Nonny's Tuna Salad

(25)

This simple tuna salad recipe gets its great crunch from a combination of celery and apple. From Y'all Eat Yet? by Miranda Lambert with Holly Gleason. Copyright © 2023 by Miranda Lambert. Reprinted by permission of Dey Street Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.

a recipe photo of the Nonny's Tuna Salad served on bread
Credit: From Y'ALL EAT YET? by Miranda Lambert with Holly Gleason. Copyright © 2023 by Miranda Lambert. Reprinted by permission of Dey Street Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers.
Active Time:
20 mins
Total Time:
1 hr 20 mins
Servings:
6
  • The combination of celery and apple adds a great crunch to this tuna salad recipe.
  • Canned tuna is a lean protein and contains antioxidants, which help protect against cell damage.
  • Chill the tuna before using to enhance the overall flavor and decrease fishiness.

Nonny's Tuna Salad is Miranda Lambert's go-to for tuna salad, and it might become yours too. Equal parts crunchy, creamy, tangy and delicious, this hits all the flavor notes. Protein-packed tuna and eggs are joined by antioxidant-rich celery, apples and onions—we definitely can't complain about all the nutrition in this recipe. The creamy dressing is simply mayo, mustard, salt and pepper—it doesn't get more classic than that. Serve this with crackers, sliced veggies or between two pieces of whole grain bread. Keep reading for our expert tips, including some ideas for ingredient substitutions if you don't have everything on hand.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too! 

  • If you let the tuna chill before using it, it will be less fishy. Plus, it allows the added ingredients to meld, enhancing the overall flavor.
  • Consider using a tuna can strainer to remove the juice without losing any bits of fish. Alternatively, you can press down on the lid of the can and carefully tip it to pour out the juice.
  • We believe that onion adds great flavor, but if you're not a fan, you can omit it. One way to reduce the sharpness of onion is to soak it in red wine vinegar for about 15 minutes.
  • Feel free to customize this recipe by swapping ingredients to make it your own: carrot, cucumber, tomato, green beans, lettuce, grilled olives, hot peppers, fried onions, anchovies, parsley, oregano, thyme, fennel, dill, lemon vinaigrette or hot sauce.

Nutrition Notes

  • Tuna packed in water is an excellent source of lean protein and vitamin B-12. It also contains the antioxidant selenium, which can help protect against cell damage. Selenium has been shown to reduce the risk of prostate cancer and may also reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
  • Eggs are another source of protein in this recipe. Protein is present in both the white and the yolks, so keep those yolks in a recipe when you can. Once thought to raise blood cholesterol, eggs are in vogue again, because research has not been able to show that dietary cholesterol impacts blood cholesterol. Eggs are also an important source of choline in the diet—important for good brain health.
  • Celery doesn't get the attention it deserves. It is high in water, which also makes it extremely low in calories. Celery gives fiber, is a good source of vitamin K and contains antioxidants that can help reduce inflammation
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 6 servings

  • 4 5-ounce cans tuna packed in water (not oil), drained

  • 3 celery sticks, chopped

  • 1 apple, chopped

  • 1 cup chopped red onion

  • 2 hard-boiled large eggs, chopped

  • 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

  • ¾ cup mayonnaise

  • Spicy mustard (optional)

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

  1. Place 20 ounces tuna in a medium bowl and break into chunks with a fork. Add celery, apple, onion, eggs and 3 tablespoons pickle relish and mix well. Add ¾ cup mayonnaise, mustard to taste (if using), 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper; stir to combine.

  2. Cover and refrigerate tuna salad for 1 hour, then enjoy. It's always good with party crackers, celery sticks, or in a good old-fashioned tuna sandwich.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What if I only have oil-based tuna?

    You can still use it, but try to remove as much oil as possible. Place the tuna in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse it thoroughly under cold running water. After rinsing, press down on the tuna to extract as much moisture as you can.

  • How should I store tuna salad?

    Store the tuna salad in an airtight container in the coldest part of your refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. If you plan to pack sandwiches for a picnic or use the tuna salad as an appetizer, make sure to return it to the fridge or cooler within 2 hours if the temperature is below 90°F, or within 1 hour if it's 90°F or above. Regardless of the temperature, it is always safer to place the tuna salad back in the refrigerator as soon as possible.

  • What are the signs that my tuna salad has gone bad?

    It's important to always check the color, smell and consistency. Telltale signs it's time to toss it: The color is no longer pink but gray or brown, smells kind of like ammonia and is slimy. If you ignore these icky red flags and take a bite, you'll likely want to spit it out. If you don't, there may be stomach discomfort in 1 to 24 hours.

  • What should I serve with a tuna salad?

    For a tuna salad sandwich or lettuce wrap, consider pairing it with our Cucumber-Blueberry Spinach Salad or Massaged Kale Salad. You can also serve it alongside a pile of Roasted Fingerling Potatoes or Crispy Air-Fried French Fries. If you're offering it as an appetizer, simply provide a basket of sturdy crackers along with some raw vegetables or seasonal fruit.

EatingWell.com, April 2023

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

338 Calories
25g Fat
10g Carbs
19g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Serving Size about 2/3 cup
Calories 338
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 7g
Added Sugars 2g 4%
Protein 19g 38%
Total Fat 25g 32%
Saturated Fat 4g 20%
Cholesterol 102mg 34%
Vitamin A 319IU 6%
Vitamin C 4mg 4%
Vitamin D 69IU 17%
Vitamin E 2mg 13%
Folate 23mcg 6%
Vitamin K 60mcg 50%
Sodium 845mg 37%
Calcium 37mg 3%
Iron 1mg 6%
Magnesium 31mg 7%
Potassium 311mg 7%
Zinc 1mg 9%
Vitamin B12 1mcg 42%
Omega 3 2g

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

Additional reporting by
Linda Frahm
Linda Frahm has been a copy editor and fact checker working with food and nutrition content for the past 30-plus years for consumer print and online publications.