You Added Too Much Mayonnaise To Your Tuna Salad. Now What? - Tasting Table (2024)

ByStephanie Friedman/

One of the perks of making tuna salad is that it's easily customizable. Want more crunch? Throw in some mix-ins like red onion, pickles, or fennel. Want to swap out the mayo? Use Greek yogurt, vegan mayo, or avocado instead. You can even switch up the way you chop your vegetables, drain your tuna, or fluff your fish.

In fact, this dish is so flexible that it's difficult to pin down exactly what ingredients and proportions you should use. So if you go a little crazy with the mayo, we totally understand; an overly creamy salad is probably tastier than a dry one, after all. But if you find yourself about to dig into a bowl that's more mayo than anything else, know that you don't have to toss it out. There are quite a few ways to salvage an overly rich tuna salad, so it's highly likely you'll find one that tastes good to you.

Add strong flavors and a crunchy element

You Added Too Much Mayonnaise To Your Tuna Salad. Now What? - Tasting Table (2)

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The simplest way to balance out too much mayo in your tuna salad is to add more of the flavor and texture-contrasting ingredients. To offset the creaminess (and potentially wetness) of too much mayo, try adding in more of whatever crunchy element you were using. Celery and red onion are some of the most common ones, but you can also try chopped red peppers, bacon bits, carrots, cabbage, apples, chopped nuts, and more. If you already went heavy on the onion and don't want to add any more, just switch it up and use another crunchy ingredient, tossing in a little at a time until you're satisfied with the bowl's texture.

And while we love mayo for its mild tangy flavor, too much of a good thing can leave your tuna salad a little bland. To fix this, simply pour in more strongly-flavored ingredients. Red onion can be a two-in-one deal here, fixing both flavor and texture, but it's not the only option. Spices like lemon pepper, curry powder, and powdered mustard may do the trick, or you can try upping the heat with hot sauce, jalapenos, or cayenne pepper. Or, go for a little sour flavor in the form of lemon juice or zest, pickle juice, or lime juice.

So if you've overpowered your tuna salad with mayo, all hope is not lost — just one or two extra ingredients can make all the difference.

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You Added Too Much Mayonnaise To Your Tuna Salad. Now What? - Tasting Table (2024)

FAQs

What to do if you put too much mayo in tuna salad? ›

To offset the creaminess (and potentially wetness) of too much mayo, try adding in more of whatever crunchy element you were using. Celery and red onion are some of the most common ones, but you can also try chopped red peppers, bacon bits, carrots, cabbage, apples, chopped nuts, and more.

What to do if tuna salad is too wet? ›

Potatoes are also known for their ability to absorb liquids, and tossing in a handful of cubed boiled spuds has the added benefit of providing bulk, fiber, and nutrients to your tuna salad. But for an easy and effective way to fix water tuna salad, go for hard-boiled eggs.

How do you cut saltiness in tuna salad? ›

Depending on your recipes, the acid can be lemon juice, lime juice, apple cider vinegar or even tomato sauce or tomato paste. The acid in these will help neutralize the saltiness. You can also try adding sweetness. For example, adding a bit of sugar or sweet relish to your tuna salad can be delicious.

What happens when you have too much mayonnaise? ›

Eating too much mayonnaise can cause high blood pressure problems. Actually, the amount of omega-6 fatty acids in mayonnaise is very high, which can increase blood pressure. Excessive consumption of mayonnaise can also increase the risk of diseases like heart attack and stroke.

What to do if mayonnaise is too liquid? ›

This is because mayonnaise is an emulsion that requires a specific balance of ingredients for it to work. If you don't get your measurements right, or add an ingredient too quickly, your mayo may end up runny. If this happens to you, don't throw the mixture out quite yet -- there is a simple solution: egg yolk.

How to get rid of can tuna taste? ›

This can be done by cooking the fish in foil or by adding other ingredients to the recipe that will help to mask the strong fishy taste of the fish. Also, you can marinate the fish in a mixture of lemon juice, vinegar, and water for 30 minutes. This will help to neutralize the fishy taste.

Why does restaurant tuna salad taste better? ›

The highest-quality tuna is bought fresh from the market or fishmonger, so some restaurants process and cook fresh tuna before incorporating it into the tuna salad. Although time-consuming and expensive, many chefs prefer this approach.

How to balance oversalting? ›

Squeeze some lemon juice or orange juice over your dish. The sour flavor provides a new layer of complexity to the meal and should mellow out the salt. Drizzle in a mild vinegar like all-purpose vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar to help mask the salt with acidity by distracting the taste buds.

What cancels out saltiness in food? ›

Add an Acidic Ingredient

It won't reduce the sodium level of your dish, but adding an acidic ingredient, such as lemon juice, vinegar, or even a tomato product, can neutralize the saltiness of a dish. Start with a dash or a squeeze, stir well to combine, and give it a taste before adding any more.

How to fix potato salad with too much mayonnaise? ›

If you want to cut down on the mayo, start with a vinaigrette, then add some yogurt or buttermilk to make it creamy. Don't cut back on your usual amounts of salt and pepper, or the salad will be too bland. You might want to think about adding some fresh herbs. Dill is nice, as is cilantro.

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