Southern Style Tuna Salad

Taking a classic tuna salad and adding a southern twist. Its sweet and crunchy with a little kick from mustard and black pepper.

So why do I call this version of tuna salad “Southern Style? Let’s start with how I make my regular tuna salad. I normally just add mayo and sweet relish. Then after spending a lot of time with my aunt growing up and as an adult, I started occasionally adding chopped boiled egg to my tuna salad because she always added boiled egg to her tuna salad.

Then one day I wanted tuna salad, but I wanted to “doctor it up” more than I normally do.  So, I thought about what I might want to add to my regular tuna salad. I thought about what I like about southern style mustard potato salad. So, I used some of those same ingredients in my tuna salad like diced celery, for onions I used chopped green onions, a squirt of yellow mustard, and some salt and pepper. I also added some diced boiled egg like my aunt would do, and mayo and sweet relish like I normally add, and that’s when I had my Southern Style Tuna Salad.

Tuna salad is an inexpensive lunch to make. I bought the tuna and eggs on sale. I already had the other ingredients on hand. With a well stocked fridge and pantry, it is easy to make an inexpensive meal.

I love this recipe, and I am getting hungry just writing about it. So let’s start making it!

Tips:

• For a quick short cut, I cook my egg in the microwave in a small microwave safe dish or bowl.

• I think with any tuna salad, it is best when very well blended. It tastes better and has a better texture.

• The green onions should be minced and the celery should be a fine dice. A smaller dice than you might do when making potato salad. This helps give a smoother texture to the tuna salad.

• Before adding the other ingredients, I drain the tuna and shred it with a fork.

• I cut my green onions with my kitchen scissors. Scissors work so much better cutting the green onions than using a knife.

Ingredients:

Tuna: I use reduced sodium chunk light tuna. I like the texture of the salad better when I use chunk light tuna packed in water. Drain the tuna prior to making the salad, and shred the chunks.

Mayo: Use your favorite

Sweet relish: Use whatever brand that you prefer. It adds to the sweetness of the tuna salad

Boiled egg: Use a hard boiled egg, finely diced 

Yellow mustard: Just a small squirt to add just a hint of tanginess

Green onion: Cut with scissors, and then run a knife through it to have a minced texture. Red onion can be substituted

Celery: Use one stalk finely diced

Salt and pepper: Too your taste preference

Sugar: Just a pinch (optional). It adds to the sweetness like adding sugar to macaroni salad does.

Instructions:

1. Drain the tuna and press out any extra liquid. 

2. Using a fork, shred the chunks of tuna which helps give a smoother texture when mixing the ingredients

3. Add 2 tbsp of mayo, the diced hard boiled egg, 1 tbsp sweet relish (or more if you prefer), 1 tbsp diced celery, 1 tbsp minced green onion, ½ t yellow mustard, and salt and pepper too taste

4. Add a pinch of sugar, which is optional

5. Thoroughly mix ingredients to a smooth texture (add more mayo if needed to get the right texture)

6. Taste test and adjust as needed. Add more sweet relish, salt, or  pepper as needed.

7. If not, serving immediately cover and refrigerate

8. When ready to serve, transfer to serving dish or bowl and serve.

Serving suggestions:

• Serve on toast by itself, or with lettuce and tomato

• Serve on a croissant 

• Serve with crackers

• Serve on a bed of lettuce

Recipe 

Ingredients:

1 can tuna chunk light tuna

2 tbsp Mayo

1 hard boiled egg, diced

1 tbsp sweet relish 

½ t yellow mustard 

1 tbsp minced green onion 

1 tbsp chopped celery 

Salt to taste 

Pepper to taste 

Pinch of sugar (optional)

Directions:

1. Drain the tuna and press out any extra liquid. 

2. Using a fork, shred the chunks of tuna 

3. Add mayo, hard boiled egg, sweet relish, celery, green onion,  yellow mustard, and salt and pepper 

4. Add a pinch of sugar (optional)

5. Thoroughly mix ingredients to a smooth texture 

6. Taste test and adjust as needed. Add more Mayo,  sweet relish, salt, or  pepper as needed.

7. If not, serving immediately cover and refrigerate

8. When ready to serve, transfer to serving dish or bowl and serve.

Notes:

• Keep leftovers refrigerated in covered container for no more than two days.

• When using leftovers, you will probably have to stir the tuna salad before serving.

Conclusion:

I hope you enjoy my version of Southern style tuna salad. Feel free to make it your own with different or additional ingredients.

This blog was brought to you by Lisa Ward, the Cowtown, Deal, Hunter, born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, where I live today with my kids. Bye y’all!