Wasabi Tuna Salad

 Bite into a salad that bites you back.

My Secret Recipe Club assignment this month is to make, photograph, and post a recipe from Smells Like Brownies, hosted by Melissa.

Melissa is a stay-at-home mom of two who is "often able to prepare somewhat complicated dishes, the kinds of things that are normally reserved for weekends."  My own three kids (if you don't count theHubs) are grown and out of the house, but with a full-time job also out of the house, I usually don't have the luxury of making complex weekend dishes during the week.

Lucky for me, Melissa has oodles of recipes that are weekday-friendly.  Such as this kicking tuna salad.   Even luckier, this recipe can be made Passover-friendly by simply substituting horseradish for the wasabi and ditching the bread.    Yes, I tried out this recipe during Passover, and was thrilled at the idea of using horseradish for something besides Hillel sandwiches or gefilte fish.

Speaking of horseradish, this medium-spicy condiment is what gives this tuna its kicking flavor.  But don't worry ... the kick is more like a tingly nudge rather than full upside your head wallop.  But unless you are the type who thinks hamburger relish is too spicy, do not omit it!  Your tastebuds will wonder how you could have enjoyed tuna salad all these years without it.   If you go with horseradish instead of the original wasabi, I suggest using the white stuff, or else thoroughly rinsing the red stuff to avoid possibly marbling the tuna. 

Guess which type of horseradish I used?

I find that matzoh sandwiches are impossible to eat with my hands, unless it's directly over a plate.  And even then I eventually have to grab a fork after the first bite, since the matzoh then immediately crumbles, dropping everything onto my lap.   So to save time (and lap), I make open-faced matzoh sandwiches, daintily eaten with the fork I tried not to use in the first place, and enjoying the now-flavored matzoh last.

theHubs made himself lunch with leftover salad, and
then took a photo,  just for this post.  Whatta guy!

Can I share a couple secrets with you, Dear Reader?  I used ground ginger and ground garlic instead of the fresh stuff.  Although I did take the time to squeeze a lime.  Some things just can't be rushed.


Wasabi Tuna Salad
Lightly adapted from: Smells like Brownies
Yield: 4 lunch servings

2 (5oz.) cans water-packed white albacore tuna, well drained
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbl. prepared wasabi (or horseradish)
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1 Tbl. grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp. ground ginger)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
juice of 1/2 lime (about 1 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/8 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
4 matzoh boards


Place tuna in a medium-sized mixing bowl.  Add tuna; break up chunks with a fork.  Use same fork to mix in mayonnaise, horseradish, scallions, bell pepper, ginger, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper.

If not serving right away, stored, tightly covered, in fridge for up to 5 days.

When ready to serve, carefully break each matzoh board in half.  Spread each half evenly with the tuna salad.   Serve two halves per person.

Important note! Because this post is participating in a blog hop, some of the recipes below might not be kosher.  

An InLinkz Link-up