Mrs. Lacy’s Easy Old-Fashioned Tuna Salad Recipe | Classic Southern Tuna Salad 🐟🥪❤️
Mrs. Lacy’s Easy Old-Fashioned Tuna Salad Recipe | Classic Southern Tuna Salad 🐟🥪❤️
Y’all, sometimes the simplest recipes are the very BEST!
At Mrs. Lacy’s Magnolia House in Sanford, North Carolina, we love sharing good old-fashioned Southern recipes that remind us of home.
Today, we’re taking you into our kitchen to show you how we make our delicious, homemade tuna salad!
And here’s the best part — you only need FOUR simple ingredients!
No fancy seasonings, no complicated instructions, and nothing that takes all afternoon to prepare. Just a classic Southern tuna salad that’s perfect for sandwiches, crackers, or a quick lunch.
And there’s one ingredient we feel pretty strongly about — SWEET pickle relish! 😉❤️
🎥 Watch Us Make Mrs. Lacy’s Homemade Tuna Salad!
Want to see how easy this recipe really is?
We’re showing you exactly how we put together our old-fashioned tuna salad in this quick kitchen video!
❤️ Watch Mrs. Lacy’s Tuna Salad Recipe on YouTube
🥪 Mrs. Lacy’s Easy Southern Tuna Salad Recipe
Prep Time: Approximately 10 minutes (with eggs already boiled)
Cooking Time: None, if using prepared boiled eggs
Difficulty: Easy
Recipe Style: Old-fashioned Southern comfort food
🛒 Ingredients
All you need are four simple ingredients:
- 🐟 Drained tuna – Your favorite canned tuna, drained thoroughly.
- 🥚 Chopped hard-boiled eggs – They give the salad a wonderful homemade texture.
- 🥒 Sweet pickle relish – And yes, we ALWAYS use sweet!
- 🥄 Mayonnaise – Just enough to bring everything together and make it creamy.
That’s it, y’all!
We haven’t included exact measurements because this is one of those wonderful recipes you can adjust to your own taste. Start with a little mayonnaise and relish, then add more until it’s just the way you like it.
👩🍳 How to Make Mrs. Lacy’s Old-Fashioned Tuna Salad
Step 1: Drain Your Tuna
Start by draining your canned tuna thoroughly.
You don’t want a lot of extra liquid in your tuna salad because it can make the finished mixture watery.
Place your drained tuna in a mixing bowl and break it apart with a fork.
Step 2: Chop Your Boiled Eggs
Next, take your hard-boiled eggs and chop them into small pieces.
Add them directly to your bowl of tuna.
The eggs give this recipe that familiar old-fashioned Southern flavor and texture we love!
Step 3: Add the Sweet Pickle Relish
Now comes one of our favorite ingredients!
Add your sweet pickle relish.
And y’all, we said SWEET pickle relish! 😂❤️
The sweetness of the relish balances beautifully with the tuna, eggs, and mayonnaise.
Of course, everybody has their own way of making tuna salad, but this is how we like ours at Mrs. Lacy’s!
Step 4: Add Your Mayonnaise
Add mayonnaise to the tuna, eggs, and sweet relish.
Start with a little and add more as needed.
You want your tuna salad to be creamy without being overly wet.
Step 5: Mix Everything Together
Gently stir all four ingredients until everything is evenly combined.
And that’s it!
You’ve made a delicious bowl of homemade Southern tuna salad!
Step 6: Serve and Enjoy!
Enjoy your tuna salad immediately, or refrigerate it until you’re ready to eat.
It’s delicious served:
- 🥪 Between two slices of your favorite sandwich bread
- 🥐 On a buttery croissant
- 🥬 Over fresh lettuce
- 🧂 With your favorite crackers
- 🍅 Stuffed into a fresh tomato
Sometimes the simplest lunch is the one everybody enjoys the most!
❤️ Our Tips for Making Delicious Homemade Tuna Salad
Drain your tuna really well. Excess liquid can make your tuna salad watery.
Use hard-boiled eggs. They add texture and make the tuna salad more satisfying.
Don’t forget the sweet relish! That’s the way we make it at Mrs. Lacy’s, and we love that little touch of sweetness.
Add mayonnaise gradually. You can always add more, but you can’t take it back out!
Make it ahead of time. Tuna salad is wonderful when prepared in advance and kept refrigerated.
Keep it simple! Sometimes you don’t need a dozen ingredients to make something delicious.
🥒 Sweet Pickle Relish vs. Dill Pickle Relish: Which Is Better?
Now here’s a question that might start a little friendly Southern debate!
Some folks absolutely love dill pickle relish in their tuna salad.
Others prefer sweet relish.
At Mrs. Lacy’s Magnolia House, we’re on TEAM SWEET RELISH! ❤️
Sweet relish adds a little sweetness that pairs wonderfully with the savory tuna and creamy mayonnaise.
But that’s one of the best things about homemade cooking. Every family has its own traditions, and there’s room for everybody’s favorite version!
🥪 What Makes Southern Tuna Salad Different?
Southern-style tuna salad often features simple pantry ingredients like canned tuna, mayonnaise, hard-boiled eggs, and pickle relish.
Some families add onions, celery, mustard, or even a little pickle juice.
Our version keeps things especially simple with just four ingredients.
It’s the kind of recipe you can make for a quick weekday lunch, family gathering, church luncheon, or an easy meal at home.
And chances are, you’ve already got most of the ingredients in your kitchen!
❄️ How Long Does Homemade Tuna Salad Last?
Because tuna salad contains fish, eggs, and mayonnaise, proper refrigeration is important.
Store your homemade tuna salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator at 40°F or below.
For best quality and food safety, enjoy it within 3–4 days.
Don’t leave tuna salad sitting at room temperature for more than two hours, or one hour when temperatures are above 90°F.
❤️ Why We Love Sharing Simple Southern Recipes
At Mrs. Lacy’s Magnolia House, food has always been about more than just what’s on the plate.
It’s about family, memories, traditions, and bringing people together.
Some of our favorite recipes aren’t complicated at all.
They’re the recipes our mothers and grandmothers made, the ones we remember eating around the kitchen table, and the ones we still enjoy sharing today.
And that’s exactly why we love showing y’all how we make things in our kitchen.
We hope you’ll give this simple tuna salad recipe a try!
📚 Bring a Little Mrs. Lacy’s Home With You!
Love our Southern recipes?
Then you’ll love the Mrs. Lacy’s Magnolia House Cookbook! ❤️📖
Filled with 500 cherished family recipes, our cookbook is a wonderful way to bring a little Southern hospitality into your own kitchen.
It’s also a thoughtful gift for birthdays, weddings, Christmas, or anyone who loves good homemade Southern cooking.
❤️ Shop Mrs. Lacy’s Cookbooks Online
You can also pick up a cookbook when you visit us for lunch!
👩🍳 More Recipes from Mrs. Lacy’s Kitchen!
We love sharing our favorite recipes, kitchen tips, and family traditions with all of you!
Be sure to check out some of our other recipes:
- How to Make Raspberry Sweet Tea at Home
- Mrs. Lacy’s German Chocolate Pie Recipe
- More Recipes, News & Articles from Mrs. Lacy’s
And don’t forget to follow along with our cooking videos for even more fun in the kitchen!
❤️ Now We Want to Hear From Y’all!
Here’s the big question!
HOW DO YOU MAKE YOUR TUNA SALAD? 🐟🥪
Do you use sweet pickle relish or dill?
Do you add chopped onions, celery, mustard, or something else?
And here’s another question — do you like your tuna salad on regular sandwich bread, toasted bread, crackers, or a croissant?
Tell us in the comments! We absolutely love hearing how everybody makes their favorite recipes.
From our kitchen to yours, thank you for being part of the Mrs. Lacy’s family! ❤️
Come Visit Mrs. Lacy’s Magnolia House!
📍 405 Carthage Street, Sanford, North Carolina
🕚 Tuesday–Saturday, 11 AM–2 PM
We’d love to see you for lunch and a little Southern hospitality!
