When I was 17, I worked in the kitchen at Surprise Lake Camp. I was one of the two Second Cooks on Teenside (the oldest campers in camp – ages 13 to 15). The head cook was a guy named Lenny, who was sweet and treated me like a daughter. I had no kitchen knowledge, but I was great at following directions. He taught me to make the best tuna salad ever and in the years that have followed, I still follow his basic recipe. I wasn’t the best cook back then, in fact, I really didn’t find my legs in the kitchen until around 12 years ago, the summer of my first pregnancy with my now 11-year-old son. But this tuna salad is still my basic recipe and wows my family. 
Ingredients:
2 cans white albacore tuna
2 tablespoons mayo
2 teaspoons spicy brown mustard
3 tablespoons sweet relish
Paprika to taste
Garlic Salt to taste
Instructions:
You can play around with the amounts and ingredients, but this is the basic recipe I follow. And it’s delicious!
First, drain your tuna. I prefer to use white albacore, but use any type of tuna you prefer.
Add your mayo. I enlisted my 11-year-old son to help me make this today. Teaching my kids how to cook is a priority. It helps with listening to directions and strengthening little hands (all three of my kids have low muscle tone and weak hands). 
Add your mustard – I prefer to use spicy brown, but if you want to try a different mustard, like dijon, that will work also.
Add your relish.
Don’t forget the paprika – it gives it a little kick up that is needed.
Serve with or without bread.
So, how do you like to make your tuna salad? Do you have any secret ingredients that you add? I’d love to hear your ideas! The Best Tuna Salad Recipe Ever
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I like to add chopped celery and chopped green olives and grated cheese. Gives it a crunchy texture and a saltiness from the olives. And of course the tuna and mayo.😋😋😋
Ooh, my husband would love chopped green olives in his tuna!
A couple of my favorite secret ingredients are curry or horseradish…..not to much just enough to add a little surprise flavor….my family and friends…love it even the ones who normally do not like tuna…just a thought
I am definitely a horseradish fan — great idea. My oldest child loves curry, I’ll let him know about this.
Garlic powder, finely chopped purple or green onions, finely chopped celery, boiled eggs, & dill relish are ingredients I add to mine!
Awesome — I love this!
Everyone needs to know how to make tuna salad – it’s a basic life skill – LOL! When I use your recipe, I would leave out the mustard and add a bit more mayo and finely chopped sweet onion. I sometimes make it with dill relish but usually make it with sweet relish. When I make tuna salad with sweet relish, I sometimes add chopped apple with the skin on.
Oops – I forgot to mention that I also use chopped egg in my tuna salad.
I made this but with eggs. I didn’t use relish because I didn’t have any. I poured a little pickle juice in it. I also used regular mustard and smoked paprika. It came out wonderful.
Pickle juice — that’s a great substitution.
I love tuna sounds good love to try this
I like using white albacore tuna in water. I like cold tuna salad. I put the cans in the fridge before I make it or I have to put the tuna in the fridge before serving.
I never thought of putting cans in the fridge. Great tip, Cindy!