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International

Classic Tuna Salad

Non-vegetarian

Flaked canned tuna mixed with mayonnaise, crunchy celery, red onion, lemon and a little mustard — for sandwiches, wraps, crackers or lettuce cups.

Classic Tuna Salad is an International salad, ready in about 10 minutes and made with canned tuna and mayonnaise. It serves 3 and is rated beginner to cook.

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A close-up of a fresh tuna salad featuring lettuce and tomatoes in a white bowl on a dark surface.
Photo: Tuğba ÖZTÜRK / Pexels · Pexels License
Prep
10 min
Cook
0 min
Total
10 min
Serves
3
Level
Beginner
Calories
201

Ingredients

3 servings

Equipment

Method

  1. Step 1

    Drain the tuna well, pressing out the liquid, and flake it into a bowl with a fork.

    • 2 min

  2. Step 2

    Add the mayonnaise (opens in a new tab), lemon juice (opens in a new tab), mustard, salt and pepper (opens in a new tab) and mix until evenly coated.

    • 2 min

  3. Step 3

    Fold in the celery (opens in a new tab), red onion (opens in a new tab), pickles and parsley (opens in a new tab). Taste and adjust lemon or seasoning.

    • 3 min

About this dish

Origin
Not attributed to one place · Origin uncertainAn everyday home-cooking preparation made in many countries; it has no single documented origin.Also popular in United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia
Dish
Lunch · Snack · Salads · Sandwiches
Cooking method
No-cook
Taste
savoury, creamy, tangy, mild
Diet
Pescatarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein
All labelsPescatarian · Non-vegetarian · No gluten ingredients · Dairy-free · No nut ingredients · No added sugar · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Keto-style · Low-carb · High-protein · Calorie-conscious
With the listed swaps: Egg-freeWorked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Good for
Everyday · Budget-friendly · Portable / lunchbox · Make-ahead · Minimal cleanup
Cook more with
Canned tuna · Mayonnaise · Celery · Red onion · Lemon juice · Prepared mustard
Techniques
Pickling

Allergens

  • Contains, can be adapted: Eggsfrom mayonnaise
  • Contains: Fishfrom canned tuna
  • Contains: Mustardfrom mayonnaise, prepared mustard, dill pickles
  • Contains: Celeryfrom celery
  • May contain: Sulphitesfrom prepared mustard

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

201 kcal per serving

Calculated

1 serving ≈ 128 g · recipe makes 3

Where the energy comes from

  • Protein 32%
  • Carbohydrate 4%
  • Fat 65%
Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
NutrientPer servingPer 100 g*
Energy201 kcal157 kcal
Protein16 g12.5 g
Carbohydrate1.8 g1.4 g
Net carbohydrate1.3 g1 g
Sugars0.9 g0.7 g
Added sugars0 g0 g
Fibre0.4 g0.3 g
Fat14.6 g11.4 g
Saturated fat——
Trans fat0 g0 g
Cholesterol37 mg28 mg
Sodium539 mg420 mg
Salt equivalent1.3 g1 g
Vitamins & minerals per serving
Potassium
203 mg
Calcium
25 mg
Iron
1.4 mg
Magnesium
22 mg
Vitamin A (RAE)
20 µg
Vitamin C
3 mg
Vitamin D
1 µg
Vitamin B12
—
Folate (DFE)
—

How these numbers were made

  • Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
  • *Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
  • Optional ingredients are not included: dill pickles, parsley.
  • “—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
  • Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

  • Squeeze the tuna really dry so the salad doesn't turn watery in sandwiches.

Common mistakes

  • Over-mixing into a paste — fold gently so the tuna stays in flakes.

Serve with

  • In sandwiches or wraps, on crackers, in lettuce cups or stuffed into a baked potato.

Food safety

  • Keep mayonnaise-based salads chilled; discard if left out more than 2 hours.

Storage

  • Keeps covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added · Updated

Sauces, chutneys & dips for this dish

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

Grouped by each ingredient’s role in the dish. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Used in steps 1, 2, 3

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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