# Tuna Salad, what's your way?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [February 21, 2015, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280 "2015-02-21T18:50:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 14\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![tadtooornamental](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@tadtooornamental](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tadtooornamental)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/61 "2015-03-15T20:33:14Z")

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I mix it up pretty much everytime I make it, but there are two I always go back to: “Classic” (just like my childhood) and “Greek” (based on what I had in the house at the time, but now a go-to favorite). Always chunk light in water. The cheapest available.

Classic: a bit more mayo (now subbed with Greek yogurt, because tuna salad is the ONLY thing I use mayo for, and it would always go bad before I used even half the jar) than you would think is necessary, sweet relish and celery seed. Never real celery, I don’t want the extra crunch. Eaten as a sandwich, wrap or on crackers.

Greek: Greek yogurt, feta cheese, chopped olives (preferably kalamata, but whatever is around works), cilantro and a touch of Italian seasoning. Typically eaten on flatbread rather than loaf slices.

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**Author:** ![Master\_Wang-Ka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/master_wang-ka/32/3325_2.png) [@Master\_Wang-Ka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Master_Wang-Ka)\
**Post date:** [March 15, 2015, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/62 "2015-03-15T20:35:04Z")

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Dang, I need to take notes. You guys make MY tuna look BORING.

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**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/63 "2015-03-16T18:15:59Z")

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Nothing fancy: my tuna salad is strictly for sandwiches, and I don’t want to spend longer making the sandwich than eating it. So tuna, mayo, and relish, with that mixture going between two slices of toast with lettuce and tomato.

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**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/64 "2015-03-16T20:31:04Z")

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I use whatever I have on hand that I am in the mood to eat. It’s always tuna and just enough mayo to hold it together, I do not it when it’s made as tuna flavored mayo.

Then I usually add something for crunch; dill relish/chopped dill pickle, finely diced onion, finely diced celery or any combination of these.

Something for a little extra flavor; capers, chopped olives or dill pickle relish/chopped dill pickle (sometimes it’s both my crunchy thing and my extra flavor thing).

I might throw in a chopped hard boiled egg if I have one but it’s not a must.

Seasoning would be ground black pepper, maybe some dill or basil. Oregano or thyme if I’m feeling a little adventurous. Only a dash of salt because everything is already salty.

I think I may try it with some avocado now.

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**Author:** ![prettydorky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@prettydorky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/prettydorky)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/65 "2015-03-16T21:58:06Z")

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Chunk white in water, drained, with quite a bit of mayo (usually Blue Plate or Duke’s), then a splash of pickle juice. Plenty of black pepper, salt to taste, then celery seed, sage, and thyme depending on my mood. Usually I’ll throw a healthy pinch of dry mustard powder in there. I like it on a good marble or pump with lots of green leaf lettuce.

If I have pita bread around, I also like a “greek” version, with black or kalamata olives and feta cheese. I’ll keep the mayo and leave out the pickle juice, but add a little of the olive juice instead. Then cavender’s and oregano, and extra black pepper. Drizzled with olive oil. If my husband isn’t eating it, I’ll throw banana peppers in there.

I just realized that minus the herbs, my deviled egg recipe and my tuna salad recipe are identical.

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**Author:** ![racepug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@racepug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racepug)\
**Post date:** [March 16, 2015, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/66 "2015-03-16T22:21:12Z")

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The quick way for me is to just mix a can of tuna with some mayo and put it in a sandwich. If you’re talkin’ a REAL tuna salad I add celery to it and…never mind.

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**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\
**Post date:** [March 17, 2015, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/67 "2015-03-17T02:36:20Z")

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Some awesome combos mentioned above!

My easy version:  
Tuna, packed in oil (it has more flavor), fine red onion, fine celery, and several generous gobs of Dukes, on whole wheat.

Side Options:  
Vinegar in recipe  
Fresh tomato slice in season  
Bacon  
Cheese  
Hot cherry peppers choped up

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**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/68 "2015-03-18T03:40:48Z")

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Why would anyone ever use tuna if they could use salmon instead?

I find that canned salmon (especially Sockeye Salmon) is tremendously more flavorful than pink salmon and tuna as well.

Although more expensive too - in my city a can of tuna sells for $0.49 to $0.75 while the same sized can of pink salmon sells for $1.00 to $1.49 and the same sized can of Sockeye Salmon sells for $4.00 to $5.00.

But I would pay the $5.00 every day because the taste of the Sockeye is just so much more delicious to me. AAMOF, I often mix one can of Sockey with one can of pink to extend the amount and the flavor of the Sockeye tends to overpower the flavor of the Pink which makes for a real good deal.

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**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/69 "2015-03-18T10:44:26Z")

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> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#):
>
> Why would anyone ever use tuna if they could use salmon instead?

Because who ever heard of eating a salmon fish sandwich?

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**Author:** ![PlumBob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@PlumBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlumBob)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/70 "2015-03-18T17:15:39Z")

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Anybody add dried Bonito flakes to their tuna salad? I like to let it soak up the mayo a bit. Old Bay seasoning is nice. Furikake can be a good addition too.

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**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/71 "2015-03-18T17:28:36Z")

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> [@Biggirl](#):
>
> Because who ever heard of eating a salmon fish sandwich?

Mom used to make these all the time when I was a kid. Like tuna salad, except with salmon.

Tuna salad, for me and my wife:  
solid white tuna in water  
lots of finely diced celery  
onions, green onions, or chives  
Hellman’s light mayo

To that we add some combination of spices, it varies:  
[ul][li]smoked sea salt[/li][li]pepper[/li][li]dill weed][/li][li]curry powder[/li][li][piri-piri](http://www.savoryspiceshop.com/blends/piri.html)[/ul][/li]  
I have a shrimp salad recipe that calls for fresh tarragon, and is quite good, but for some reason I’ve never thought to try tarragon in tuna salad; will have to give that a shot.

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**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/72 "2015-03-18T18:17:11Z")

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> [@janis\_and\_c0](#):
>
> I have mine black & blue! Drain well, mix in blue cheese dressing & black pepper.

ooooh. I’ve never had this but now I WANT it! 🙂

Thanks for the idea

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**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2015, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/73 "2015-03-18T18:18:35Z")

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Also, anyone who adds pickles/relish/cucumber+vinegar in any form to tuna is evil and probably pulls the wings of butterflies for fun.

😉

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**Author:** ![Charlie\_Wayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/4bbf92/32.png) [@Charlie\_Wayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Wayne)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2015, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tuna-salad-whats-your-way/713280/74 "2015-03-20T14:00:19Z")

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> [@Biggirl](#):
>
> Because who ever heard of eating a salmon fish sandwich?

I knew it. I just knew it.

There are many dimensions in which you could be big. However, … \<the remainder of this post is deleted due to some irrelevant stuff\>

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