Give Tuna Salad A Salty Tang With One Strong Cheese

Tuna salad is a classic, but it can sometimes use a fresh twist to keep things exciting. While the standard recipe of mayonnaise, celery, and a dash of lemon juice is reliable, adding one unexpected ingredient can elevate your tuna salad to new heights: Parmesan cheese.

Parmesan is known for its nutty, salty, and savory qualities which bring depth to many different recipes. As it does elsewhere, mixing some finely grated Parmesan into your tuna salad yields a more complex and robust flavor profile. It balances the mayo's creaminess and the tuna's brininess, creating a delightful umami experience.

Use freshly grated cheese if possible when adding Parmesan to your tuna salad. Pre-grated Parmesan can be dry and less flavorful due to added anti-caking agents. Freshly grating the cheese with a cheese grater allows the rich, full-bodied flavors to shine through, boosting the overall taste of the tuna salad. And get your hands on authentic Parmesan, perhaps with the dots printed on the wheel, for the most delicious outcome. It's worth it! If you wind up with lots of extra cheese on hand, it turns out that Parmesan freezes quite well. Properly stored and thawed Parmesan tastes just fine when you mix it into tuna salad.

How much Parmesan you add depends on your preference. Start with a tablespoon or two, mix it into the tuna salad, and adjust as needed. You'll soon see that this small addition can make a big difference without overwhelming the original flavors of the dish.

If you like experimenting with your tuna salad, Parmesan pairs nicely with ingredients like sun-dried tomatoes, olives, sweet relish, or roasted red peppers. Parmesan also complements fresh herbs such as parsley and dill, giving brightness to the tuna salad.

One of the best things about incorporating Parmesan into tuna salad is how it helps the dish hold its flavor even after sitting in the refrigerator. If you make your tuna salad ahead of time, you might find that it tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld and the Parmesan infuses into the entire mixture.

The next time you make a batch of tuna salad, add some grated Parmesan. It turns an ordinary lunch into a flavorful, satisfying meal. As for your leftover cheese rind, toss it in a pot with your store-bought pasta sauce. Your family will think you made it from scratch.