Homemade Tuna Celery Salad

Here is my favorite tuna celery salad recipe, with a creamy mayonnaise dressing, crisp celery, red onion, fresh parsley, and a bit of dijon mustard for tang.

This tuna salad is my go-to for quick lunches during the week. I always make extra so I can pack it in sandwiches or serve it over crackers for an easy snack. Nothing better than a protein-packed meal that takes just five minutes to throw together, right?

What Kind of Tuna Should I Use?

For this tuna celery salad, you can use either canned tuna in water or oil, depending on your preference. Albacore tuna (often labeled as “white tuna”) has a milder flavor and firmer texture, while chunk light tuna is more budget-friendly and has a slightly stronger taste. If you’re feeling fancy, you could even use a pouch of premium tuna or leftover grilled tuna steak, though canned works perfectly fine for a quick and easy salad. Just make sure to drain your tuna well before mixing it with the other ingredients so your salad doesn’t end up watery.

Options for Substitutions

This simple salad is easy to customize based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Tuna: You can use canned salmon, canned chicken, or even leftover cooked chicken breast as a substitute. The texture and flavor will be slightly different, but it’ll still make a great salad.
• Mayonnaise: If you’re looking for a lighter option, try Greek yogurt or a mix of half mayo and half Greek yogurt. You can also use avocado mayo for a different flavor profile.
• Celery: Don’t skip the celery if you can help it – it adds that signature crunch. But if you’re out, diced cucumber or bell pepper can work in a pinch.
• Red onion: Yellow onion, green onions, or shallots all work well here. If raw onion is too strong for you, soak the diced pieces in cold water for 10 minutes before adding them to the salad.
• Dijon mustard: Regular yellow mustard works fine, though you might want to use a bit less since it’s milder. Whole grain mustard is another good option.
• Parsley: Fresh dill, chives, or basil can replace parsley. Dried herbs work too – just use about 1 teaspoon instead of the fresh amount.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake people make with tuna salad is not draining the tuna well enough, which leaves you with a watery, runny mixture that won’t hold together on a sandwich – press the tuna firmly against the can lid or use paper towels to squeeze out extra moisture.

Another common error is adding all the mayo at once, so start with just 2-3 tablespoons and mix it in, then add more if needed since you can always add more but can’t take it away.

Don’t forget to chop your celery and onion into small, uniform pieces (about 1/4 inch) so you get a nice crunch in every bite without overwhelming chunks, and make sure to taste and adjust your salt and pepper at the end since the tuna and mustard already add some saltiness.

What to Serve With Tuna Celery Salad?

Tuna celery salad is perfect stuffed into a sandwich with lettuce and tomato on your favorite bread – I love using toasted whole wheat or a soft potato roll. You can also serve it over a bed of mixed greens for a lighter lunch, or scoop it onto crackers for an easy snack or appetizer. If you want to make it more filling, try stuffing the tuna salad into a halved avocado or hollowed-out tomato, which adds some extra creaminess and freshness. A side of potato chips, pickle spears, or fresh fruit like grapes or apple slices rounds out the meal nicely.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your tuna celery salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It actually tastes even better the next day once all the flavors have had time to mingle together, so it’s great for making ahead for lunches throughout the week.

Serve: This salad is best enjoyed cold straight from the fridge. Give it a quick stir before serving since the mayo might settle a bit. If it seems a little dry after a day or two, just mix in a tiny bit more mayo to freshen it up.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 450-520
• Protein: 45-52 g
• Fat: 28-35 g
• Carbohydrates: 4-6 g

Ingredients

• 10 oz tuna (I prefer Wild Planet for better texture and flavor)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I always use Hellmann’s)
• 1 celery stalk (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces for a consistent crunch)
• 2 tbsp red onion
• 2 tbsp parsley
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard (adds a nice tang and emulsifies the dressing)
• 1 tbsp capers, chopped (optional)
• salt
• pepper

Step 1: Prepare Your Ingredients

• 10 oz tuna
• 1 celery stalk, finely diced
• 2 tbsp red onion, minced
• 2 tbsp parsley, chopped
• 1 tbsp capers, chopped

Drain the tuna thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer, pressing gently with the back of a spoon to remove excess liquid and oil—this prevents a watery, separated salad.

While the tuna drains, finely dice the celery into 1/4-inch pieces for consistent texture, mince the red onion, chop the parsley, and if using capers, roughly chop them.

I like to keep my celery pieces uniform in size so every bite has the same pleasant crunch and no large woody pieces.

Step 2: Build the Dressing and Combine

• 1/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard
• drained tuna from Step 1
• prepared celery, onion, parsley, and capers from Step 1
• salt and pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard until well combined—the mustard not only adds a bright tang but also helps emulsify the dressing for a creamier texture.

Add the drained tuna and gently fold it in with a spatula, being careful not to break up the tuna too much and lose its desirable flaky texture.

Add the prepared celery, red onion, parsley, and capers, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste.

I always start with less salt since the tuna and capers already contribute some, then adjust at the end.

Step 3: Serve

Transfer the tuna celery salad to a bowl for serving, or use it as a sandwich filling between two slices of bread, or serve it over crisp lettuce for a lighter option.

The salad can be eaten immediately while the celery is at its crunchiest, or refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Homemade Tuna Celery Salad

Delicious Homemade Tuna Celery Salad recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 12 minutes mins

Servings 2 cups of salad

Calories 485 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 10 oz tuna (I prefer Wild Planet for better texture and flavor)
• 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I always use Hellmann's)
• 1 celery stalk (finely diced into 1/4-inch pieces for a consistent crunch)
• 2 tbsp red onion
• 2 tbsp parsley
• 1 tbsp dijon mustard (adds a nice tang and emulsifies the dressing)
• 1 tbsp capers, chopped (optional)
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

 

• Drain the tuna thoroughly in a fine-mesh strainer, pressing gently with the back of a spoon to remove excess liquid and oil—this prevents a watery, separated salad. While the tuna drains, finely dice the celery into 1/4-inch pieces for consistent texture, mince the red onion, chop the parsley, and if using capers, roughly chop them. I like to keep my celery pieces uniform in size so every bite has the same pleasant crunch and no large woody pieces.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and Dijon mustard until well combined—the mustard not only adds a bright tang but also helps emulsify the dressing for a creamier texture. Add the drained tuna and gently fold it in with a spatula, being careful not to break up the tuna too much and lose its desirable flaky texture. Add the prepared celery, red onion, parsley, and capers, then season with a pinch of salt and pepper to taste. I always start with less salt since the tuna and capers already contribute some, then adjust at the end.
• Transfer the tuna celery salad to a bowl for serving, or use it as a sandwich filling between two slices of bread, or serve it over crisp lettuce for a lighter option. The salad can be eaten immediately while the celery is at its crunchiest, or refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.