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Southern Tuna Salad


Southern tuna salad made with ingredients from the pantry. This is a perfect recipe for lunch and takes only 15 minutes to make.

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white bowl filled with tuna egg salad

Recipe Features

  • This recipe is loaded with protein. It’s gluten-free and low-carb.
  • Made in 15 minutes without additional steps in advance.
  • The recipe is perfect for making ahead, and it works great as cold lunch to go.
  • This is the easiest recipe you can make using pantry ingredients.

Key Ingredients

ingredients to make tuna salad

Ingredient Notes

  • Canned Tuna. This recipe requires using tuna packed in water. I usually buy canned albacore wild tuna in bulk from Costco by Wild Planet brand.
  • Mayo. If possible, choose the kinds made with avocado oil instead of canola oil for a healthier version.
  • Eggs. You’ll need three hard-boiled eggs. When possible, I like to get eggs from pasture-raised chickens; the yolk is more yellow and tasty this way.
  • Pickles. The original Southern tuna asks for sweet pickle relish; I like to use marinated pickles instead and finely dice them. This still adds some sweetness to the final dish.

How to Make It

1. Boil and cool the eggs, dice small. Open canned tuna, drain while holding the top over the tuna. Add to the mixing bowl, mince with the fork. Trim the ends of the celery, dice small. Chop onion small.

minced canned tuna in the white dish

2. Add the mayo, mix well. Serve on top of a toast or wrapped in lettuce.

ceramic dish with diced ingredients to make salad

Recipe Tips

  • For best flavor. Don’t skimp on mayo, the mayo what makes the recipe creamy. Adjust the salt after testing since mayo might have some salt in it.
  • Optional ingredients. Feel free to experiment and add fresh peas, diced apple, honey dijon mustard. Top with fresh herbs like dill, parsley, chives, microgreens.
serving plate with tuna sandwich

Serving Suggestions

  • Serve on sourdough toast.
  • For low-carb options, serve wrapped in lettuce or Chinese cabbage on top of cucumber, baby zucchini, or tomato slices.
  • Make it hot. Create a tuna melt by placing toast topped with salad in the oven and broiling just for a couple of minutes.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How Long Does Tuna Salad Last In The Fridge?

The salad should be good for up to four days. Store in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.

toasts topped with salad on the cutting board

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white bowl filled with tuna egg salad

Southern Tuna Salad

Natalia-Flavorful Home
This easy Southern tuna salad is made in no time at all with healthy pantry ingredients! Serve it as a salad or topped on the toast!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 15 mins
Total Time 15 mins
Course Main Course, Salad
Cuisine American

Equipment

  • mixed bowl
  • cutting board

Ingredients
  

  • 2 can tuna canned
  • 3 egg hard-boiled
  • 1/3 cup celery
  • 1/4 cup sweet onion half a small onion
  • 2 pickles small
  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • a pinch of salt

Instructions
 

  • Boil and cool the eggs, dice small. Open canned tuna, drain while holding the top over the tuna. Add to the mixing bowl, mince with the fork. Trim the ends of the celery, dice small. Chop onion small dice.
  • Add the mayo, mix well. Serve on top of a toast or wrapped in lettuce.

Notes

For a more mild flavor, I recommend buying tuna packed in water instead of oil.
For a low-carb option, serve this salad wrapped in lettuce or Chinese cabbage or on top of cucumber, tomato slices, baby zucchini.

Nutrition

Calories: 319kcalCarbohydrates: 2gProtein: 21gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 727mgPotassium: 267mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 342IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 54mgIron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Leave us a Comment!
Natalia is a recipe developer, food photographer, and home cook. She started Flavorful Home to document her recipes and share home cooking tips. She loves creating flavorful and nutritious meals while keeping the cooking process simple and joyful!

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