This Magic Everything Tuna Salad has a little bit of everything in it – tuna, sardines (you won’t notice them, promise!), cranberries, nuts, celery, and more! It’s the best tuna salad I’ve ever had and, if you like your tuna salad chunky and full of flavor, you’ll love it too!
This ain’t your mama’s tuna fish salad!
I actually created Magic Everything Tuna Salad in an effort to get more sardines into our diet without anyone noticing. I know, I know – sardines. Just hear me out…
Sardines are a great source of omega 3’s, but the “traditional” variety is also a good source of calcium since it has the bones in it (they’re soft, so totally not noticeable when everything mixes together).
So I knew at the outset I needed something with enough flavor and texture to hide the strong flavor of the sardines. I also knew a fun name would help things. ๐
And it worked! Even the family member who usually politely declines tuna fish had to admit it was great, and may have even eaten more than the rest of us.
Why You’ll Love Magic Everything Tuna Salad
This salad is chunky, irresistible, and will disappear like magic. I know you and your crew will love it too becuase it’s:
- Healthy – With protein, omega 3’s and other healthy fats, fiber, and calcium
- Fast + Easy – Just stir everything together and serve! And it makes s LOT, so it’ll last you a few days….probably ๐
- Versatile – It plays nice with all the lunch staples – salads, sandwiches, crackers…and you can swap out the veggies, nuts, and Everything But the Bagel seasoning for whatever others sound good to you!
- Tastes so, so good – The flavor and texture is tuna salad perfection! Savory + a touch of sweet, smooth + a little crunch, not too wet + not too dry.
How to Make Magic Everything Tuna Salad, Step by Step
This recipe is so easy, there really aren’t official steps, but here’s what it looks like for those who like the break down.
First, drain the canned tuna and sardines and mash them into small, uniform pieces with a fork. Then add all the other ingredients and stir. Serve with crackers, over salad, or on a sandwich…then sit back and watch it disappear!
Tips for Making Magic Everything Tuna Salad
- While the flavor and texture combo listed is my absolute favorite, you can sub any variety of chopped veggies, nuts/seeds, and herb blend you like best.
- Other additions that might be great: chopped boiled eggs, chickpeas, cooked quinoa, and diced apples. Be sure to add a little extra mayo, Dijon, and seasoning too to keep the flavor and texture on point!
- I like the Everything But The Bagel Seasoning from Trader Joe’s but other brands make similar products, or you can find DIY recipes for it online.
- If you’re worried about the sardine flavor coming through, replace half the sardines with tuna at first, then gradually work up to more each time you make it.
- This recipe makes between 5-6 cups – if you’re just making it for 1-2 people and don’t want leftovers, you may want to cut the recipe in half.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to a week….but they never last that long at my house!
Magic Everything Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cans wild caught tuna (5 oz each)
- 2 cans wild caught sardines with bones (3.75 oz each)
- 2/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
- 1 cup avocado oil mayo
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 Tbsp Everything But the Bagel Seasoning (from Trader Joe's, or Google a homemade version)
- Extra salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Drain the tuna and sardines, then mash them in a large mixing bowl with a fork to create small, uniform pieces.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Serve over salad, with crackers, or on a sandwich.
Notes
- While the flavor and texture combo listed is my absolute favorite, you can sub any variety of chopped veggies, nuts/seeds, and herb blend you like best.
- Other additions that might be great: chopped boiled eggs, chickpeas, cooked quinoa, and diced apples. Be sure to add a little extra mayo, Dijon, and seasoning too to keep the flavor and texture on point!
- I like the Everything But The Bagel Seasoning from Trader Joe's but other brands make similar products, or you can find DIY recipes for it online.
- If you're worried about the sardine flavor coming through, replace half the sardines with tuna at first, then gradually work up to more each time you make it.
- This recipe makes between 5-6 cups - if you're just making it for 1-2 people and don't want leftovers, you may want to cut the recipe in half.
- Leftovers can be stored covered in the fridge for up to a week....but they never last that long at my house!ย
I love sardines but never made it into a salad. This one with cranberries and almonds sounds interesting and new.
Definitely a fun combo – hope you love it, Lathiya!
This looks and feels so so good. Creamy, perfect and delicious!
Thanks, Sophie!
Such a great tuna salad. Love the addition of cranberries to this. It adds just a pop of sweetness. So tasty.
Thanks, Julie!
This is a perfect recipe now to use up all the ingredients in our fridge and pantry! Looks delicious!
I agree – you can stir in just about anything you want and it’ll taste great! ๐
What a great combo of flavours! My husband loved this when I made it for him for lunch yesterday. Thanks for the recipe!
You’re welcome – so glad he liked it! ๐
Yum! This is such an easy dish to make, and it sounds and looks delicious!
Thanks, Sondra.
This is such a winner recipe to me, I love tuna salad and you give me a better idea of what to eat today, so thank you for sharing this recipe.
Glad you like it Amy!
I love sardines, I would never think to put them in a tuna salad, but it makes so much sense! It creates a real depth of flavour, and I love the crunch and texture that the celery and nuts provide.
Thanks Jaqui for the comment. Sardines really do have a tasty side to them that largely goes ignored these days.
I love that you added sardines into this tuna salad! Such a good way to get some more omega-3s!
Absolutely Alena! Sardines have gotten a bad wrap in the US!
Such a winning recipe this is and with all that tasty flavors and extra crunch – this is certainly the best chunky tuna salad!
Glad you like it Gail!