This simple tuna salad packs nostalgia in every bite.

Tuna salad in a wooden bowl, garnished with dill, served with baguette slices and celery.

When I was growing up, tuna salad was our family’s picnic staple. We didn’t need to wait for a special occasion or celebration to spread out a blanket or pull up to an old, weathered park table. Sometimes, the call of a bright, blue sky and a warm afternoon was enough. My parents would always pack a Frisbee and a deck of playing cards, along with that old, familiar standby: tuna salad.

Over the years, our picnics have evolved. Everyone’s a little older now, and we’ve added things like homemade coleslaw and avocado chicken salad to the mix. But tuna salad still makes a regular appearance, to this day. It’s a perfect blend of flavors and texture. You have crunch from the celery, tang from pickles, richness from the mayonnaise, and an extra boost of protein from the hard-boiled eggs. It’s nostalgia in sandwich form: One bite will send you on a trip down memory lane and make you feel like a kid all over again.

Ingredients for tuna salad: shredded tuna, eggs, mayonnaise, pickles, celery, green onion, salt, and pepper.

It’s all about the right texture

While some of this comes down to preference, I’ve found that making tuna salad is all about nailing the right texture. Some people prefer a chunkier consistency, which you can achieve by leaving the veggie pieces bigger or adding more hard-boiled eggs. Regardless, it’s important that you don’t overmix the tuna with the other ingredients. If you do, it can turn into a sort of paste that isn’t as pleasant to eat. You want some flaky fish to remain, so keep an eye on this as you prepare the salad.

Tuna salad in a wooden bowl, served with baguette, cucumber, and dill.

How do I store leftovers?

I store the tuna salad in an airtight container in the fridge. It should keep for 3-4 days. Don’t attempt to freeze it, as the texture will change for the worse when you thaw it back out.

Creamy tuna salad sandwiches on French bread baguettes, with a bowl of tuna salad.

Serving suggestions

There’s no right or wrong way to serve tuna salad. Some like it spooned over a bed of fresh lettuce or spread between two soft pieces of bread. Others prefer to warm it slightly and serve it on toast or on crackers. If you want to go the sandwich route, try making your own homemade Bread. You could elevate things even further with a homemade Sourdough Bread or Pretzel Bread.