The 5-Minute Flavor-Packed Tuna Salad I Make Again and Again

You can always find a stack of canned tuna in my pantry for a quick and easy meal. I especially love tuna salad in all its forms­­­­­—mayo or no mayo, lightened with herbs, brightened with pickled things, or loaded with crunchy vegetables. But the version I return to again and again is a spicy mayo tuna salad. It’s reminiscent of spicy tuna rolls and uses gochujang, a Korean fermented chili paste, instead of the more common Sriracha.

 What Is Gochujang?

Gochujang is a staple ingredient in Korean cooking and shows up in many soups, stews, marinades, and sauces. It’s widely available in most supermarkets these days, but you can also find it online or at East Asian grocery stores. If you already have a tub in your fridge, then this recipe is another way to put this versatile chile paste to good use.

 Since gochujang is very thick, you’ll need to mix it into the mayonnaise first before adding the tuna or you will end up with an overly mashed tuna salad. A small drizzle of nutty sesame oil rounds out the chile spice, while a finely chopped mild onion, such as a white or sweet onion, adds a refreshing crunch.

 Serving Suggestions

When I’m working from home and need a quick lunch, I’ll make this spicy tuna salad and serve it over rice for my own version of a Korean tuna rice bowl (chamchi deopbap). I reheat a bowl of short or medium-grain rice in the microwave and add toppings like chopped kimchi and whatever raw vegetable I can find—cucumber, carrot, radish, avocado—plus a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds. 

I also sometimes crumble sheets of seasoned gim (seaweed snacks) directly into the bowl or keep them whole to use as mini wraps: scoop some of the tuna and rice onto a sheet of seaweed, fold, and eat.

A few other ways to serve this tuna salad:

• Spoon the salad into lettuce cups
• Serve with crackers and crunchy crudité
• Make a sandwich or wrap
• Turn it into a tuna melt with chopped kimchi and melted cheddar or American cheese
• Use it as a filling for kimbap (Korean seaweed rice rolls)

How to Make My Spicy Gochujang Tuna Salad

To make one to two servings, you’ll need:

Prep Time: 5 minutes

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons gochujang
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 (5-ounce) can albacore tuna, drained
• 1/4 small white or sweet onion, finely chopped (2 tablespoons)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, gochujang, and toasted sesame oil until smooth. Add the drained tuna and chopped onion. Stir together until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve as desired.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

How to Change Things Up

To make this recipe your own, try any of these easy tweaks:

• Add finely chopped crunchy vegetables, such as carrot, celery, and red bell pepper
• Add chopped kimchi for extra heat and acidity
• Stir in some toasted sesame seeds
• Swap the onion for sliced scallions
• Use Kewpie mayonnaise plus a squeeze of lemon juice to cut through the richness
• Add a little soy sauce instead of salt
• Substitute Sriracha for the gochujang

More Twists on Tuna Salad

• Avocado Tuna Salad
• Italian-Style Tuna Salad
• 4-Ingredient Cucumber-Furikake Tuna Salad