The Pickled Vegetable That'll Really Amp Up Your Next Tuna Salad

Tuna salad may not be the fanciest sandwich filling, but it definitely hits the mark for being comforting, filling, and easy to make. Most classic tuna salads include canned tuna and mayo, as well as celery, onion, and pickles, but there's a whole world of possibilities to modify your tuna salad and give it a flavorful flare. If you feel like your recipe isn't fine-tuned yet, the biggest mistake you could be making lies in the ingredients you choose. Next time you're craving this simple lunch, try brightening it up with some pickled onions.

Pickled onions are made from — you guessed it -– pickling onions in a solution of water, salt, and vinegar, as well as other optional spices. Red onions are a popular variety due to their beautiful pink hue and milder flavor compared to white or yellow onions. When pickled, their bright, acidic, and slightly sweet flavor offsets the otherwise creamy and somewhat neutral flavor of tuna and mayo. Nonetheless, you can use any type of pickled onion, including yellow, white, sweet, or pearl onions.

To add them to your dish, simply drain the pickled onions of excess liquid, chop them to your desired size, and mix well into your tuna salad. Alternatively, you can layer the pickled onions on top of your tuna salad for an extra crunchy, zingy bite.

When you're in a pinch, there's no shame in using store-bought ingredients, including pickled onions. But to really enhance the flavors of your tuna salad, try making your own homemade pickled red onions (which only takes five minutes to prep). Let them sit in the fridge for at least an hour to let the pickling magic happen, and then add however much you want to your tuna salad (or eat the onions with a fork).

You can also test out different ways to make your pickled onions even better with spices, herbs, and sweeteners. For example, try adding peppercorns, chili flakes, or garlic cloves to add some savory and spicy notes. Alternatively, many pickled red onion recipes will include white sugar, which balances out the acidity and gives them a complementary sweetness. Changing the type of vinegar you use can also affect the flavor. White vinegar will provide a sharp tartness while apple cider vinegar and red wine vinegar are slightly sweeter and fruitier. Reading a comprehensive guide to vinegars can help match the best option with the flavor profile you're hoping to create for your tuna salad.