A Surprisingly Simple, Delicious Tuna Salad by Panera Bread
One of my all-time favorite salads is Panera Bread’s Tuna Salad – an incredibly easy-to-make, yet incredibly tasty and flavorful dish. This light and refreshing combination of tuna, celery, and mayonnaise is a refreshing departure from the sometimes-heavy traditional tuna salad most of us are used to.
While Panera Bread does have its own salad dressing available for purchase, I think the secret to this salad lies in using a light, olive oil-based mayonnaise. This added mix of ingredients creates a unique depth of flavor and lightness, while emphasizing the sweet and salty tone of the simple tuna, while keeping the heartiness of the celery in tandem.
Ingredients
• 2 cans of white albacore tuna
• 1 cup of diced celery (optional)
• 1/4 cup of olive oil-based mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
Instructions
1. Drain canned tuna of all liquids and transfer to a medium-sized bowl.
2. Dice the celery, if desired and add to the bowl.
3. Mix in the mayonnaise, garlic powder, pepper, and salt until the ingredients are fully combined.
4. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Serving Suggestions
This delicious tuna salad can be served on a bed of baby spinach or whole grain toast for a delicious lunch or dinner. It’s also a great way to jazz up a plain sandwich by adding some zest.
For a more international flavour, try adding chopped jalapeños and a few tablespoons of BBQ sauce to the mix. The jalapeños will kick the heat up a notch while still delivering a smooth, creamy taste.
Alternatively, try mixing in some onion, lemon juice and dill to bring out more of a Mediterranean-style flavour. The tartness of the lemon juice works great with the sweetness of the tuna salad and the dill will emphasize its deliciousness.
No matter how you choose to enjoy it, Panera Bread’s Tuna Salad is sure to be a hit with even the pickiest of palates. Enjoy!