Tuna Salad Sandwich

4.12 from 9 votes

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This is the best Tuna Salad Sandwich ever. Whoever thinks tuna sandwiches are gross has clearly never tried this delicious and easy recipe!

Tuna Salad Sandwich on a croissant

Tuna Salad Sandwich | On Croissants

Tuna Salad: Love it or hate it? I asked this question on social media the other day and was so surprised how many of you LOVE it! I definitely hated tuna salad growing up, but have turned over a new leaf and now love the stuff. Love it on bread, love it by itself, love with crackers. Just love it. And, it never gets old either! Lucky for me, my four (soon to be five!) family members love it just as much as I do!

This recipe really activates the ol’ taste buds with crunch from celery, green onions, and lettuce, combined with tuna and a sweet, vinegar splash from banana peppers! So delicious! If you like Tuna Salad you should also try my Amazing Chicken Salad Recipe (with Grapes). Both are great on a croissant!

If you happen to hate tuna salad, I apologize. {But you might want to consider trying my version just once to rule it out for sure! Just saying…}

If you love it, then enjoy it! It’s tasty stuff!

Main Ingredients Needed

I add in a lot of crunchy, vinegary ingredients because I love the bite vinegar gives, but you are welcome to adjust this tuna salad sandwich as you’d like! This is just a starting point; make it, taste, and adjust the ingredients as you like.

  • Tuna – It can’t be a tuna salad without tuna! 2 cans will do for this recipe. I usually buy mine packed in water instead of oil. Drain well!
  • Croissants – If you have never had a sandwich using a croissant, you’re missing out. Don’t worry, proceed to make this tasty recipe for your induction to croissant sandwiches. Buy store-bought or make homemade croissants.
  • Dill Pickles, Celery + Green Onions – These bring not only flavor to the base of the salad but also texture! The contrast in texture makes this recipe rise above the rest.
  • Real Mayonnaise – This is controversial but I PROMISE you if you use real mayonnaise this recipe will turn out right and good. Please, no miracle whip.
  • Salt + Pepper – these are always invited to the party, super important for flavor.

Toppings

These are the toppings that I like on my sandwich, but feel free to add whatever you like!

  • tomato
  • cucumber slices
  • lettuce
  • pickles
  • mild banana pepper rings

Variations

And here’s a whole bunch of ways to customize this recipe! Tuna salad is good with just about any sandwich topping so here we go:

  • avocado
  • hard boiled eggs
  • chickpeas
  • bell peppers
  • cucumber
  • black olives
  • nuts (pecans, almonds, cashews, etc.)
  • apples

How to Make a Tuna Salad Sandwich | Directions

This Tuna Salad Sandwich recipe comes together really quickly and is a great salad to have during the summer with fresh veggies from the garden! Here are the step-by-step directions. More details and measurements are found in the printable recipe card down below.

Step 1: Make Tuna Salad

Add tuna to a large bowl. Next chop up some onions, celery, and pickles. I like a big crunch to tuna ratio, so I go a little overboard but feel free to add less if desired.

Next up? The MAYO. A few important pointers: miracle whip is NOT mayonnaise and is forbidden in this recipe. Low-fat versions are also not permitted. Use the real, full fat, mighty tasty mayo. Sprinkle in good ol’ salt & pepper.

Now stir that baby up. And take a minute to enjoy. And cry. And savor the moment that is beautiful tuna salad. We’re almost done!

Step 2: Slice Croissants

Now take one of these beauties and give them a slice. I love croissants! {*if you want to ever elevate a sandwich/get people to like it- make it on a croissant. AMAZING.}

Step 3: Assemble Tuna Sandwich

Now, spoon on that yummy tuna. And lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumbers if you like.

Mild pepper rings. My darn older sister got me hooked on these. I visited her a few months ago in Idaho and we had some hefty burgers with these little buggers on top. Holy delicious batman. So, now I add them to everything. They add a nice pop and vinegary zing. They are optional, but you really should put them on your sandwich because I said so.

More Tuna Recipes to Try!

If this doesn’t convince you to make a tuna salad sandwich today, I don’t know what will! HEAVEN.

Printable recipe card is below! You’ll want to save the best tuna fish salad sandwich recipe!! Enjoy, friends! 🙂

tuna sandwich
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4.12 from 9 votes

Tuna Salad Sandwich

This is the best Tuna Salad Sandwich ever. Whoever thinks tuna sandwiches are gross has clearly never tried this delicious and easy recipe!
servings 4 sandwiches
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 14 ounces tuna packed in water drained well (2 cans)
  • 3 green onions sliced (white and green parts)
  • 1/4 cup dill pickles chopped
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • 1/3 cup real mayonnaise
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • 4 croissants

toppings-

  • tomato slices
  • cucumber slices
  • lettuce
  • pickles
  • mild pepper rings

Instructions

  • In a large bowl, combine the tuna with the onions, pickles, celery, mayo, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
  • Scoop onto croissants and top with any desired toppings. Serve cold.

Nutrition

Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 717mg | Potassium: 295mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 630IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2.9mg
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: American
Keyword: tuna salad, tuna salad sandwich

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Recipe Rating




97 Responses
  1. Dawn

    Ha! Probably.

    I just am bewildered by the necessity of taking fish – that you’ve just heaped mayonnaise into, as well as stuff like salt and onion, and then why so many feel the need to then throw in something sweet. What would possess someone to look at a great tuna recipe, like this one, for instance, and think that some fat raisins, sweet relish or chopped gherkins would be just the thing? Ew.

    And its tuna salad, not egg salad. I know I sound like a picky perfectionist (well…), but I just don’t get putting stuff in there that essentially covers up the taste of a great tuna sandwich. Enhancing the taste with celery, onions, thinly sliced firm and ripe tomato and a great mayo on incredible bread, sure. But, I even read where someone threw in some cranberries. Wha…?

    If you don’t like the taste of tuna, don’t eat it. Or eat a better quality than dark, stinky chunk tuna. Blech. But throwing in sweet pickles, cranberries and dumping Miracle Whip may make it a sandwich, but what kind I can’t say. Maybe if you slosh it around your tongue before swallowing, like wine, you’ll taste the tuna. ?

    1. Robert Ludgate

      Where are the damn quantities? How much tuna how much Mayo, I tend to go overboard on an onion and celery also, but I need a guideline you know how many how much chopped egg etcetera etcetera etcetera

  2. Dawn

    May I just say that I’ve always loved tuna. Even forked up from the can over lettuce in college when trying to lose a few lbs. So, doctoring it up like so many do with tons of other ingredients and spices never sat well with me.

    May I say that, Imho, anyone who puts sweet pickle relish, raisins or Miracle Whip into ANY sandwich, should be shot – no blindfold permitted. Other stuff, like lettuce, tomatoes, onions or celery, is understandable, and anything tastes amazing on a croissant.

    My favorite way to eat a tuna sandwich, purist that I am, is to start with a firm, white, solid, fancy albacore. I prefer in water, but oil is fine. Mix with either Hellmann’s or Duke’s mayo, chopped celery and, either a tiny bit of grated, minced onion, or a dash of onion powder – or none if you don’t have it. Add to a crunchy, but fresh round roll – you can’t seem to get these in the south, which seems to love all their bread soft, with the consistency of a hot dog roll, even their “Italian” bread – but are everywhere in the northeast. Top with a few thinly sliced cucumbers and fresh pepper, and voila! You actually know you’re eating tuna. You don’t have to hunt through eight other ingredients.

  3. Milton

    I like to make it with fresh off-the-cob sweet corn when they’re selling it off the pickup trucks that come to town along with a little coarse chopped vidalia onion, celery and jalapeno rings, a slice of a creamy cheese (not cream cheese!) toasted on ciabatta.

    For my kids I make it with celery, corn and peas to trick them into eating veggies.

  4. Joyce

    5 stars
    Hi Lauren!!

    Thank you for the recipe of “best tuna salad recipe” I am going to hand out to my tuna customers at Columbia City Farmers Market and see what they say.
    We sell albacore that is “troll” caught sustainable, low mercury, high fat and canned in Bellingham in BPA free cans.
    We will try this and let you know. Joyce

  5. Cindy

    Ever since I tried your Tuna Pasta Salad with Peas and Dill, (I make it all the time now) I add a little lemon juice and dill weed to my regular tuna salad and it really kicks it up a notch. Anything on a croissant really makes it special.

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  7. Michelle

    5 stars
    I love this recipe because it has so many different ingredients and textures so that it’s not just gooey tuna. I used cucumber instead of celery and put tiny bit of mustard in it. Soooooo good!

  8. Mary

    5 stars
    Oh my goodness!! What a delicious tuna sandwiche. I made this today for lunch, yummy!
    Lauren, thanks for the recipe. Beautiful blog by the way.

  9. art b

    Nothing like taking something that is reasonable good for you (Tuna) and turning into a “heart attack on a plate”.

  10. kcruzn2

    I have been putting chopped up “Dill” Pickles, chopped onions and celery salt in my tuna since I was 13 years old. I never realized it was an unusual thing to do 🙂

  11. David E.

    Since I became a bachelor 15 years ago, I have been trying various recipes for different foods. Some turn out pretty good, but the tuna sandwich recipes seem to be greatly overloaded with ingredients. Some of the stuff in these recipes I haven’t heard of or imagined to be in a tuna sandwich.

    Thank for your recipe for The Best Tuna Fish Sandwich. It has just the right amount of ingredients, and a new one for me, in the optional listing, mild pepper rings. I will have to give buy some of these this one a try in the next batch of tune sandwich mixing.

    As a bachelor, I don’t live on Hot Pockets, frozen pizza, and sandwiches, and try to vary what I eat to keep from getting bored, so the recipes in your “Some other recipes you might like” listing sound pretty inviting, so I will keep them on my list of new things to try.

    Thanks again for making food preparations more interesting.
    David E.

  12. Dale Bronski Cooper

    My recipe is: Can a tuna, 2 tbsp mayo, 2 tbsp mustard, tbsp salsa and generous helping of sweet dill rounds on toast. Super quick and delicious!

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  14. Susan

    5 stars
    You are the bomb diggity girl! Anyone that is not afraid to speak out against salad dressing is ok in my book but you took it a step further when you added not to use low fat mayo!! LOL Real Mayo is King!! If I eat a healthy sandwich I feel like I deserve some real mayo and how much to we really put on a bun, I mean really? Live a little people, slap some real mayo on it and enjoy! Thanks for sharing! Blessings, Susan

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  16. Jackie Self

    I do almost the same thing except I add chow chow instead of chopped pickles. Also the type of tuna you use is important. At Whole Foods they have their own brand of skip jack tuna which is suppose to be smaller fish and not so much if any mercury in them. Also imported italian tuna is great. After you taste them, you won’t go back to the popular brands, the taste is that much better.

  17. Georgia

    That tuna salad mix looks mighty tasty, I’ll have to try it next time I have tuna for lunch (read: tomorrow)

    Never heard of using a croissant as a sandwich base before! Is that an American thing or is this just one ignorant Brit? 😀 I bow to your wisdom of course, but I can’t help thinking the croissant would taste weirdly sweet with the tuna? Enlighten me! 😀

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  19. Aspirateur Industriel

    Sounds delicious recipe! Tuna Fish Salad Sandwich is my favorite meal. Your recipe some ingredients are different. I will try to make it in your method.

  20. The Dinner Belle for Kimberlybelle.com

    Love it! Tuna sandwich is my go to. I like to use sweet gherkins and sometimes a peppadew for a little kick. If you can get your hands or mouth on a pretzel croissant-it makes the best tuna sandwich with a little salt from the pretzel half of the baked deliciousness.

    The Dinner Belle for Kimberlybelle.com

  21. Katie

    5 stars
    I made this for my lunch tomorrow – totally delicious. My “recipe” before was just the tuna mixed with mayo and a little spicy brown mustard. The crunch in this was fantastic. My hubby had to make me put it in the fridge so I didn’t eat it all with a spoon!

  22. Jessica

    I love tuna sammies. . .and I totally agree sweet pickles are gross, in tuna or deviled eggs.
    I love adding chopped boiled eggs to my tuna salad, I go a little light on the onion and celery though.

  23. Jolene (www.everydayfoodie.ca)

    That seriously looks like the BEST tuna sandwich ever … and I am a HUGE tuna sandwich fan. I love that you use pickles and banana peppers. YUM. Also, my favourite line in this post:

    “Trust the Lauren.”

    Hehe, I like that. I trust you, and have just added croissants to our grocery list.

  24. Tracy

    WE are HUGE tuna salad fans in this house – our recipe is nearly similar. I never thought to use green onions. I’ll try that next time. (And, I do use reduced fat mayo, but that’s so I can eat more of it and not feel so bad….) 🙂

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