The Iconic Dressing You Should Start Adding To Tuna Salad

Tuna salad is a lunchtime classic, often made by mixing canned tuna, mayo, and celery. It's simple, tasty, wholesome, and traditional, but there are definitely ways to upgrade this classic recipe. Enter everyone's favorite condiment: ranch dressing. While mayo is typically used in tuna salad because of its rich creaminess that binds the tuna salad together, and its fatty flavor that masks the tangy fishiness of tuna, ranch dressing offers something extra. Doesn't it always? Though they're both creamy dressings, mayo and ranch have different flavor profiles. Ranch, with its zesty combination of garlic, herbs, and buttermilk, complements the tuna's flavor while adding a bold twist of its own. Mayo has a milder, salty flavor that works fine but doesn't add much zing to the salad.

Ranch doesn't only offer that desired creaminess in tuna salad, but also provides its own tang that enhances, rather than hides, the tuna's natural flavor. It's an easy way to use store-bought ranch rather than just as a regular salad dressing, and it opens new doors for tuna salad mix-in options. It's also as easy as swapping the mayo in your favorite tuna salad recipe for the same amount of ranch (around 2 tablespoons per can). Or, if you're hesitant to skip mayo altogether, opt for half ranch, half mayo. Whether you go full-on ranch or combine it with mayo, this simple swap will add some zest to your tuna salad.

There are tons of ways to upgrade canned tuna, and adding some ranch is only the beginning. You can enhance your tuna salad even more by adding complementary ingredients that pair well with the creamy, tangy ranch base. Try mixing in chopped dill pickles or pickled jalapeños for an extra burst of acidity, or crunchy veggies like celery, carrots, and red onion for added texture. The ranch's herbiness also pairs well with fresh dill or parsley, giving the salad a refreshing lift.

If you're looking to make it heartier, try combining your ranch-tuna mixture with chilled, cooked pasta for a tangy tuna pasta salad. The balance of carbs, protein, and fats makes for a hearty meal that'll fuel you for the day. You could even go further by adding shredded carrots, bell peppers, or cherry tomatoes. Seasonings like a dash of smoked paprika, lemon zest, or a little Dijon mustard are classic mix-ins for tuna salad that always elevate the dish to new heights. If you want to get really indulgent, this ranch-tuna combo makes the perfect filling for a cheesy tuna melt. Zingy ranch will balance nicely with melted cheddar, provolone, or Swiss, creating a sandwich that hits the spot every time.