Kimchi Tuna Salad Recipe (2024)

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Jed

Delicious. A little secret: drizzle a bit of melted butter into the salad for extra deliciousness. (Oh, and lose the celery.) Served on toasted sourdough. Yum.

KG

I love kimchi, but it is scarce in rural Maine...I’ve made Emergency Kimchi with common cabbage (search the web) and it is delicious and authentic enough. Definitely making this with tuna and my staple, canned salmon as well. Great recipe!

jenacass

Remember to put a bowl under strainer when you drain the Kimchi! If the ingredients hadn’t said “with juice” I would have dumped it all down the sink. Surprisingly good flavor which isn’t too spicy. I did goof and added 3T instead of 3 tsp of sesame oil. It probably softened the heat.

Susan

The kimchi tuna ratio seems a little high on kimchi for my American palate but I find this intriguing. I would try to add a little kimchi to my usual tuna salad with mayo and celery first and maybe also the other ingredients.

Zudok

I've been looking for a way to enjoy kimchi in a way other than my go-to: using a fork, right out of the jar. This is an excellent recipe, easy, just in time for summer. I was hesitant to add the mayo but found that a couple of tablespoons kinda tied the room together without really altering the taste too much. Love it.

Monk Watson

I was going to the fridge for fresh ginger, when I discovered a takeout container of picked ginger. I chopped it up and added it instead. It was really tasty. Kind of like a sweet pickle in western tuna salad.

Lindsay

This is so delicious! The celery isn’t really necessary since you already get a decent amount of crunch from the kimchi, but sesame oil and furikake seasoning are a must. This would go with any carb - toast, bagel, tortilla chips - but is great just on its own as well for a high protein snack. I don’t even like tuna all that much and this is so good!

South Ender

My combo was cucumber, radish, and a half pound of tiny red boiled potatoes instead of celery. Did all the rest as written but made half and it was a nice light meal for 2. Sambal - about a T - gave a nice kick.

Mark

Delicious! Instead of tuna I used boneless & skinless canned salmon. I made it early in the day & had it for dinner - the marination time helped! I cut back on the celery & added fresh peas that I had gotten at the farmers market that morning. I also served it over a spring greens salad mix. I would try this with leftover rotisserie chicken as well!

Will

Great recipe! Changes/notes I made:- Definitely add some mayo (about ¾ cup), I used Japanese mayo (e.g. Kewpie)- Mine needed salt and pepper- Used 12 oz tuna (dry weight, usually three cans) for 16 oz kimchi- Added two roughly chopped hard boiled eggs- Added two dollops of gochujang

Barrington

This is a staple now that I have this recipe to riff on. Yesterday made it with some leftover cooked kale and collards, plus a couple of small tins of Portuguese mackerel instead of tuna. Have made it with Spanish sardines and some spare kohlrabi. Sometimes I add mayo, sometimes I add more sesame oil or lemon juice. We eat it with something starchy like rice, sourdough bread, pasta, whatever. Versatile, tasty, delicious. Thank you!

Keeper

Amazing recipeBlown away by how I can now elevate my normal tuna lunch!

Sarah T.

Delicious and perfect for a make ahead lunch. We loved it over soba noodles, including the picky 17 year old.

Bridget D.

Great for a light lunch, I found the flavor balance perfect. If you don’t already enjoy kimchi this is probably a bit aggressive for an introduction. The celery adds good texture. I had mine over rice. Toasted sourdough is a good idea. It does call for some neutral base.

Kale

I was out of furikake and celery, so substituted a handful of roughly chopped cilantro. It added a fresh note that complimented the tang and spice.

KittyG

This was delicious and I'll make again. But I do have a suggestion. The ginger matchsticks, even cut really, really thin, were too obvious. Next time I'll grate the ginger

DA

Used Thai chili flavored tuna (from a pouch) with mild kimchi (about 2:1, tuna to kimchi) and added a Tbsp of sweet pickle relish. No mayo or oil needed. Was amazed at how well the kimchi and tuna taste together. Will definitely try this again; next time with the sesame oil and rice crackers!

Blanche

There is a HUGE difference in Kimchee from one brand to another and this is borne out by the extremes noted from different comments.I could eat Kimchee every day and often do. If I need something to take with my evening pills I mix some with hummus and eat with blue corn chips

Bridget From MN

So delish and easy and can be. I pressed the kimchi to really release the liquid. Served over butter lettuce for added volume. Miso soup on the side.

Carol

This was interesting. I make my own kimchi so only needed to pick up the celery. Made it exactly as the recipe said. Added a bit of homemade mayo. It was good. Not sure why I didn't love it however.

mommywhor*bucks

Definitely use some mayonnaise - about 1/2 - 3/4 cup won’t make it at all like traditional tuna salad, but serve as a nice way to marry the flavors. I used fish sauce instead of rice vinegar, and really wish I hadn’t. The kimchi I used (which is delicious and I didn’t have to chop it) was pretty salty and very spicy, and the fish sauce made it a bit *too* salty, though not inedible. I’d start with 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil, as the full 3 is a little overwhelming.

Tessa

Wish I could give it way more stars! This is so good I have been making it weekly. It usually makes two servings for me so I get to eat it twice! Per a note, I eat it on a toasted baguette or sourdough with butter. I left out the celery, did use the mayonnaise and eyeballed the amount of kimchi that felt right to me with the 12oz can of tuna.

kellyn

The Trader Joe’s kimchi I used didn’t have much juice, so I used rice vinegar and fish sauce as suggested. It was fabulous, even without the ginger (which I forgot until after I finished the first bowl). Even better with the ginger!

Patricia

added an entire bunch of green onions and served with sliced avocado and korean roasted seaweed. delicious!

Chris Cooks

This was delicious! Served warm with Udon noodles—just right for a rainy evening. My partner can’t tolerate as much spice, so I rinsed his portion of the Kimchi and made the “dressing” without the Kimchi juice and served the juice on the side so he could spice it to his tolerance.

Basiluzzu

I substituted julienned carrots and red bell peppers for celery.

Cody

Added some cucumber chunks and scallions and it was even more perfect. Definitely needed quite a bit more oil and vinegar as the tuna soaked it up quick. Used tuna in water - maybe tuna packed in oil wouldn’t be as absorbent.

Ellen

Makes awesome tuna melts!

MH

Loved the recipe.I ate it wrapped in lettuce leaves.I will add hard boiled egg and pickled gingernext as recommended by other reviewers.

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Kimchi Tuna Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Can you eat tuna with kimchi? ›

Kimchi and canned tuna make a popular combination in Korean cooking. These two pantry staples are found together in a number of dishes like kimchi jjigae and kimbap, and here they are the basis of a lively, fortifying salad.

Why does restaurant tuna salad taste better? ›

The highest-quality tuna is bought fresh from the market or fishmonger, so some restaurants process and cook fresh tuna before incorporating it into the tuna salad. Although time-consuming and expensive, many chefs prefer this approach.

What does Martha Stewart put in her tuna salad? ›

directions. Combine tuna, celery, apple, mayonnaise, basil, and lemon juice; mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

When should you not eat canned tuna? ›

They felt that because the FDA's data showed potentially dangerous spikes in mercury levels in some individual cans of tuna, pregnant people should steer clear of it altogether. And for the same reason, CR's experts thought that other adults and children should also limit how much they eat.

Can you put raw fish in kimchi? ›

The fish is salted and added to the kimchi, giving it a ton of extra umami and funk- the good kind. Always use the freshest fish possible when preparing for raw consumption, even when fermented.

Is Miracle Whip better than mayo for tuna? ›

More viscous or fluid products may cause a more 'wet' tuna salad.” Less popular for tuna salad among our experts but still mayo MVPs, Kewpie and Miracle Whip both have distinct flavors that don't work as well with tuna, one more savory (Kewpie) and one sweeter (Miracle Whip).

Is tuna salad healthier than chicken salad? ›

If your iron levels are solid but you could use some more zinc, potassium, or phosphorus, then chicken is a better choice. In the end, the choice between tuna and chicken boils down to what you need. Whichever you choose, you're guaranteed lots of lean, low-calorie protein, with vitamins and minerals galore.

What tuna does Ina Garten use? ›

To make Garten's Ultimate Tuna Melts, forgo your traditional canned tuna and opt for Spanish tuna instead. According to Garten, Spanish tuna is packed in olive oil and is “absolutely delicious.” “It's moist,” she adds, “and the flavor is fantastic.”

Why do you put vinegar in tuna? ›

Experienced chefs will add some vinegar when cooking tuna. The vinegar can make the protein in the fish react to produce amino acids, which can be more easily absorbed and utilized by the body. In addition, adding vinegar when cooking tuna can remove the fishy smell and make the tuna more delicious.

Can you eat kimchi with fish? ›

Yes. The fish is cut up into big chunks and placed in between the Napa leaves. It ferments with the kimchi.

Can you eat kimchi with anything? ›

As the national dish of South Korea, kimchi is a staple in kitchens around the world. This fermented cabbage dish can be served as a side dish, over a bed of rice, folded into scrambled eggs, whirred into tomato sauce, or even just eaten as is.

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