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Easy Canned Tuna Recipes for Quick, Tasty Meals

Classic Quick Tuna Salad

A creamy, crunchy canned tuna salad made with fresh lemon, Dijon mustard, celery, and red onion. Serve it in sandwiches, lettuce cups, on crackers, or over salad greens.
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients
  

Tuna Salad
  • 2 5-ounce cans Tuna, preferably packed in water, drained
  • 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
  • 1 stalk Celery, finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons Red onion, finely diced
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh parsley, chopped, optional
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/4 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon Black pepper

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Drain the tuna thoroughly, then flake it into a mixing bowl with a fork.
  2. Add the mayonnaise, celery, red onion, optional parsley, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and black pepper. Stir gently until combined while leaving some texture in the tuna.
  3. Taste the tuna salad and adjust the seasoning, lemon juice, or mayonnaise as needed. Serve immediately, or chill for 15–30 minutes when possible.

Notes

Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a covered container for up to 3 days. Do not leave tuna salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours. For a tuna melt, use one batch of tuna salad, 4 slices sandwich bread, 2–4 slices cheddar, Swiss, or provolone, and 1 tablespoon butter; cook over medium-low heat for about 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and melted.