Equipment
Ingredients
Main
- 340 g solid white albacore tuna in water, canned
- 114 g mayonnaise
- 4 celery, peeled and finely chopped
- 3 hard-boiled egg, chopped
- 45 ml sweet pickles, chopped, with their juice
- 9 g onion, minced
- 6 g celery salt
- 5 ml season-all
- 1 ml tabasco sauce
- cracked pepper
- salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 504 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbohydrates
- 6 g
- Fat
- 37 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 1756 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 7 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 19 g
- Cholesterol
- 250 mg
- Potassium
- 506 mg
- Calcium
- 77 mg
- Iron
- 2.0 mg
- Magnesium
- 51 mg
- Phosphorus
- 357 mg
- Zinc
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 106 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 3.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.9 mg
- Vitamin K
- 89 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.9 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.35 mg
- Niacin
- 6.8 mg
- Folate
- 47 mcg
- Water
- 196 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Drain the water from the canned tuna. Place the tuna into a mixing bowl and break it into small pieces using a fork.
Add 60g (approximately 60ml) of mayonnaise to the tuna and mix until combined.
Stir in the chopped celery, hard-boiled eggs, sweet pickles with their juice, minced onion, celery salt, Season-All, and Tabasco.
Add the remaining mayonnaise and mix thoroughly. Add salt and cracked pepper to taste.
Chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
Chef's Notes
- For the best texture, drain the tuna very well. Pressing it gently in a fine-mesh sieve can remove excess water, preventing a watery salad.
- Don't over-mix the tuna salad once the mayonnaise is added, especially after incorporating the other ingredients. Overworking can break down the tuna and eggs too much, resulting in a mushy consistency.
- Taste and adjust seasonings before chilling. The flavors will meld and intensify as the salad rests, so a little extra salt or pepper now can make a big difference later.
- Consider adding a pinch of sugar to the salad if you find the pickles aren't sweet enough, or a squeeze of lemon juice for brightness.
- This tuna salad is excellent served on toasted bread, crackers, or stuffed into an avocado half for a lighter meal.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container.
Troubleshooting
Salad is too watery or thin
Cause: Tuna was not drained sufficiently or too much pickle juice was added.
Fix: Add an extra chopped hard-boiled egg or a small amount of additional drained tuna to absorb moisture.
Prevention: Press the tuna against the lid or a sieve to remove as much water as possible before mixing.
Cultural Context
Tuna salad is a beloved staple in American cuisine, evolving from simple canned fish preparations into a versatile dish. It gained popularity in the mid-20th century with the widespread availability of canned tuna and mayonnaise, becoming a go-to for sandwiches, picnics, and quick lunches.
