The classic Tuna Sandwich has been well-loved for generations, and surprisingly, there’s a bit of debate about how to make the best tuna sandwich. We all know what we like, don’t we? This version is full of fresh flavors: dill, lemon, scallion, celery, and a kick of cayenne to give your tuna mayo a boost.
Put canned tuna at the top of your Budget Grocery List to ensure you always have the makings for the best tuna sandwich. Serve this Tuna Sandwich on fresh pumpernickel bread, lettuce, and tomato for a stunning show of colors. It works well in a Lunchtime Meal Prep and is sure to top your list of Easy Dinners to Make.
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Folks have either a great memory of a tuna salad sandwich, or they don’t. I grew up eating classic tuna salad stuffed in a tuna pita pocket with alfalfa sprouts. I loved it — regardless of the ribbing my classmates gave me in the lunch room.
My husband, on the other hand, did not enjoy his childhood tuna salad sandwiches. His aunt Melanie loaded them with sweet pickle relish — not his favorite. Thankfully, he loves my way Tuna Sandwich recipe, so we’re good.
The great thing is that there are so many tasty ways of making tuna salad that you’re bound to find one you love. I hope you’ll try ours!
Why Make This
It’s affordable. While many things have gone up in price, even tuna, canned tuna is still a more affordable, shelf-stable protein. This is one of the most affordable sandwich recipes you can make.
It’s delicious. This tuna salad recipe calls for flaky chunks of albacore tuna, mayo, lemon juice, and just the right seasonings for a mouth-watering sammy that you’ll want to enjoy weekly! Enjoy a sandwich on fresh bread or go for the gusto in a Tuna Melt Sandwich.
It’s quick. You can whip up this tuna salad sandwich in just minutes making it a great quick dinner to serve on busy nights.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make our favorite Tuna Sandwich recipe:
canned tuna – I like to use solid white albacore tuna packed in water, but there are many varieties out there, including yellowfin tuna, and albacore packed in olive oil. Use what you prefer. If you’re not sure what you like, start with solid white in water. Once you make this, be sure to check out our other Easy Fish Recipes. You will love my Tuna Noodle Casserole!
fresh lemon juice – Lemon is always a great complement to fish. If you don’t have fresh lemons, bottled lemon juice is fine. Remember you can freeze lemons.
herbs and spices – You can definitely play around with the herbs and spices you add, but we love to include, salt, dried dill, freshly ground black pepper, and ground cayenne. You can also add a bit of celery seed, if you like.
mayonnaise – Mayo makes a great binder for tuna salad. Homemade mayonnaise is easy and delicious if you want to level up this sandwich. You can also use Greek yogurt if you prefer. You can also substitute Greek Yogurt Tartar Sauce or a Remoulade for the mayo.
onion – I love the freshness that green onion brings, but you can also use finely chopped red onion or brown onion.
celery – Chopped celery is often considered standard for adding crunch, though some people prefer chopped pickles, pickle relish, chopped cucumbers or chopped red bell pepper. Use what you have and explore some new options!
sandwich bread or rolls – To make a tuna sandwich, you’ll need bread or rolls. White or wheat sandwich bread is fine, but pumpernickel or brown bread brings stunning color! Check out our list of Best Sandwich Breads for more options. You can also serve tuna salad in lettuce wraps. Try these Niçoise salad Wraps for a fun variation.
optional – I love to layer cheese, sliced tomato, and lettuce in my tuna sandwiches. Be sure to read the comments for more ideas from our readers!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to make this easy Tuna Sandwich recipe:
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, place the tuna. Do not break up too finely, just enough to have small chunks. You want to mix this as little and as lightly as possible.
- Squeeze the lemon juice over the fish.
- Add the mayo, onion, celery, salt, dill weed, pepper and cayenne. Toss lightly to combine, adding extra mayo if needed to bind the ingredients.
- Serve as a sandwich filling or in lettuce wraps.
- Store leftover tuna salad in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 2 days.
To pack for lunch, consider storing the tuna salad and the bread in separate containers to avoid letting the bread get soggy.
FAQs
There are so many great ways to make a tuna sandwich, there’s a good fit for everyone! Consider a classic mayo-scallion-celery combination or add a little sweet to your savory via sweet pickle relish. Some people add hard cooked eggs or shredded cheese to their tuna sandwiches as well.
Tuna sandwiches can play a part in a healthy diet, particularly if you control how much saturated fat you use (the mayo) and serve it on whole grain bread. Keep in mind that the FDA does have recommendations re: safe consumption of tuna.
Tuna as well as other meat and dairy products should be refrigerated until ready to serve. Discard any tuna salad that has been left at room temperature longer than 2 hours. Be mindful of food stored in the danger zone.
Tell us what you think!
We love to hear your experiences with Good Cheap Eats. Click the STARS on the recipe card or leave a STARRED comment to let us know what you think of the recipe.
The Best Tuna Sandwich Recipe
Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- fork
Ingredients
- 2 5-ounce cans albacore tuna drained
- ½ lemon juiced
- 2 to 3 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 2 green onion chopped
- ½ rib celery chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- pinch ground cayenne pepper
- 8 slices sandwich bread or rolls or lettuce leaves
Instructions
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, place the tuna. Do not break up too finely, just enough to have small chunks. You want to mix this as little and as lightly as possible.2 5-ounce cans albacore tuna
- Squeeze the lemon juice over the fish.½ lemon
- Add mayonnaise, green onion, celery, dill weed, salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Toss lightly to combine, adding extra mayo if needed to bind the ingredients.2 to 3 tablespoon mayonnaise, 2 green onion, ½ rib celery, ½ teaspoon dried dill, ¼ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, pinch ground cayenne pepper
- Serve as a sandwich filling or in lettuce wraps.8 slices sandwich bread
Notes
Nutritional values are approximate and based on ¼ the recipe. Variations: This is just one way to make tuna sandwiches. Feel free to make this your own! You can add any of the following:
- chopped pickles
- pickle relish
- chopped cucumbers
- chopped red bell pepper
- shredded cheese
- chopped hard cooked egg
Nutrition
This post was originally published on April 29, 2011. It has been updated for content and clarity.
Renee
My current favorite way to eat tuna is to use Geisha solid white tuna (the only brand I really like) – add a small pinch of salt, course ground pepper, a small amount of fresh dill chopped, and maybe a teaspoon of Miracle Whip. I barely use enough MW to wet the tuna. I serve that on white toast with cucumber slices! Yum. When I was a kid it was always toast, tuna with fresh cucumber and lettuce from the garden.
Rachel K
Growing up, it was tuna with mayo, sweet relish and hard boiled eggs. Now…I usually want to make it quick, so I skip the eggs. My husband is not a big fan of tuna, so I make just for me 🙂
rose
Mine is basically the same. I do put in a little mustard with the mayo and add dill pickle relish (or chopped dill pickles, whichever I have). Tangy, not sweet! The dill is a must! My kids are pretty particular when it comes to fish, but they will definitely rush to the table to eat this tuna salad.
Tori
My tuna salad must have dill pickles and black olives. That is how my mom always made it. But I like the idea of adding fresh herbs! I will try that next time.
Steph
I use yogurt instead of mayo now, just because I have it in the house and don’t have mayo in the fridge.
But the spices I use are the same… dill, celery salt, salt, pepper, and onion powder.
The biggest difference that I have is that this is just tuna. Tuna salad is a completely different animal altogether. Tuna salad has pasta, celery, chopped dill pickles, eggs and mayo.
Love your blog!
Grace
I tried it this way without mayo and now I just can’t go back. It’s so good!
Chunk light tuna in water
Olive Oil
Artichoke Hearts, chopped
Kalamata or other strongly flavored olives, chopped (I once made this with blue cheese stuffed green olives – it was awesome)
Hard-boiled eggs if the mood strikes me
Sometimes sun dried tomato
No pickles of any kind!
Carol
I love my tuna salad; it combines savory, crunchy, sweet, and creamy all in one bite. Makes my taste buds sing. Serve on green salad; or stuff a tomato placed on a green salad; or on any bread.
Any white tuna I’m not picky, chunk, solid, etc. Drained extra extra EXTRA well; get ALL the water out.
Boiled egg diced – great for using up dyed Easter eggs
Celery finely diced
Onion finely diced
Extra big helping pickle relish, I only use sweet. Extra-well drained in colander, with paper towels and potato masher, so it doesn’t make the tuna salad sloppy or watery.
Mayo – I use very very little; not a fan of mayo or any other white stuff.
Plain yellow squeeze mustard – a squirt
Garlic powder
Black pepper
Granny Smith organic apple diced with skin on – add this last of all so it doesn’t have time to turn brown.
Quantities are all to taste, I don’t measure, I usually use four 5-oz cans, 1-2 eggs, 1 apple, and as much of everything else to taste.
DO NOT ADD SALT tuna is canned with a TON of salt, is already waaaaaaaaaaaay too salty.
Mix with electric hand mixer to blend flavors and spices well throughout but it should still be chunky – the aunt’s mush sounds awful never heard of or seen that and don’t want to; you can still use an electric mixer just don’t overdo and have a clue when to stop, it works like a charm every time for me.
No celery seed or dill for me. I love my recipe as is.
Tabitha (A Penny Saved)
This is hysterical! Just yesterday, as I was spooning tuna salad onto my whole wheat toast, I was thinking what a great blog post this would make. You beat me to it! LOL
I am a traditional Southern gal and like my tuna salad with chopped egg, DILLLLL pickles, a tad of mustard, mayo, celery salt and onion powder. Save the sweet pickles for the chicken salad. 😉
Micha
Tuna, diced onion, and some mayo is my favorite way of making tuna salad. Preferably on toasted wheat bread.
P Reis
Oh my goodness my husband will NOT eat tuna. How did you get yours to finally capitulate? I’ve tried buying the expensive imported Italian stuff in olive oil and everything — no luck. Won’t touch it. No way no how.
Anyway I change up my tuna salad from time to time but usually it’s very simple: a touch of mayo, a touch of yellow mustard (about the only time I use plain yellow mustard), salt, pepper. That’s what I serve my daughter because she doesn’t like anything crunchy in hers. To mine I add celery or sweet bell peppers, whatever I have on hand, I horrified my mom with this because she will ONLY eat hers with celery and I think green onion. I believe in improvising and using what you have. 🙂 She also insists on serving hers with Lay’s potato chips but we don’t always have potato chips in the house. I do like something crunchy with my sandwiches though. If I have boiled eggs (like, er, leftover Easter eggs) I chop one or two and add them in.
Sometimes I take the tuna salad and make a tuna melt with whole grain bread and Swiss or havarti cheese. Mmm….
Kathy
Tuna melts = American cheese only
Jenny
Its always fun to read the “right” way to make these things. Growing up, the only way to make tuna salad was: chunk light, celery, sweet relish, mustard, miracle whip, on TOAST, not soft bread. These days, i use mayo instead of salad dressing, and a squirt of lemon juice instead of mustard. Will have to try the dill, it sounds delicious.
How about egg salad? Eggs, mayo, salt and pepper only. None of those silly extras : )
Amanda
@Jenny,
Agreed on the egg salad! And no grinding up the egg into some kind of yok=ey mess. ew. Give me proper chopped eggs, and avoid overkill on the mayo- just enough to help give the salt and pepper some stick, and the eggs to spread beautifully on my bread.
Deborah
I agree about the egg salad. No pickles in it, please?
Carrie from Denver Bargains
I like mine with hard-boiled egg and dill pickles (can’t stand sweet pickles anywhere!).
I LOVE the thought of sprouts on a tuna sandwich… Man, now I am craving it and we have no tuna. Thanks a lot, Jessica. 😉
Jessica
@Carrie from Denver Bargains, well, if it makes you feel better. All this talk gives me a huge craving for a pan bagnat — I’m off to the French bakery in a little bit. 🙂 http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pan-bagnat-recipe/index.html
Deborah
I agree about the dill pickles/dill relish in it, (no sweet if I make it), also add chopped boiled eggs( 1egg per can of tuna), mayo (Duke’s is best), grated CARROT, celery seed, black pepper, dried onion flakes, dash of yellow mustard, white albacore chunk tuna (add light tuna for better flavor). Mix enough to bind but not to be squishy (gross). Good on bread, toast, on bed of salad greens, or stuffed into a ripe tomato sliced into quarters or 6ths one third of the way down.
Lee Van
I like my tuna salad plain – just tuna and mayo.
My mother-in-law has a very interesting way to make tuna salad. She mixes tuna, mayo, cooked green beans, water chestnuts (for the crunch), a little curry powder – and here’s the best ingredient – French Fried onions (from the can). The french fried onions don’t stay crispy, but the flavor they add is great. The green beans are unusual, but they add a freshness to the salad.
JessieLeigh
Thor and I would love your recipe (well, minus the mayo for me), but I have a certain little 5yo who would pick out every tiny diced bit of celery. She must get that from her father. 😉
Jessica
@JessieLeigh, One of the FB didn’t like celery for awhile, so I always made it without and then added celery after I had portioned his part. There are ways to have your picky eater and eat the way you want.
But, C is sooooo not a picky eater that I think you can allow her this one little fault. 🙂
Anna
My husband and I had completely conflicting tuna salad recipes/tastes when we first got married. His Dad was in charge of the tuna and he used Solid Whi
Anna
@Anna, Sorry my toddler pressed enter mid-scentence- anyhoo- my husband’s side did solid white albacore, mayo, mustard, a hard boiled egg with a dash of paprika mashed into a paste. My side did chunk light, miracle whip and sweet relish sometimes fine diced celery. To be honest I don’t care for either and have been looking for a recipe that uses fresh herbs- I’m excited to give this one a try!
Jessica Grimes
we use any tuna style with mayo, mustard, sweet relish and hard boiled eggs! Love making it into tuna melts too!
My G-Ma always added diced apple as well. I would but Im usually a lazy slug 😀
Ellisa
1 can solid white or chunk light tuna in water, drained
1 kosher dill pickle, diced small
just enough mayo to blend together
Drain tuna and add to a bowl or container with a lid. Add diced pickle and mayo and stir together just until combined.
My MIL likes to add diced celery, boiled eggs, and occasionally diced onion to her tuna, and I can’t help but think this is why my husband refuses to eat tuna salad. The best tuna salad is a quick, simple tuna salad.
Jessica
@Ellisa, LOL! “I can’t help but think this is why my husband refuses to eat tuna salad.” How many husbands have been scarred?!
Stefanie
@Ellisa,
We also make ours like this. Salt and pepper to taste. Quick and simple!
amanda
i keep it pretty simple. i put either relish or celery in it and salt and pepper.
Dina
I often use mashed avacado and lemon or lime instead of mayo.
Anne
LOL! I love the herbs you use. I make mine different every time, depending on how I feel. I love dill, so that usually finds its way in there. Sometimes, I like to make a vinaigrette like version with lemon juice and olive oil. Delicious! I also like to make it with plain yogurt instead of mayo.
JessieLeigh
@Anne, I love this idea! Plain yogurt is genius… I have serious issues with mayo. 😉
Nancy Webb
I am not sure if this is perfect but it is what my friends and family like:
Mayo
Mustard (enough to give it a little tang)
Red Onions
Boiled Eggs
ONLY Albacore Tuna
Make about an hour before eating because you want to refrigerate and make sure it is cold.
Add a slice of American Cheese if you are making regular size sandwiches, but omit if you are making finger sandwiches because the cheese can become soggy if made too far in advance. It is also too hard to keep the sandwich together with the cheese on it.
Jesse
@Nancy Webb, when I want cheese I add shredded cheddar. It holds up to being in the goo very well.