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Craving a quick and delicious lunch or dinner on the go? Look no further than this easy and customizable Tuna Salad For One! This single serving recipe transforms the classic, comforting dish into a hassle-free meal, perfect for those who want to enjoy tuna salad without the leftover headaches. This tuna salad is made with 1 can of tuna and a handful of simple ingredients you likely already have on hand.
Enjoy this flavorful tuna salad in a variety of ways! Create a classic sandwich with hearty bread slices, tortillas, a buttery croissant, or crusty French bread. Craving something lighter? Spoon it over a bed of fresh salad greens drizzled with a zesty vinaigrette. For a fun twist, scoop it up with crunchy tortilla chips. Feeling extra hungry? Pair it with a steaming bowl of curried carrot soup for a satisfying and complete meal.
Why You’ll Love This Tuna Salad Recipe
- Simplicity: Easy to prepare with common pantry ingredients, making it perfect for a quick meal.
- Versatility: Whether in a sandwich or on a bed of greens, this tuna salad can be served in countless ways.
- Nutrition: Loaded with protein and omega-3 fatty acids, it’s a healthy option that doesn’t sacrifice taste.
- Customizable: You can adjust the flavors to suit your preferences, adding or omitting ingredients as you wish.
Check out our other Single Serving Salad ideas!
Ingredients And Substitutions
If you have any ingredients leftover from this single serve tuna salad recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Tuna: Water-packed tuna is leaner, but oil-packed tuna can add richness.
- Mayonnaise: Substitute with yogurt for a lighter version.
- Celery: Adds crunch, but can be replaced with other crunchy vegetables like bell peppers.
- Pickle Relish: Can be substituted with chopped pickles or omitted as per preference.
- Olive Oil: Adds smoothness but can be substituted with any neutral oil.
Tuna Salad Add-Ins
The joy of a classic tuna salad lies in its flexibility. It’s a recipe that welcomes creativity, allowing you to tweak it to your heart’s content. Whether you’re looking to add a little extra crunch, a burst of flavor, or even some more nutritional value, here are some delicious add-ins to consider:
- Chopped Nuts: Almonds or walnuts can bring an unexpected but pleasant crunch to the salad.
- Fresh Herbs: A sprinkle of dill, parsley, or chives will elevate the flavors and add a touch of freshness.
- Fruits: Adding in chopped apples, grapes, or a dash of lemon juice can introduce a sweet and tangy twist.
- Vegetables: Diced bell peppers, cucumbers, or even avocado can add texture and a nutritious boost.
- Spices: If you’re a fan of heat, consider a dash of cayenne, chopped jalapeños, hot sauce, or a sprinkle of chili flakes.
- Mediterranean Twist: Include olives, feta, and lemon juice.
These add-ins not only provide additional flavors and textures but also allow you to personalize your tuna salad, making it as unique as you are! Experiment and find the combinations that you love the most.
How To Make Tuna Salad
- Drain the Tuna: Open the can of tuna using a can opener. Hold the can over the sink, and while leaving the lid in place, gently press down and tilt the can to drain out the water. Once drained, remove the lid and transfer the tuna into a medium-sized bowl.
- Combine Ingredients: Add mayonnaise, celery, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and pickle relish to the bowl with the tuna. Use a fork or a spoon to mix everything together, breaking up any large chunks of tuna as you stir. Taste the mixture and adjust the seasoning with additional mayonnaise or salt if needed.
Expert Tips
- Draining Tuna: Ensure the tuna is well-drained to prevent a soggy salad.
- Chilling: Refrigerate the salad for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serving: Serve chilled or at room temperature, as desired.
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Absolutely! Customize as you like.
A tuna melt is a delightful twist on a grilled cheese sandwich, incorporating the rich flavors of tuna salad. It’s comfort food at its best, and here’s how you can make one:
Prep the Bread: Butter one side of two slices of bread.
Heat the Skillet: Place a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat.
Start Cooking: Place the buttered side of one slice of bread in the skillet.
Layer the Sandwich:
First, place a slice of cheese on top of the bread in the skillet. American or Cheddar works well.
Next, add a generous scoop of your prepared tuna salad.
Place another slice of cheese on top of the tuna.
Finally, top with the second piece of bread, buttered side facing up.
Cook the Sandwich: Allow the bottom bread to brown, then use a spatula to flip the sandwich over. Cook the other side until it’s browned, and the cheese has melted.
The result is an incredibly delicious tuna melt, crispy on the outside with a gooey cheese and savory tuna salad center. This recipe takes the tuna salad to the next level and is perfect for a quick lunch or indulgent snack. Enjoy!
RELATED: Easy Dinner Ideas For One
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
RELATED: 20 Single Serving Meatless Meals
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If you’ve tried this tuna salad made with 1 can of tuna or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Tuna Salad For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (5-ounce can) water-packed tuna fish , drained
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 stalk celery , diced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon pickle relish (optional)
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl, break up the tuna with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, celery, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and relish if using and stir to combine.
- Taste and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately or cover and chill until serving.
Notes
- Draining Tuna: Ensure the tuna is well-drained to prevent a soggy salad.
- Chilling: Refrigerate the salad for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- Serving: Serve chilled or at room temperature, as desired.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
By the time I get through adding any extra things in, like olives, eggs, etc — I can end up with enough mixture for a couple of sandwiches and/or salads for the next day or two…
Tuna, easy on the Mayo as I like it more dry than wet..chopped celery LEAVES, sprinkle of garlic pepper, smal squeeze of Dijon n a nice blob of prepared horseradish. That’s MY basic recipe. I’ve added choppped apple, chopped nuts, dried cranberries, chopped grapes. But always start with the root recipe
This was very good, but the best tuna salad I ever had was made with chopped olives instead of pickle relish. So good!
not as good as expected, but not terrible, i used sourdough
it would definitely taste good with chonks of hard boiled eggs, paprika, and if you let the salad rest in the fridge and chill
i didn’t add any veggies so it didn’t taste as fresh but still tasty
maybe it’s the texture of tuna that does it for me
‘,-‘,
I make a similar recipe without the mayo, add red onion, grape tomatoes cut in half, cucumber, celery, mashed avocado, and use low sodium tuna. I do not add any extra salt but do add Mrs. DASH Italian seasoning and serve either over romaine lettuce or 1/2 cup gluten free noodles.
This sounds wonderful, Lori.
This is similar to my standby tuna recipe but if I am having the girls by, I love to add chopped Gala apple and pecans (any sweeter apple is ok). So wonderful and the savory with the sweet is a hit every time. I always buy chunk tuna in water and add my own olive oil so I can control the type and amount of oil. Chunk has so much more flavor than albacore, etc. great protein and a quick yummy meal.
My favourite add in is finely chopped celery.
Oh wow! This is amazing! I had two cans of tuna, so I played around with it this evening.
One version per the recipe (divine and crunchy)
Second one: greek yogurt, tsp of dijon mustard, added sliced almonds, minced sweet pickle, and THEN
I made the tuna melt on rye!
I LOVE THIS RECIPE! I had forgotten how good tuna is on crackers as well. Thanks for posting and for all the suggestions for options! I’m pleasantly overstuffed…in a healthy way, of course!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the tuna recipe, Wendy and I love your version with the add-ins!
diced boiled eggs are good too.
I actually just made tuna salad very similar to this earlier this week. I put everything listed in this recipe along with some chopped apple. I always put some apple in my tuna because it takes away any fishy taste that the tuna might have.
Or add canned mandarins, rinse, or fresh orange sections cut in half along with celery & onions. Yum
I enjoyed all your recipes. From one of your fans LL
Thank you so much!