Spicy Zesty Tuna Salad (Printable)

Vibrant tuna salad with spicy mayo, fresh lemon, and crisp scallions. Ready in 10 minutes. Pescatarian and dairy-free friendly.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 cans (5 oz each) tuna in water, drained

→ Vegetables & Aromatics

02 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
03 - 1 celery stalk, finely diced (optional)

→ Dressing

04 - 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
05 - 2 teaspoons Sriracha or hot sauce, adjusted to taste
06 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
07 - 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
08 - 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

10 - 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
11 - Lemon wedges

# Directions:

01 - In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Sriracha, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and well combined.
02 - Add the drained tuna, scallions, and celery to the bowl. Gently mix until the tuna is evenly coated with the dressing.
03 - Taste the mixture and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more lemon juice or hot sauce for desired flavor intensity.
04 - Serve immediately garnished with fresh herbs and lemon wedges, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to enhance flavors before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It takes less time than waiting for delivery and tastes about a thousand times better than anything sad and pre-made.
  • The spicy mayo clings to every flake of tuna, giving you that perfect balance of creamy heat in every forkful.
  • You can make it as mild or as fiery as your mood demands, which means it works whether youre feeding kids or impressing spice lovers.
  • Its one of those rare recipes that tastes even better after sitting in the fridge for a bit, making it ideal for meal prep or next-day lunches.
02 -
  • Drain the tuna completely and press it with a fork against the strainer, or your salad will be swimming in fishy liquid that no amount of mayo can fix.
  • If you add the Sriracha directly to the tuna without mixing it into the mayo first, youll get random pockets of fire instead of an even, pleasant heat.
  • Letting it chill for even fifteen minutes makes a noticeable difference, the flavors marry and mellow in a way that tastes more intentional.
03 -
  • Use good quality tuna if you can, the texture and flavor are noticeably better than the cheapest stuff on the shelf.
  • A microplane for zesting lemon directly over the bowl adds an aromatic boost that bottled juice just cant match.
  • If youre serving this to guests, plate it on a bed of greens with sliced radishes and cherry tomatoes, it transforms a humble tuna salad into something that looks like you put in real effort.
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