Spruced Up Tuna Salad Recipe

Tuna salad is a fan favorite along with chicken salad and potato salad. According to Smithsonian Magazine, the mixture for tuna salad (and other variations) came up by chance in the United States during the 19th century. When people didn't want to waste food, they mixed extra meat scraps with veggies and mayonnaise; canned tuna became popular, it became a staple in these salads. Now, people around the globe can't get enough of this refreshing dish.

Recipe developer Catherine Brookes came up with the spruced-up tuna salad that takes your average tuna salad to a whole new level. "I love how the flaky tuna, creamy mayo dressing, and crunchy veggies all come together in this tasty salad," Brookes raves. "It's perfect to enjoy for a quick and easy lunch in a sandwich or pita bread!" It truly is a complete meal thanks to the combination of tuna and crisp, fresh veggies.

There are only a few things that you will need to get to whip up this tasty dish. Pick up mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, canned tuna, a large cucumber, red onion, red pepper, a large carrot, and loosely packed parsley.

Once you have those items, you can get started on this spruced up tuna salad recipe.

You will first need to make up the dressing to flavor the tuna salad. Take out a large mixing bowl and add the mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and some salt and pepper to taste. Use a spoon to stir well and combine.

This dressing adds so much wonderful flavor to the tuna. "It's a fresh and savory with some creaminess and tanginess from the dressing," Brookes explains.

The next thing you will need to add to the mix is the star of the dish — your canned tuna. Pour it into the same bowl as the dressing and give it a few good stirs to combine everything together. You'll want to ensure each piece of tuna has a good coating of dressing.

Pro tip? "Make sure to drain the tuna completely, or you may have a slightly watery salad," Brookes suggests.

Last but not least, you will need to add in your veggies. This includes cucumber, red onion, red pepper, a large carrot, and loosely packed parsley. Remember that you should have diced and sliced these ahead of time, so all you need to do is mix to combine.

Now, the only thing left to do is dig in! The salad is excellent on its own, or it would make a great side to any main course. Brookes also provides a few of her go-to ways to serve this dish. "On top of lettuce leaves, toast/bread/pitta/garlic bread or with some rice or potato salad on the side," she shares.

You can also make this a little ahead of time. "Leftovers will keep up to 2 days covered in the fridge," Brookes notes.