Make this deli-style tuna salad to add to bread, a salad, or eat alone. It contains the perfect blend of chopped veggies, seasonings and mayo.
Recipe updated 10/28/2020
Since we are also in back to school season, I wanted to share a super quick and easy recipe for Deli Style Tuna Salad. For years, I worked in a popular deli and tuna salad was our top seller. Our customers would literally wait for us to whip up new batches because it was such a hit. 14 years ago our selling price was $6.99 per pound!
The beauty of making the best tuna salad is that everyone’s “best” is varied and different. Some people prefer to enjoy their tuna without mayo or dressing like Miracle Whip and others love to drown their tuna until it is creamy.
Over the years, I have mixed things up a great deal and will share two tuna salad variations that you might enjoy! Check them out below and be sure to print our recipe card.
Deli-Style Tuna Salad Ingredients
- Canned tuna fish (we prefer albacore in water)
- Mayonnaise (I love Hellman’s brand)
- Miracle Whip
- red onion
- celery
- onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black ground pepper
How to Make the Best Tuna Salad
If you love a chunky, but creamy tuna salad, this recipe is perfect for you! I love my tuna salad slightly sweet and that is exactly what the blend of both mayonnaise and Miracle Whip offers. You get a sweet tang from the Miracle Whip which is really delicious!
Open your tuna fish cans, and carefully drain the water, or excess oil out. I do like my chunk light tuna in oil because it offers more flavor to a blander, “fishier fish”.
However, for your drain’s sake I suggest draining the cans into a plastic shopping bag and discarding it in the trash. You should never pour oil down the drain because it ruins your pipes and can affect sewage and septic systems.
Once the tuna fish is drained add it to a medium glass bowl (we use glass to prevent odors from seeping in plastic absorbs strong food scents). Add mayonnaise and Miracle Whip on top of the tuna. Next, add in chopped veggies, and spices.
Using a large spoon or gloved hands, mix the tuna with the ingredients until it is fully incorporated.
Store tuna in an airtight (preferably glass) container. This will stay good for up to 4 days in the fridge when stored properly.
Ways to Eat Tuna Salad
We love enjoying our tuna salad on traditional white bread with some fancy lettuce. However, there are many ways to enjoy it! Check out some of my favorites below!
On top of a Greek or Garden Salad. This tuna salad pairs so well with feta cheese–yum! You might want to try this Cucumber Greek Salad.
Stuffed Peppers-Slice open sweet peppers, and fill with tuna salad. Add cheese over the top and bake for 5 minutes until cheese is melty. You can also make these Cucumber Cups.
Tuna melts with your favorite bread and cheese are also mighty tasty with this recipe. To make them, line toasted bread with tuna, tomato and your favorite cheese. Heat them on a buttered griddle or toast them for 3-5 minutes in a warm oven until cheese is melted.
Enjoy alone with a fork! This is so good by itself and fits into a low-carb diet.
Tuna Salad Recipes
Looking for more ways to enjoy canned tuna fish? We have some easy recipes you might want to try today!
Classic Tuna Pasta Salad with Peas
Tuna Melt Crostini Recipe
Deli Style Tuna Salad Recipe
Equipment
- medium bowl
- Fork
- can opener
- Cutting board
- knife
Ingredients
- 10 ounces canned tuna (2) 5-ounce cans, drained)
- 3 tbsps. mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp. Miracle Whip
- 2 tbsps. red onion chopped
- 2 tbsps. celery chopped
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- On a cutting board chop veggies into small chunks. You can cut them according to your preference. We prefer chunkier.
- Drain tuna cans *see notes for tips.
- Add drained tuna, mayonnaise, miracle whip, veggies, and spices to a medium bowl. Mix to combine.
- Add tuna to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I buy most of those products anyway, I’m glad my kids’ need for ice cream can help others. That tuna sandwich looks delicious.
That is such a wonderful idea! I love it when I see big companies doing something to make the world a better place.
That is an awesome program! Something you buy already and you donate as you do it! What a great way to feed families! I love it!
It’s great that there are organizations like Feeding America out there. We all need to do our part though.
Yum! I love Tuna Salad and this looks terrific. And I will definitely do my part to help.
I love programs like this. It kills me that there are so many hungry people out there! Oh and that tuna salad? YUMMY
tuna salad is an easy sandwich and filling. Always good to save and help.
You make my tuna look boring! I think I might make mine look like yours next time!
That’s a great campaign! I buy most of those products anyway, I’m glad our family’s groceries are helping others!
What an amazing campaign. I love when companies run campaigns like this. Too many families go hungry sadly.
Feeding America is a great organization. I am always happy to help fight hunger. This looks like a delicious sandwich.
I will have to get the ingredients I need to make this sandwich. I am always looking for new lunch ideas.
I’m getting hungry for a good tuna salad sandwich now. Yours looks so good and healthy with all the added vegetables. YUM!
In this century, it’s appalling to hear that kids go to bed hungry! As a society we should be ashamed of collective failure. I am so glad that organizations and people like yourself are making useful contributions!
Thank you! It is ashamed for sure. I am also appreciative that Feeding America is helping to make a difference.
I make my tuna salad with solid white tuna, sliced green onions and celery. For just a hint of sweetness I add sliced gherkins! Miracle whip is my topping of choice and salt and freshly ground black pepper. We like it on fresh whole wheat bread! Everyone raves about my tuna salad sandwiches and I think it’s the addition of the sweet gherkins that put it over the top!!
Sounds delicious too!