Secret to Good Tuna Salad

Whenever I make tuna salad, I’m always a little disappointed. I imagine it’ll be as delicious as the last time I ordered it at my favorite deli and then it’s not — even when I go to what I consider great lengths and slice and dice celery or onions or some other accoutrements to make it fancy. Today’s recipe was an aha moment for me, or at least a “duh” moment. It’s what’s been missing from my tuna concoctions all these years.

Lemons! Since I started trying to teach myself to cook in earnest, I swear it’s almost always the je ne sais quoi in every dish. Of course lemon juice would make tuna taste better. It’s fish for god’s sake. And yes, I know that all of you more natural cooks out there — Funs, Organic Freedoms, and Smart Freedoms — are probably chuckling at my discovery.

Today’s recipes are from Good Housekeeping and not only do they offer some basics, they have some tweaks to keep Funs interested and to push some of the more routine focused personality types out of potential lunch ruts, ahem Classics, Organic Structures and Smart Structures.

I was going to feature a peanut butter and apple sandwich but then realized that at this point almost all schools don’t allow peanut butter anymore. (Actually this night be true at all schools — at Katie’s kids’ school they just have a peanut butter free table…) I wonder what’ll happen in 20 years in the workplace, will office kitchens be nutfree too? I can’t wait until scientists figure out why it seems that so many kids these days have to suffer through food allergies versus when I was little when I didn’t know a soul allergic to anything but penicillin. Here’s that PB & Apple recipe if you’re not under allergy lockdown. Yet I digress. On to TUNA!

Delicious Tuna Salad Recipes

Best Tuna

  • 1 can(s) (6 ounces) chunk-light tuna packed in water, drained
  • 1/4 cup(s) celery , chopped
  • 3 tablespoon(s) light mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoon(s) fresh lemon juice
  •   Baguette or other favorite bread

Mediterranean Tuna

  • 2 tablespoon(s) capers, chopped
  • 1/4 teaspoon(s) freshly grated lemon peel

Curried Tuna

  • 1/2 cup(s) Granny Smith apple, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon(s) curry powder

Southwestern Tuna

  • 2 tablespoon(s) chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 1  pickled jalapeño chile, finely chopped

 

Directions

In small bowl, with fork, combine all ingredients except baguette. Cover and refrigerate if not serving right away. Serve on a baguette, if you like.

Mediterranean Tuna: Prepare Best Tuna Salad as above. Stir in 2 tablespoons capers, chopped, and 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel. Serve on Italian bread, if you like.

Curried Tuna: Prepare Best Tuna Salad as above. Stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped Granny Smith apple and 1 teaspoon curry powder. Serve on raisin-walnut or sourdough bread, if you like.

Southwestern Tuna: Prepare Best Tuna Salad as above. Stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves and 1 pickled jalapeño chile, finely chopped. Serve rolled up in warm flour tortillas, if you like.