo. Per each can of tuna in spring water, I boil and mush one egg, finely dice a quarter of a red onion, add 1/8th of a teaspoon of white vinegar, 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil and less than a tablespoon of mayonnaise. Salt and pepper to taste. I like a lot of pepper. I mix it all up and eat it.
How do you make yours?
Various ingredients, usually not eggs, but I avoid ‘Solid White’ tuna which is less flavorful. I prefer tuna packed in oil, but more than that I’ve found the imported brands to be much better than US brands like BumbleBee and StarKist.
Tuna, boiled egg, relish, and Mayo. I like lots of pepper too but that doesn’t get applied until after it’s on the sandwich.
I used to get the packed in oil all the time. If I accidentally get it now, I’ll omit the olive oil. Before, I thought the water packed was too dry, now find the packed in oil too oily and mushy.
I make it different ways. I made some the other day with mayonnaise, tarragon, and celery seeds. I made the SO and me sandwiches on toasted baguette with shredded lettuce and sliced tomato.
I usually use fish in oil because it has a stronger flavour, but last time I used water-packed. Sometimes I add relish, and sometimes I don’t add anything but mayo. Sometimes I’ll add a dollop of Dijon mustard. Sometimes I’ll add chopped celery.
I like my sandwiches very plain. Not sure if you’d call this ‘tuna salad’ as opposed to just tuna: I do put a little “Miracle whip” into it, (just about the only thing I keep it in my fridge for,) and sprinkle some onion powder and spices in. White bread, a little butter, and there’s my sandwich! To be enjoyed with Pringles.
Butter on a tuna salad? This is my shocked face.
Tuna, mayo, lemon juice, thyme, salt, pepper, pickle relish or capers, onion, celery, garlic, or any combination of these, depending on what’s in the house. Sometimes I use chopped dill pickle instead of sweet and then use dill weed instead of thyme. I’ve also chopped up a serrano pepper and added it.
Yes, it’s good that way. I often butter the bread when I make plain tuna salad (just tuna and mayo), and put lettuce on it.
Actually, margarine, not butter. Just a little. shrugs
Tuna, relish, Miracle Whip, some red pepper flake, light salt/pepper. Scoop with Fritos or mound in a hollowed tomato.
I use whatever tuna I happen to have around, but the best I’ve ever made was with some imported Spanish tuna in olive oil. Otherwise, I tend to use whatever cheap Bumblebee or whatever tuna there is packed in water and make up for it by using good olive oil. But nothing beats the flavor and texture for me of good tuna packed in good olive oil.
Anyhow, beyond that, when I’m making it for myself, I tend to make it without mayo. Just good olive oil, a little bit of anchovy, capers, squirt of fresh lemon juice, pepper (and salt, if necessary, but usually there’s enough between the anchovy and capers) and sometimes a pinch of red pepper flakes. If I have some fresh tarragon or chervil, I’ll also dress it up with some of that, and a little bit of shallot or red onion if I’m in the mood.
A different tuna salad I made that I will make again because it was delicious. Cut a very ripe avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit and two tablespoons of avocado per half. Mush avocado with some olive oil. Add to a can of tuna, lemon juice and zest, oregano, salt and pepper. I also like to add 1 crushed cardamom seed (one of the ones inside the pod), Mix and put back into avocado.
I suppose you can use all of the avocado and two cans of tuna and then make a samitch with that. But I always do it up fancy when I make it.
The least fancy I’ll make it is to just throw in mayonnaise and mix it up in the can after drinking out all the juice (or pouring it out if it’s oil).
The most fancy I’ve made it is with tuna from a pouch, mayonnaise, sweet relish, a scrambled egg, and various lettuce-y greens, all placed on toasted fancy bread. I’ve had boiled eggs and added diced tomatoes before, but those were made for me.
What I usually do is the minimal version with sweet relish on microwaved corn tortillas. If I have iceberg lettuce, I’ll add that to make it go further.
Lately I make it with what’s available in the cafeteria at work: cole slaw, sesame seeds, a handful of raisins, lemon juice and, on rare happy occasions, celery, which should always be there.
No relish. I like my tuna sweet, not vinegary.
Mine is what I grew up with… maybe not something I would brag about to others but it is what I like.
Whatever Tuna I have… usually in water. Miracle Whip, Chopped Onion, Chopped Sweet Pickles (Dad always said it needs more pickles no matter how many had been used), a couple of Chopped Hard Boiled Eggs, Dill, Celery Seed, and Paprika.
Chill and serve on a good toasted bread. Even better if a slice of good Swiss is quickly melted on top of the salad for a Tuna Melt (for the melt, don’t toast the bread but use a Panini press if you can.)
I have mine black & blue! Drain well, mix in blue cheese dressing & black pepper.
One that I make rarely, because my wife doesn’t really like it, but I freakin’ love it. Skylight Exchange, a restaurant that used to be in Chapel Hill, called it African tuna salad.
To the tuna, add:
-Clove of crushed garlic
-Olive oil
-Curry powder
-Salt
-A few drops peanut oil
-Cayenne or Sriracha
It makes excellent tuna melts, too.
Love finely chopped celery in mine, though I hate buying a big’ honking armful of celery that goes bad in a week or so. What kind of relish are all of you using?..I use water packed cheap-o, I love capers, finely chopped onion, pepper, and mayonnaise, though I may sneak a jar of Miracle Whip into the house under cover of darkness. Keep it in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator, Oh, the Shame! But this is one of the few times it might be useful. Half mayo, half Miracle Whip. On marble rye, toasted or not, pickles (any kind) on the side, and potato chips.