Tuna Salad

[Justine Cooper]

This sounds like such a silly question, but what is the trick to get tuna (or chicken) salad as good as a deli's? It seems so simple, but I must be missing something! Mine taste fishy and boring, unlike Joe's or Tina's, etc. Any advice?

[Charyn Compeau]

Justine,

Get some good quality tuna for starters - it is more expensive, but not so much to be a budget breaker and the difference in taste is quite noticable.

To that you can do about a zillion different things - but for a good basic start add real mayonaise, chopped celery, pepper and thyme.

For one can of tuna: about 1/4 of a stalk of celery, 1/8 tsp (big pinch) of thyme, pepper to taste (me little pinch - DH giant pinch ) mix it up and add mayo until it is wet as you like - about 1/4 cup

But feel free to add anything that you think you might like - walnuts, cheese, pimento, peppers, tomato, onion (one of my favorite adds!), hot peppers, hot sauce - etc.

Have fun!

Charyn

[Justine Cooper]

Thanks Charyn! I will try again. Maybe I am too light on the mayo but I really need to perfect this for my vegetarian son who eats hardly any veggies but will still eat fish! What tuna do you recommend and I am assuming in water. I just can't duplicate that deli taste! Pink or white? I hate pink, my son hates white. ha. I love cooking for five. Good thing my husband eats everything.

[Bryan Schwegler]

Justine,

Get some good quality tuna for starters - it is more expensive, but not so much to be a budget breaker and the difference in taste is quite noticable.

To that you can do about a zillion different things - but for a good basic start add real mayonaise, chopped celery, pepper and thyme.

For one can of tuna: about 1/4 of a stalk of celery, 1/8 tsp (big pinch) of thyme, pepper to taste (me little pinch - DH giant pinch ) mix it up and add mayo until it is wet as you like - about 1/4 cup

But feel free to add anything that you think you might like - walnuts, cheese, pimento, peppers, tomato, onion (one of my favorite adds!), hot peppers, hot sauce - etc.

Have fun!

Charyn

Charyn,
You are my hero. I tried your suggestion this morning and it was so much better than how I normally made it.

Thank you!

[Grace O'Malley]

The best tasting tuna salad is made with oil packed chunk light and thats what most restaurants use.

However, I refuse to eat that because of the fat and calories, so I use water packed chunk light.

I prefer sold white albacore for other uses, but for tuna salad, the chunk light is moister, has more intense tuna flavor, and is easier to mash.

I make mine with real mayo, finely chopped onion, and finely chopped pickle. If I have a hard boiled egg available, I add that. It really makes the salad rich and creamy. Add a small spoonful of the pickle juice, too.

Hmm..I better go make some now that I think about it.

[Charyn Compeau]

Justine -

I use white albacore tuna. I agree with Grace - oil packed does taste better, but if you are watching calories, or fats, it is a no-no.

Bryan - Ho-rayy! I am so glad you liked it!!

Grace - My two minute tuna recipe is 1 can tuna, 1 squirt of pickle relish, and a dash of onion powder! hehe hehe Yours sounds like a much more delicious variation on THAT theme. The egg sounds really interesting too - I've never tried that - but its sounds very.. yummmm

Charyn

[Justine Cooper]

Thanks to both. Maybe the trick is in the mashing!! I never use tuna in oil but I wondered if the Deli did. I will try the variations! My son does love hardboiled eggs in his tuna! He is so sick right now the only thing he asks for is tuna salad and potato salad!

[Grace O'Malley]

I'll tell you another way I make tuna salad that most kids seem to really like.
Keep an open mind.

Tuna, mayo, coarsely chopped pecans, and some raisins. Add as much of the pecan and raisin as you like.

Sounds sort of weird, but tastes very good. Can be eaten on bread as a sandwich or in a bowl with crackers or toast on the side. Its a nice change of pace from the more savory versions of tuna salad.

[Charyn Compeau]

ooo.... that reminds me of my favorite chicken salad - with pineapple and almonds....

mmm... better go eat now before I drool on my keyboard....



Charyn

[Justine Cooper]

And my favorite chicken salad with grapes and amonds! Yum. Good way to liven up tuna! The deli's probably taste better with the oil but I can't bring myself to do that. Fat does taste good, but adding some of those extras should do the trick!
What restaurants serve the healthiest take out in lakewood???

[Stan Austin]

Justine--- Pita Express, hands down! Stan
(Although I am waiting for the Soup shop to open)

[Justine Cooper]

Stan, I also LOVE Pita Express but was just thinking about trying something different yet healthy that the kids would eat too. They do love La Pita, but I have an undefined craving today and don't feel like cooking! Do hard to eat right when you are craving comfort!