Turn a can of albacore tuna into this bright and fresh Lemon Pepper Tuna. An easy, super tasty lunch or dinner choice.
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Most of the time in our house, lunch is a “fend for yourself” situation. But with recent events keeping most of us home, I feel inclined to keep the fridge stocked with some easy lunch stuff. We’ve been noshing on my Classic Chicken Salad and Salmon Salad Sandwiches and more than a couple of batches of this Lemon Pepper Tuna have made an appearance as well.
I don’t hesitate to add these simple sandwiches to my dinner menu either. Soup and sandwich night is a regular occurrence here. A pot of Broccoli Cheese Soup, Chicken Tortilla Soup, or Sweet Potato Coconut Curry Soup round out the menu perfectly.
Ingredient Notes
- Canned tuna: The most important element in creating tuna salad with great texture and flavor is starting with high quality, solid white albacore tuna in water. You do not want a lower quality variety, like chunk light tuna that is packed in oil, for a recipe like this. Solid white albacore is a bit pricier but SO worth the cost. You can pick up an 8-pack of Kirkland brand or Wild Planet Albacore Tuna at Costco for a good price.
- Mayonnaise: I like both olive oil mayo or avocado oil mayo for my tuna salad.
- Lemon Pepper Seasoning: The main ingredients in all brands of Lemon Pepper Seasoning are lemon zest and cracked black pepper. From there it can vary a bit but the bottle in my pantry, Lawry’s Lemon Pepper Blend, also contains salt, a bit of sugar, garlic and onion. It is a great choice for seafood, a variety of meats (most commonly poultry) and pasta dishes.
- Fresh lemon juice: Absolutely vital to help balance and brighten the flavor of tuna.
- Optional for serving: Sturdy sliced sandwich bread, avocados, tomatoes, green leaf lettuce, pickles.
Use any Brand of Tuna
You can easily make this recipe work with any brand of tuna, even if the weight is different. Just use the necessary number of cans to get as close to the 12 ounces (undrained) indicated in the recipe as possible. For instance, Kirkland brand comes in 7 ounce (undrained) cans so use two and add additional mayonnaise, if needed, to reach the desired consistency.
How to Make Lemon Pepper Tuna
- Drain the tuna well and place it in a large mixing bowl with mayonnaise.
- Add diced red onion and a couple of tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. Sprinkle in the Lemon Pepper Seasoning and mix well to combine.
Serving Suggstions
- Make it a sandwich: Layer the tuna on sturdy sandwich bread like sliced sourdough, thick-sliced white, or multigrain. Add your favorite toppings. For us, that means thick slices of tomato, lettuce, and either bread and butter pickles or spicy pickles.
- Stuffed avocado: For a delicious, nutritious lunch, add a scoop or two to a halved avocado and serve with sliced tomatoes on the side.
- Snack plate: Serve with sturdy crackers or pita chips and add cucumber slices or cherry tomatoes for a fresh, crunchy contrast.
Storage Tips
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. Because this recipe is made with mayo, it should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Give it a good stir before serving, and for the freshest taste, try to use it within 24 hours.
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Lemon Pepper Tuna
Ingredients
- 12 ounces solid white albacore in water, well drained (like Bumble Bee Wild Caught, Kirkland, or Wild Planet)
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise, plus additional as needed
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
For Sandwiches
- 8 slices sturdy sandwich bread, (like sourdough, thick-sliced, or multigrain)
- Optional toppings: sliced tomato, lettuce, pickles
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Add additional mayonnaise to reach desired texture, if needed.
- Layer the tuna salad on sturdy sandwich bread with your toppings of choice.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated using generic ingredients, and is an estimate not a guarantee. For more accurate results, please refer to the labels on your ingredients at home.
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Thank you, Valerie, for sharing this recipe. It’s a WONDERFUL “basic” recipe [VERY easy to toss together and a GREAT way to introduce kids to the marvels of Tuna (I always add more Mayo to theirs — my Grandchildren)], but it does have a “shelf-life” — meaning that it can get “boring” for us adults in a relatively short time. To “beat the boredom”, I like to add either a quartered or sliced Hard Boiled Egg or a Fruit (e.g., diced Apples or Pears, Raisins, Craisins, or some Berries of choice). A tsp. or 2 of Pickle Relish (sweet relish is my personal preference) or a finely chopped Pickle Spear (or 2) are yet other options. I put Garlic in pretty much EVERYTHING, so I suggest others might consider doing that, too (powdered Garlic works very well for this Tuna Salad). Other Herbs or Spices (fresh or dried) that can be considered include DILL, Basil, Cilantro, Cumin, Oregano and/or Tarragon. Thank you, again, Valerie, for starting us off. 🙂