Tuna Salad Composée

Name: Tuna Salad Composée
Total time: 5 min
Yield: About 2 cups
Ingredients: 10 to 12 ounces good-quality solid tuna packed in olive oil, well drained; 2 scallions washed, trimmed and chopped fine; 6 pepperoncini peppers, destemmed and julienned; 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill; 1/4 cup roasted or smoked almonds, chopped roughly, or a small handful toasted pine nuts; 1/4 cup good-quality olive oil (or the oil the tuna was packed in); 1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard; 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard; 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar; 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or more to taste; 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

By Toby Cecchini

Updated May 3, 2024

Tuna Salad Composée — Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

Total Time: 5 minutes
Rating: 5(375)
Comments: Read comments

This recipe is a far departure from the mayonnaise-based tuna concoctions that Americans expect. Tuna (packed in olive oil, please) is mixed with peppers, fresh herbs and nuts and dressed in olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice and two types of mustard. It can sit in the fridge for up to three days, making it excellent picnic food or just a departure from the usual sad desk sandwich.

Featured in: FOOD; Assembly Required

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Ingredients

Yield:About 2 cups

10 to 12ounces good-quality solid tuna packed in olive oil, well drained
2scallions washed, trimmed and chopped fine
6pepperoncini peppers, destemmed and julienned
3tablespoons chopped fresh dill
¼cup roasted or smoked almonds, chopped roughly, or a small handful toasted pine nuts
¼cup good-quality olive oil (or the oil the tuna was packed in)
1tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
1tablespoon whole-grain mustard
1teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1teaspoon fresh lemon juice or more to taste
¼ to ½teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
Mix all the ingredients well with a fork in a medium-size, nonreactive bowl. Taste and adjust the lemon juice and pepper. The salad can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated.

Ratings

5 out of 5

375 user ratings

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Comments

Lynda H.7 years ago

This may look like an odd list of ingredients to add to tuna salad (mustards? pepperoncini? roasted almonds?), but it is the best tuna salad I've ever eaten. (OK, pan bagnat is another class of "tuna salad" entirely.) I whisked together the dressing (oil, mustards, vinegar, lemon juice, pepper) before tossing it with the tuna and other salad ingredients. I thought it needed a little less olive oil and quite a bit more lemon juice (I used a Meyer lemon). Wonderful!

NJR7 years ago

Are we using fresh \ raw pepperoncini or the pickled \ bottled ones?

Lynda H.7 years ago

I used pickled/bottled "all-natural" pepperoncini from Divina. (Mezzetta brand contains yellow dye and sodium bisulfite; Divina uses citric acid and turmeric for similar effect.)

nycreb1 month ago

Been making this for years now, love it, but i wish the dill was by weight instead of Tblsp. I chop the dill w scissors and i swear the amount I snip it changes the volume markedly…

cooklyn1 month ago

This was fantastic! I didn’t have enough dill so added parsley and had to sub the pine nuts with chopped pecans. I bet the original recipe is even better. This was a keeper and I could see adding other herbs on hand - cilantro, chopped bell pepper, artichoke hearts, etc. What a feel good dinner

Nancy O.2 months ago

I ate this for supper last night and for breakfast this morning. Followed the recipe but admit to having added a tsp of mayo, but I don’t think it was necessary. My favorite thing in there? The almonds!

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