The Zesty Little Secret That Makes Your Tuna Salad Taste Brighter, Bolder, & Irresistible

There are many simple ways to take plain tuna salad to the next level. Incorporating ingredients like pickled onions can amp it up, for instance, and adding fish sauce can give it an umami-packed upgrade. There is also a quick and zesty little secret that can brighten tuna salad and give it a bold pop of flavor: lemon pepper.

Lemon is commonly used to neutralize the fishiness in fish, including tuna. The acid in lemon reacts with the trimethylamine — the compound that gives fish is characteristic unpleasant smell — and reduces the fishy odor and taste. Lemon pepper spice blends incorporate real lemon – peel, oil, and juice – lending some of those fishiness-masking properties while also bringing other flavor-boosting spices and ingredients into play.

As the name suggests, the fundamental elements of lemon pepper are lemon and ... well ... pepper. The pepper gives the seasoning bite and boldness even as the lemon brings brightness and a citrusy zing. They sometimes can include garlic, onion, turmeric, cumin, rosemary, or sweeteners like sugar. All in all, the addition of this seasoning to your tuna salad elevates it in versatile ways, balancing and complementing the fish with surprising dimensions.

To create a home blend, all you need is lemon zest, pepper, and salt. You can also add in other ingredients like garlic powder, onion powder, and herbs. If you're bringing other components into play, dill and rosemary are especially good with tuna!

You can use ordinary ground black pepper, but grinding your own adds even more flavor that will bolster your tuna salad. Freshly ground pepper lends a brightness and fruitiness to the spice that is lost in a prepackaged product that's been sitting for a long time. If you're feeling fancy, try different types of peppercorns or a blend. Incorporating white or pink peppercorns, for instance, brings different nuances with less heat and bite than black.

Zest your lemons and spread the zest evenly on a lined pan. Dry it out in a toaster oven or conventional oven on the lowest setting. Low and slow is the key — about 30 minutes to an hour sufficiently dehydrates the zest. Combine it with your pepper or peppercorns and any herbs you plan to use, then blend it all in a spice grinder or coffee grinder. Add salt and any other granulated or powdered seasonings a little at a time until you achieve the desired taste.