Light and simple, Deli Tuna Salad for Passover is a great no-frills, 3-ingredient dish. Simple to make and kid friendly!
Deli Tuna Salad for Passover tastes just like the tuna salad in expensive New York delis! It’s great for the week of Passover and all year round and, since it doesn’t contain and matzo, it’s great for the day of the seder!
Eating matzo on the day of the seder
Jews who keep the laws of Passover do not eat matzo or any foods that contain anything from matzo (such as matzo meal or matzo cake meal) the entire day before the seder, which is in the evening.
Some people even have the custom of not eating such foods from two weeks before, beginning on Rosh Chodesh Nissan or even as far back as Purim, which is a month before.
For during the week, use it as a side or try it on a piece of matza.
A little of my cooking background
I really wanted to title this blog “If I can make it, anyone can” because, honestly, if I can make it, anyone can.
I never really liked cooking, and when I was single, a meal for me meant grilled cheese, eggs, tuna, or something else that didn’t require effort or time.
When my kids were young, I was still able to get away with preparing only a small variety of easy meals, but the older they got, the more dishes I learned to make at their request.
Still, I insisted on keeping it simple.
Honestly, I never understood why some cooks unnecessarily complicate meals. I have seen recipes that have several ingredients that don’t really seem to add much, if anything, to the dish. So, why bother?
It has always been important to me that whoever eats at my table will have plenty to enjoy, and that includes my kids (I never agreed with the “You will eat what is served or you won’t eat” ideology), and, because I keep it simple, I can prepare a variety of dishes in a relatively short period of time.
I have a philosophy regarding being a great cook: Prepare food according to the tastes of those who will be eating it, and they will love your cooking!
As far as I am concerned, start with the basic ingredients that make the dish what it is, adapt according to taste, and voila! You are an amazing cook!
The bottom line is that while there are certainly delicate recipes out there for specialty dishes, making delicious meals doesn’t have to be complicated or time-consuming. It’s not difficult to impress—just make sure it tastes good.
While some of the recipes on my blog are more time-consuming than others, they are all tried and true easy-shmeezy!
Of course, one always has to consider the conditions under which they cook. Weather (humidity, heat, cold), different types of ovens, different quality of pots, etc.—all of which can affect your cooking and baking.
Nevertheless, as I said, if I can do it, anyone can!
Deli Tuna Salad for Passover revealed!
My kids always liked the simple tuna salad that was sold in the New York bagel shops and delis. It was expensive though, and I had no idea how to make it. One day, deciding I had nothing to lose, I contacted one of the shops (the one that catered the plain variety to my sons’ school) and asked.
“It’s tuna and mayo,” the guy told me.
“No really. What else?”
“That’s it. Tuna and mayo.”
That’s how I made mine. Tuna and mayo. Maybe he used a different mayo than I did (Best Foods/Hellman’s)? I was at a loss and gave up.
One day, my youngest son (who was 15 at the time) decided he wanted a tuna sandwich like he got at the bagel store and that was that. Instead of coming to me to ask, he went to my daughter, Elissa (our family foodie).
Together, they figured out how to make it perfectly. Then they even added those little pieces of diced celery!
Mystery solved!
The difference, it turned out, was that while I used the same ingredients, I left the tuna in small chucks, while the tuna that is made in the stores is mashed very, very small (maybe even put in a blender). Oh, and I used less mayo too.
Tuna on a bagel immediately became my son’s favorite meal and at first he literally made it every…single…day. Figuring it was easier to make a large batch to last several days, he began doing this. We even bought him those Costco-sized cans of tuna.
After a short while, he noticed that the quantities he was preparing were being suspiciously depleted by a lot more than he was using and the tuna was not lasting nearly as long as it should have. Someone was eating his tuna, so he went on a mission to find the culprit.
When the search was over, he announced (with quite a bit of pride, I might add) that the culprit was… everyone!
While this was his search for Deli Tuna Salad, all we had to do was switch out regular mayo for good-tasting kosher for passover mayo and voila!
Considering my lack of patience with cooking and, often, my lack of time, I love simple recipes like this one. It is quick and easy-to-make. It is great for kids and adults alike. It takes little effort and everyone loves it.
It can be eaten as a snack, as a side, or in a sandwich. Great on matza!
Variations
While I like to keep it basic and simple, there are several additional diced vegetables that can be added to the Deli Tuna Salad for Passover.
These include onions (red or yellow), pickles, relish, peppers (any), eggs,….
Some people spice up their tuna salad with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, etc. or add lemon juice, mustard, or minced garlic for flavoring. All to taste.
Food on Passover
Torah-observant Jews do not eat chametz (the fermented products of five grains: wheat, spelt, barley, oats, and rye).
In addition, Torah-observant Ashkenazi Jews do not eat kitniyot (or kitniyos as pronouced in Ashkenazi Hebrew). These include legumes, corn, rice, and similar foods that were deemed forbidden to eat by rabbis in the medieval period and are still not eaten today. Sephardi and Mizrachi Jews do not follow this tradition.
Many ovservant Ashkenazi Jews will not even eat the derivatives of these kitniyot, while others do (each family holds their own traditions regarding this).
Then, there are Ashkenazim who don’t eat “gebrokts” (or gebrochts).
Gebrokts means “broken” in Yiddish, and in this case refers to matzo that has absorbed liquid. Not eating gebrochts is observed by many in the Hasidic Jewish community and Ashkenazim who have taken on this tradition where they basically don’t mix anything wet with matzo.
So, things like matzo sandwhiches, fried matzo, and even matzo balls are a no-no for them.
There is a joke that sums it all up:
On Passover, we should remember people who have little to eat on this holiday. They are called Ashkenazim.
Over the years, I have learned to adapt “normal” food for passover so that my family won’t complain about boring, tasteless, or repetitive meals.
I find that having good food and variety makes the week of Passover a very pleasant experience and I hope this recipe will help make yours just that!
Kosher for Passover Pantry Essentials (Suggestion)
As I learned to prepare more and more recipes for Passover, I also learned which basics and seasonings are good to have on hand to have the ability to make a dish on short notice—especially during the holiday—and not have to run out to the store or borrow from a neighbor.
While I will admit that I am not always prepared when one of my kids will ask for eggplant parmesan or something at the drop of a hat (which they have done), I dislike having to postpone making something just because the ingredients needed to make a reasonable meal were not readily available.
So, I maintain a selection of what I consider “kosher for Passover pantry essentials” in my refrigerator and on my shelves during the week of Passover (some of the dry goods, I keep from year to year, stored well).
While, of course, most of the essentials will not be needed just for any one recipe, at least some of them are needed for most recipes, and you would be surprised how many recipes can be made just with this list. So, if you make sure to have whatever you use regularly on hand, it can really save you time and effort.
Everyone has their favorite recipes, preferred seasoning, and just whatever they like to use to cook. Your own list should certainly reflect your own cooking tastes and style. Just make sure that everything is Kosher for Passover (KLP) and if you are Ashkenazi, that list will be shorter than if you are not.
Make sure to check with a qualified rabbi if you have any questions.
Following is a pretty comprehensive list of what you can choose from to keep on hand. I keep quite a bit of it.
Seasoning and flavoring:
- salt
- ground black or white pepper
- granulated garlic or garlic powder
- onion powder
- ground cinnamon
- sugar (granulated)
- brown sugar
- chicken consomme powder
- onion soup mix
- various herbs
- additional spices to adapt taste to preference
Misc:
- oil / margarine / butter / cooking spray
- potato starch as a thickening agent
- baking powder
- matzo cake meal (matzo meal, but ground into a powder)
- condiments, such as ketchup and barbecue sauce
- tomato sauce/tomato paste/canned tomatoes—diced or crushed/pasta sauce
- milk substitute (neutral flavor)
We always have eggs in the fridge and onions, and potatoes on our shelves (if we were not Ashkenazi, I would certainly keep rice as well).
In addition, having some fresh vegetables in the fridge, such as carrots, celery, tomatoes, bell peppers (red, green, etc), etc. can be very useful when putting together a quick, but delicious meal.
It is also a good idea to have some ground meat or chicken (breast, ground, or in parts), in the freezer for anyone who likes meat dishes in a snap.
Why are these pantry essentials beneficial to have on hand?
Personally, having the above ingredients in my kitchen is very advantageous, as I make a variety of dishes and use most of the items on the list regularly.
Whether or not buying a bunch of herbs, spices, etc. before you know what you are going to make for the week is workable for you depends on your own personal preference.
Of course, the more you cook and the more varied your recipes, the more you will use, and the more you will need.
If you plan your meals ahead for the week, you will be prepared with whatever else you might need that you wouldn’t even normally keep in your passover pantry.
If you do decide to keep them over from year to year, I would only do so if they can be sealed well (or better yet, stored in the freezer), because not only can weather have an affect on some of the spices and on the chicken consommé powder, but you will be surprised to know just how clever moths are at getting into sealed bags and how hot red pepper powder can attract little black bugs – YUCK!
Deli Tuna For Passover
Simple, no frills, New York Deli style tuna salad kosher for Passover.
Ingredients
- 10 ounces (2 5-ounce cans) tuna in water, drained well
- 1/2 cup kosher for Passover mayonnaise (for less calories, use less mayonnaise or low fat)
- 1 medium celery stick, diced small
Instructions
- Put tuna in blender or food processor (or mash very well with a fork).
- In a bowl, combine well with mayonnaise and celery.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 751Total Fat: 82gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 68gCholesterol: 46mgSodium: 762mgCarbohydrates: 1gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g