Description
These Tuna Salad Sliders are a perfect handheld meal featuring a flavorful blend of water-packed tuna, fresh vegetables, and zesty seasonings. Layered with pepper jack cheese and crisp lettuce on soft slider buns, they make an ideal snack or light lunch, easy to prepare and served chilled for a refreshing bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Tuna Salad
- 6 cans (5 oz / 142 g each) tuna, water-packed, drained
- 1 large red onion, chopped
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) mayonnaise
- 2 jalapeño peppers, chopped (optional)
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
- 1 tsp black pepper
Assembly
- 12 slider buns
- 12 slices pepper jack cheese
- Lettuce leaves (romaine or butter lettuce preferred)
Instructions
- Prepare the Tuna Salad: In a large bowl, combine the drained tuna, chopped red onion, chopped tomatoes, mayonnaise, chopped jalapeños if using, fresh lemon juice, minced garlic, Old Bay seasoning, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are well mixed and the salad looks visually appealing, ensuring that every bite is balanced and flavorful.
- Chill the Mixture: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the tuna salad for about 10 minutes. This chilling step allows the flavors to meld beautifully and intensifies the overall taste.
- Assemble the Sliders: Once chilled, spread a generous layer of tuna salad over the bottom half of each slider bun. Top each with a slice of pepper jack cheese and a crisp leaf of lettuce to add texture and freshness. Press down slightly on each slider to help them hold together.
- Serve the Sliders: Place the top halves of the slider buns onto the assembled fillings. Arrange the sliders neatly on a serving platter and serve chilled. These sliders are especially refreshing on warm days and perfect for casual gatherings or light meals.
Notes
- If you prefer less spice, omit the jalapeño peppers or reduce the amount used.
- Mayonnaise can be substituted with Greek yogurt for a lighter version.
- For extra zest, consider adding a dash of hot sauce or more lemon juice to the tuna salad.
- Make sure to drain the tuna well to avoid a watery salad.
- Slider buns can be toasted lightly if preferred warm instead of chilled.
