Egg and pickle tuna salad is a creamy, crunchy deli style salad of flaked tuna, mayonnaise, diced celery, red onion, chopped pickles, fresh herbs, and two diced hard boiled eggs. It takes fifteen minutes with no cooking beyond boiling the eggs, and makes four servings for sandwiches, wraps, or a plate with crackers.
The pickles add tang, the celery adds crunch, and the eggs make the salad extra creamy and filling. Rinsing the drained tuna gives a cleaner, milder flavor, and a fine mesh sieve removes every bit of liquid so the salad stays thick. The recipe is easy to scale for a crowd or for a week of lunches.
Table of Contents
Why This Egg and Pickle Tuna Salad Recipe Works
Pickles and herbs add tang and freshness.
Hard boiled eggs make it creamy and filling.
It needs only a bowl and a fork.
What Goes into Egg and Pickle Tuna Salad
- The salad is two cans of tuna, half a cup of mayonnaise, one cup of diced celery, a quarter cup of diced red onion, and a quarter cup of diced pickles.
- The extras are two diced hard boiled eggs, two tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs, one teaspoon of salt, and half a teaspoon of black pepper.
Tuna. It is the protein base.
Mayonnaise. It binds the salad.
Celery and onion. They add crunch and bite.
Pickles. They add tang.
Eggs. They add creaminess and body.
How to Make Egg and Pickle Tuna Salad
1. Drain. Drain the tuna well in a fine mesh sieve, pressing out the liquid.
2. Rinse. Rinse the tuna briefly under cold water and shake off the excess for a milder flavor.
3. Flake. Flake the tuna into a large bowl with a fork.
4. Add the base. Stir in the mayonnaise, celery, red onion, salt, and pepper.
5. Fold in the extras. Gently fold in the pickles, herbs, and diced eggs, then chill before serving.
Drain the tuna thoroughly. Any liquid left in the can turns the salad watery after it sits, so press the tuna in a sieve until it feels dry. A short rinse removes extra salt and any strong fishy flavor, and a dry mix holds the mayonnaise better.
Chop the vegetables and eggs small and evenly so every bite has a mix of textures. Fold the mixture gently so the tuna keeps some texture and does not turn to paste. Always taste the salad before serving, then add salt, pepper, or a splash of pickle brine until the flavor suits you.
Storing Egg and Pickle Tuna Salad
Store the salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Keep it cold, and do not leave it out for more than two hours. Pack it with a cold pack for lunches. Do not freeze it, because the mayonnaise separates and the eggs turn rubbery.
How to Serve Egg and Pickle Tuna Salad
Serve the salad on toasted bread, in lettuce wraps, over greens, or with crackers. For more breads and sides, try homemade puffed pita bread, buttery yeast dinner rolls, soft white sandwich bread, or homemade crusty bread loaves.
Tips and Variations for Egg and Pickle Tuna Salad
Flag the allergens. This salad contains fish, egg, and may contain mustard and soy, so check every label on the tuna, mayonnaise, and pickles.
Keep it cold. Refrigerate the salad within two hours of mixing.
Cook the eggs fully. Boil them until the yolks are firm and cool them in ice water.
Choose tuna in water. It keeps the salad lighter.
Use dill pickles. They give a sharper tang.
Add mustard. A teaspoon deepens the flavor.
Chill before serving. The flavors blend.
Check trusted guidance. Read the FDA safe food handling guidance for safe handling of fish, eggs, and leftovers.
For a lighter salad, replace half of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt. A spoonful of capers, chopped olives, or a squeeze of lemon adds more brightness. Sweet relish can stand in for the diced pickles if you like a sweeter salad.
You can also make the salad without eggs for a simpler version, or add a diced apple for sweetness. Fresh dill, parsley, or chives all work as the herbs. For a crowd, double the recipe and serve it in a bowl with a spoon. It also tastes good the next day.
Questions About Egg and Pickle Tuna Salad
How do you keep egg and pickle tuna salad from being watery?
Drain the tuna very well and press out the liquid.
Can you make egg and pickle tuna salad ahead of time?
Yes. It keeps for three days.
Can you freeze egg and pickle tuna salad?
No. The mayonnaise separates.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise?
Yes, for part or all of it.
What pickles work well?
Dill pickles give the sharpest tang.
Egg and Pickle Tuna Salad
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Fine mesh sieve
- Fork
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 can tuna 5 ounce cans
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup celery diced
- ¼ cup red onion diced
- ¼ cup pickles diced
- 2 hard boiled eggs diced
- 2 tbsp fresh herbs chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
Cooking
- Drain. Drain the tuna well.
- Rinse. Rinse briefly under cold water.
- Flake. Flake the tuna into a bowl.
- Mix. Add the mayonnaise, celery, onion, salt, and pepper.
- Fold. Fold in the pickles, herbs, and eggs and chill.
