14 Ingredients That Will Give Your Tuna Salad A Little Crunch

Let's talk tuna. Tuna salad is cheap and easy to make, but that doesn't mean it has to be boring. The base of a tuna salad is canned tuna and mayo, a combination that is as delicious as it is mushy. If you don't add some crunch, a tuna salad can be — let's be honest — a little sad.

But no worries — because there are plenty of creative ways to add crunch to your tuna salad that can turn an ordinary snack into a culinary triumph. Canned tuna is a great way to incorporate healthy protein into your diet without breaking the bank. Adding crunchy ingredients gives the soft tuna a nice textural contrast and introduces flavors that complement the savoriness of tuna and the subtle, fatty zing of mayonnaise.

You don't need a Michelin star to give tuna salad a little extra pep – you just need to be slightly inventive. And there are plenty of affordable ingredients (that you might already have) to punch up your tuna salad. There's also no reason to stick with one ingredient at a time — feel free to mix and match to maximize the crunch and come up with interesting flavors of your own.

Celery is a vegetable synonymous with crunch, and it's one of the most popular additions to tuna salad. A bite of celery is the epitome of freshness, a perfect texture contrast for the softness of tuna. The best way to incorporate celery into tuna salad is to dice it into small pieces and mix it into the tuna salad. And don't be shy — celery has a naturally mild taste, so you can add a lot without having the celery steal the show. And its gentle, peppery flavor goes well with the savory, fishy taste of tuna.

Celery doesn't just up the flavor and texture, it's also a powerhouse of fiber, which benefits your digestive system, and celery's vitamin C and antioxidants help protect your cells from free radicals. Amazingly, this vegetable is about 95% water, so adding celery doesn't add many extra calories, just a super satisfying crunch. 

We eat with our eyes first. A variety of colors makes a plate look more appetizing, and adding a red bell pepper to tuna salad doesn't just add a nice crunch but also a mouth-watering pop of red color. Of all the bell pepper varieties, red bell peppers are the sweetest because they're picked when they're the ripest. This subtle sweetness is balanced by a fruity, tangy flavor that provides an excellent contrast to the salty taste of canned tuna.

Many people snack on raw red bell peppers or slice them up and use them with a dip because they provide the crunch of a cracker and the nutrition of a fresh fruit. Like all colorful fruits and vegetables, red bell peppers contain phytonutrients, plant compounds that provide health benefits and keep your body in good working order. And if these reasons weren't enough, red bell peppers are also rich in antioxidants and vitamins that make your tuna salad that much healthier.

When you're considering ingredients that will give your tuna salad a little crunch, carrots may not be the first vegetable that comes to mind. But these orange root vegetables are super affordable, easy to come by, and last for a long time in refrigerator crisper drawers, so it's easy to keep them on hand for a variety of recipes, and tuna salad should be one of them. Carrots have a fantastic crunch factor. The most effective way to add them to tuna salad is to grate them or cut them in very small pieces because chunks of carrot that are too large can be annoying to chew in a dish that is otherwise soft and mushy.

That said, the bright color from carrots adds an attractive visual element to the pinkish-gray color of tuna salad. Carrots also have a gentle sweetness and subtle earthy flavor that make them an ideal partner to salty, savory tuna salad. Famously chock full of vitamin A as well as antioxidants and fiber, carrots also lend an invaluable nutritional element to a traditional tuna salad.

Few ingredients provide quite the fresh, watery crunch of cucumber. This oblong green fruit (yes, cucumber is a fruit) is crisp and refreshing, a perfect contrast to the fatty richness of tuna salad. Canned tuna can be a bit dry, which is why most tuna salad recipes call for mayo. If you add mayo and your tuna salad is still dry, you can try adding chopped cucumbers. Since cucumbers are mostly water, they add moisture without the fat of added mayonnaise.

But with all the types of cucumbers to choose from, which are the best for tuna salad? Persian cucumbers have few seeds and a thin skin, so they're easy to chop up and throw in without having to peel. They're smaller than most other cucumbers and have a mild, very slightly sweet taste that complements the savory flavors of tuna salad. They are also particularly crisp and they'll add the intense crunch you're looking for. Not to mention cucumbers have naturally anti-inflammatory properties that protect your cells. So keep on crunching!

People have strong opinions about red onions. To some, these crunchy allium bulbs are the key to a delicious meal and to others they're just bad breath incarnate. But here's the deal: Tuna salad has a naturally mild flavor, so it needs a bit of punch, and red onions add an intense flavor and a lovely little crunch.

If you're one of the many people who fear the intensity of raw red onions, there's a simple trick you can use to cut their bite but retain some of their unique, mildly sweet, astringent flavor. If you leave chopped red onions in a bowl of ice water for 10 minutes, the water strips the onions of the chemicals that give them that harsh flavor that so many people find off putting. Once they've been soaked, toss them in your tuna salad and give it a stir. They should be diced into small pieces so you don't get a big chunk of onion and they can be evenly distributed throughout the spread. You'll be pleasantly surprised by the mellowness of the onion flavor.

It's easy to get yourself in a pickle trying to figure out how to add some crunch to tuna salad. But sometimes a pickle is just what you need to get out of, well, a pickle. Pickles are having a moment, particularly when it comes to tuna salad. This fishy spread sings with the addition of salt and a superb crunch. Adding pickles is a twofer, giving you a briny flavor that enhances the fishy taste of tuna and a fresh crunch that breaks the creaminess of mayonnaise.

You can use pickles that suit your taste; for a brinier, funkier salad, use full sour dill pickles or cornichons — and if you want less pickle flavor and a bit more crunch, use a half sour. Chop them up into small pieces so that they can incorporate well into the salad. If you like a sweeter tuna salad and you don't feel like busting out the kitchen knife, you can add pickle relish — this won't give you quite the lip-smacking crunch of actual pickles, but it'll give a briny flavor and some texture.

Maybe you've already thought of adding the more obvious crunchy veggies to your tuna salad like onion and celery, but what about kimchi? This spicy, fermented vegetable dish is a staple in Korea, but it can add a zingy, funky crunch to a variety of American dishes including tuna salad. Kimchi is made by salting and fermenting cabbage and other vegetables (typically some mixture of scallions, carrots, cucumbers, and radishes) in a spicy sauce. Kimchi's zingy, mildly effervescent taste add a complexity of flavor to tuna salad, and it's a unique way to achieve that crunch you're after.

Not all varieties of kimchi were created equal. The ingredients in kimchi can vary, as can the fermentation time, which has a profound effect on the dish's flavor. The longer kimchi ferments, the more funky and intense the flavor becomes, so keep that in mind when you think about adding it to tuna salad. It's also full of healthy probiotics that keep your gut in tip-top shape and you can keep kimchi in the fridge almost indefinitely, so it's easy to have on hand for when you need to whip up lunch.

Of all the ingredients on this list that will add crunch to your tuna salad, water chestnuts are among the crunchiest. You can hear somebody bite into a water chestnut from across a room, meaning these aquatic vegetables (they're not technically nuts) will take you to crunchy tuna heaven. Water chestnuts have a super mild taste and easily take on the flavor of their surroundings, so while they'll add just a touch of sweetness to your tuna salad, they're not likely to overpower other flavors.

They're whitish-brown, so when you chop them up and mix them into tuna salad, they won't add a lot of visual interest. But their mild flavor goes well with herbs like cilantro and mint, which can add some fresh, green eye candy to give you a more attractive color palette. And while they may not be the most beautiful addition, water chestnuts are low in calories and packed with fiber and vitamins and minerals like potassium and riboflavin.

It's never a bad idea to have almonds on hand. These little nuggets of fatty energy and slightly floral flavor are super easy to keep in your kitchen, and they're great for adding a little crunch to your tuna salad. Tuna's naturally salty, fishy flavor and soft texture goes well with almonds, which are just slightly sweet and add a nutty crunch.

Raw almonds are a bit smoother and while they definitely add a crunch, it's not as pronounced as with roasted almonds. Roasted almonds also have a more intense nutty flavor and they're easier to digest than raw almonds, but ultimately it's a matter of preference. You can slice almonds or buy them sliced and toast them lightly in a pan before mixing them in your tuna salad if you're looking for a more complex flavor and a drier crunch. And almonds aren't just for flavor and texture, they're also full of vitamins, antioxidants, and protein. So go nuts, and add these to your next tuna salad!

Some like it hot. And if you're one of them, consider adding jalapeños to your tuna salad. Jalapeños can kick your tuna salad up a notch, adding a bit of heat, a lot of flavor and, of course, a super satisfying crunch. If you're not used to cooking with jalapeños, you may not know that you can cut the heat level by removing the veins from the inside of a jalapeño, which is where most of the pepper's capsaicin (the molecule responsible for spiciness) is stored.

But jalapeños add more than just heat. These peppers have a complex flavor profile that's slightly fruity and grassy, flavor similar to that of a green bell pepper. Jalapeños add an element of freshness not just in flavor, but also in their bright green color, which really pops in a bowl of salad. And they're good for you – jalapeños contain carotene, an antioxidant, as well as potassium, folate, and important vitamins. If you know your way around jalapeños, tuna is the key to simple lunchtime quesadillas packed with protein and flavor.

Most of the ingredients on this list are fruits, veggies, and nuts, and although chips might seem like a strange addition to tuna salad, they could be just the salty crunch your spread needs. If you're a person who puts chips inside your sandwiches (I see you and I support you), then you get the basic idea here. Tortilla chips have a strong crunch and a mild corny flavor that goes well with tuna salad, especially if it's full of bold, spicy flavors.

While you can eat your tuna salad on tortilla chips, crushing them up and mixing them in right before you put the spread onto sandwich bread incorporates their flavor into the salad. But be sure not to add the chips too early. If you leave them sitting in the wet tuna, they'll get soggy and you won't have the crunch you're looking for, not to mention the flavor of a soggy tortilla chip just isn't the same. I recommend using thicker tortilla chips (different brands have different thicknesses), which stand up better to the weight of tuna salad.

Bacon. Do I have your attention yet? This fatty pork product is one of my favorite foods and, like many people, I'm always looking for an excuse to put in just about every recipe. And it just so happens that crumbly, crispy bacon is one of the most delicious crunches you can add to your tuna salad. Bacon is smoky and savory, which provides a nice flavor contrast to mild, fishy tuna. Make sure to cook the bacon extra crispy so that after it cools, you can crumble it into the tuna salad and get the desired crunch.

There are no two ways about it: Bacon is loaded with fat. But that doesn't have to be such a bad thing — since tuna salad is typically made with mayo, another fat-rich product, if you add bacon, you can cut down a bit on the mayo. It's not the most heart-healthy addition to tuna salad, but it may just be the most delicious.

It's no secret that a combo of salty and sweet flavors is an easy way to give a dish a complex flavor profile. But that doesn't mean you should go adding sugar to your tuna salad. You want to make sure you have a vessel for sweetness with a tart flavor and a satisfying crunch. That's where apples come in. Some canned tuna brands are saltier than others, and apples provide a sweet contrast to the salty, fishy flavor of tuna.

First, choose an apple to suit your flavor preferences. If you're looking for something on the tart side, grab a Granny Smith or a Braeburn apple. If you want something a bit sweeter, opt for a Fuji or a Gala. Dice your apple into small pieces and mix into your tuna salad. For an added burst of fresh, grassy flavor, try adding some chopped dill. 

There are few vegetables classier than the radish. These bright pink root veggies are the picture of crisp freshness and they scream summer. Radishes have a strong peppery taste that's not for everybody, but for those of us who like intense flavors, a radish adds an element of bold complexity to an otherwise ordinary tuna salad. The fresh taste of radish cuts through the fattiness of tuna salad, and the crunch it offers is unparalleled.

And the unique pink hue of a radish offers an appetizing visual appeal that will make your mouth water before you take the first bite. Radishes are also good for your health; they're packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, and important minerals. If you decided to slice up a few radishes and toss them in your tuna salad, consider eating it in a sandwich with arugula, which also has an earthy, peppery taste and some almonds to give a subtle nutty, floral flavor contrast.