It's Easier To Fix Watery Tuna Salad Than You Might Think

Tuna salad is cheap and quick to prepare. It can be served on its own, scooped onto a bed of leafy greens, or piled between 2 slices of bread. If you're buying the canned variety and you haven't drained the tuna properly, however, you might end up with more of a mushy mess. The good news is that if your tuna salad initially turns out too watery, there are multiple easy fixes that will not only help salvage your meal but enhance it.

Of course, the simplest solution is to make sure that you fully drain the can of tuna. Home Cook World recommends 3 different approaches to removing the excess liquid. The first technique is to open the can just slightly with a can opener, flip it upside down, and let the water or oil drip out. You can also open the can completely, take off the lid, and then place the lid back over the tuna while firmly pressing down on it to squeeze out the moisture. A third option is to treat it like pasta, emptying the contents of the tuna can into a colander and draining it over the sink.

If you've already started the tuna salad preparation process and these drainage methods are no longer applicable, don't fret. The Cooking Bar suggests adding boiled eggs into the mix, which will suck up some of that excess water. They advise using 4-5 boiled eggs, but you can adjust the numbers based on the amount of tuna salad you're making.

In addition to boiled eggs, Julie's Cafe Bakery says that further means of fixing watery tuna salad are to include either potato, croutons, or pasta. They can all sop up some of that sogginess and incorporate additional tastes and textures. Substituting mayonnaise instead of salad dressing is another way to thicken tuna and rectify a watery consistency.

If you need inspiration for your next tuna sandwich idea, we've got you covered with this simple but delicious tuna salad recipe. It consists of just 8 ingredients, most of which are probably already lying around your kitchen or stocked in your fridge.