Southern Tuna Salad Recipe (Old-Fashioned, with Egg)

Make this Southern Tuna Salad Recipe for a light lunch, dinner, or filling side dish to pair with a meal. It's a classic recipe that only requires a few basic ingredients. Creamy, flavorful, and delicious!

Updated July 23, 2026: I've refreshed this post with new tips, expanded FAQs, and helpful make-ahead instructions based on your questions and feedback. Same delicious recipe, even more helpful! Originally posted on January 4, 2023, and photos updated on July 25, 2024.

Watch this quick video tutorial!

Tuna salad is one of those recipes that takes me straight back to my mom's kitchen. She always made hers with hard-boiled eggs grated right in and a spoonful of sweet pickle relish, served up with saltine crackers on the side. That's the version I grew up on here in Northwest Florida, and it's the version I still make today. Creamy, a little sweet, and made with no celery, just like so many Southern families make it.

I've been cooking and sharing Southern comfort food since 2013, and this old-fashioned tuna salad recipe is one my family asks for on repeat. I've tested it with different mayos, different relishes, and different ways of prepping the eggs, so every tip below comes from batches made right in my own kitchen.

If you've got 15 minutes and a can of tuna, you've got lunch handled. Let's get started!

Why You'll Love This Southern Tuna Salad

• Ready in 15 minutes - There's no cooking beyond boiling the eggs, so it comes together fast enough for a weekday lunch.
• Old-fashioned Southern flavor - Grated hard-boiled eggs and sweet pickle relish give it that classic soul food taste, no celery needed.
• Budget-friendly - Canned tuna and pantry staples make this one of the most affordable meals you can put on the table.
• Endlessly versatile - Pile it on sandwich bread, scoop it over lettuce, or serve it with crackers straight from the bowl.

Ingredients You'll Need

Here's everything you'll need to make this recipe.

1. Tuna - Any variety or brand you prefer will work, including light tuna. I usually go with wild white tuna canned in water because it flakes clean and doesn't taste too fishy. Drain it well, extra water is the fastest way to a runny tuna salad.
2. Hard-Boiled Eggs - The eggs are what make this tuna salad Southern. They add bulk, protein, and that old-fashioned texture. Grating them on a box grater is my mom's trick, and it blends them through the salad so every bite is creamy.
3. Mayonnaise - This binds everything together. I love using Duke's Mayonnaise because it's tangy without being sweet, but Blue Plate and Hellmann's are also solid Southern picks. Miracle Whip works if that's what your family grew up on, just know it makes the salad sweeter.
4. Sweet Pickle Relish - The tart-sweet flavor is a classic touch in any Southern-style tuna recipe. If you prefer a tangier salad, dill relish or chopped dill pickles work too. I break down the sweet vs. dill question in the FAQ below.
5. Fresh Parsley - A small handful of chopped parsley brightens up the whole bowl.
6. Salt and Ground Black Pepper - Season to taste. Canned tuna already carries some sodium, so start light and adjust.

👉🏾 See the recipe card below for exact quantities and full instructions.

How to Make Southern Tuna Salad

Here's a quick overview of the process. Full step-by-step instructions are in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Boil and Grate the Eggs

Start your eggs in cold water so the shells release cleanly, then grate the peeled eggs on the large holes of a box grater straight into your mixing bowl. Grating (instead of chopping) is the old-fashioned way. It distributes the egg evenly so the salad turns out creamy instead of chunky.

Step 2: Drain the Tuna Well

Press the lid into the can and drain off every bit of water you can. A well-drained can is the difference between a thick, scoopable tuna salad and a watery one that soaks through your bread.

Step 3: Mix Everything Together

Add the tuna, mayonnaise, sweet relish, parsley, salt, and pepper to the bowl with the eggs and stir until just combined. Don't overmix, you want some texture left in the tuna, not a paste.

Step 4: Chill and Serve

You can serve it right away, but 30 minutes in the refrigerator lets the relish and seasonings settle into the salad. Then make a sandwich, a tuna melt, or a scoop over lettuce.

LaKita's Expert Tips

Here are my best tips for making this recipe turn out perfectly every time.

• Start eggs in a pot of cold water over medium-high heat rather than dropping them into boiling water, they'll cook evenly and peel easier.
• Taste before you salt. Between the tuna and the relish, the salad may need less seasoning than you think.
• If your salad turns out too wet, stir in another grated egg rather than more tuna. It absorbs moisture and keeps the texture creamy.
• For make-ahead lunches, pack the tuna salad and bread separately and assemble sandwiches the day you eat them so the bread stays soft, not soggy.
• Chill your can of tuna in the refrigerator before mixing if you're serving right away. Cold tuna salad tastes noticeably better than room temperature.
• For a party tray, cut sandwiches into quarters with the crusts off. This is my go-to for showers and church gatherings, and it always disappears first.

Variations & Substitutions

This recipe is flexible, here are some easy ways to make it your own.

• Add crunch - Chopped celery, red bell pepper, or Quick Pickled Red Onions bring texture if you like a crunchier salad. The base recipe skips celery on purpose, that's the old-fashioned way.
• Make it tangy - Swap the sweet relish for dill relish and add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
• Give it a kick - A pinch of Old Bay or Creole seasoning adds a coastal Southern flavor that's wonderful in a tuna melt.
• Lighten it up - Substitute half the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt for a lighter salad with the same creaminess.
• Make it meatless - Try my Chickpea 'Tuna' Salad for a plant-based version with the same Southern seasonings.
• Extra protein - Add one or two more grated eggs to stretch the salad and make it even heartier.

Make-Ahead & Storage

Make-Ahead

The hard-boiled eggs can be cooked up to 5 days in advance and kept peeled in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The finished tuna salad is actually better made a few hours ahead, the flavors settle, and the relish sweetens the whole bowl.

Storage & Reheating

Store the tuna salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days, and never leave it sitting out at room temperature. This salad is meant to be served cold, though a scoop under melted cheese on toasted bread makes an excellent tuna melt, broil it open-faced for 2-3 minutes until the cheese bubbles. Skip the freezer entirely. Mayonnaise-based salads separate when thawed and the texture won't recover.

What to Serve with Southern Tuna Salad

Here are some of my favorite ways to serve this dish.

• Piled high on sandwich bread with lettuce and tomato. Add a side of Baked Potato Wedges Recipe for a full lunch plate.
• Scooped over a bed of greens with saltine crackers on the side, just like my mom served it.
• On a summer salad spread next to Potato Salad Recipe with Egg and Southern Coleslaw Recipe with Mayonnaise, all three share that creamy Duke's-mayo Southern flavor.
• As a tuna melt with sharp cheddar on toasted bread.
• With Fried Green Tomatoes tucked into the sandwich for a true Southern twist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Did You Make This Recipe?

There's nothing that makes my day like hearing this recipe made it onto your table. If you give this Southern tuna salad a try, I'd love to know what you think! Leave a comment below, share a photo on Instagram and tag @SimplyLaKita, or save it on Pinterest for later. And if you have questions, drop them in the comments. I read and answer every one.