A tuna salad with a kick, built from canned tuna, mayo, and a raid of the pantry: blackening seasoning does the heavy lifting, jarred hot chopped peppers bring heat and crunch, and a splash of pepperoncini brine wakes the whole thing up. Makes enough for a sandwich or two and keeps in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. Scales cleanly — multiply everything by 4 for the big-batch version this recipe was first kitchen-tested at.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Chunk White Albacore Tuna in Water | 1 Can (5 Ounces), Drained Well |
| Mayonnaise | 1/4 Cup |
| Hot Chopped Peppers | 2 Heaping Teaspoons, Jarred, Drained |
| Pepperoncini Brine | 1 1/2 Teaspoons1 |
| Blackening Seasoning | 1/2 Teaspoon2 |
| Cayenne Pepper | 1 Small Pinch3 |
| Kosher Salt | To Taste4 |
| Black Pepper | To Taste, Freshly Ground |
Instructions
- Drain the tuna thoroughly — press the lid down into the can and squeeze out as much water as you can. Watery tuna makes watery salad.
- In a small bowl, whisk the pepperoncini brine, blackening seasoning, and cayenne into the mayonnaise until smooth.
- Flake the tuna into a bowl, breaking up any big chunks with a fork, and scatter the drained hot peppers over the top.
- Fold the seasoned mayo into the tuna until evenly coated. Add another spoonful of mayo if it looks dry.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes — the dried spices need the time to wake up, and the salad tastes noticeably better for it.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper, adding more of any spice (or another splash of brine) that got lost along the way.
Serve stuffed into pita pockets — the house move — or on toasted bread, crackers, or straight off the fork over greens. Don’t skip the dusting of Tajín over the assembled pocket: the lime-chile brightness plays perfectly with the hot peppers. Kitchen-tested, enthusiastically endorsed.
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Red wine vinegar works too — use about half as much (3/4 teaspoon), since straight vinegar is sharper than brine. ↩
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Blackening blends already pack paprika, garlic, onion, and herbs, so no need to add those separately. Every blend is different — start with 1/4 teaspoon if yours runs salty or hot. ↩
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The tested amount lands as a gentle, noticeable kick on top of the hot peppers and blackening. Drop to a pinch — or skip it — for a milder batch. ↩
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Go easy — canned tuna, mayo, blackening seasoning, and both pepper brines all bring their own salt. Taste before adding any. ↩