Why You Should Swap Mayo With Greek Yogurt In Your Tuna Salad
There's nothing worse than planning to make a dish, only to find out that you don't have one of the main ingredients on hand. Sure, you can shelf the recipe for another day, but if the craving just won't go away and you can't make it to the store, sometimes a substitution can save the day. Such is the case with the mayonnaise in a tuna salad. Although mayonnaise is a main component in the sandwich spread, you can actually swap it out for another ingredient: greek yogurt.
According to Cooking Light, Greek yogurt works well in tuna salad because it's as creamy as mayonnaise and also has a slightly tangy flavor profile. As an added bonus, it's full of probiotics, so it's a nutritious option, and if you're counting calories, it's a lighter alternative to mayonnaise that tastes just as good. To retain the richness of mayonnaise, Cooking Light recommends adding a dash of extra virgin olive oil — a tablespoon per fourth-cup of 2% Greek yogurt.
How to make Greek yogurt taste like mayonnaise
Substituting mayonnaise for Greek yogurt in tuna salad allows you to achieve similar looking and equally delicious results, but without any other adjustments to the recipe, it won't taste exactly like the classic. If you're hoping for a more mayonnaise-like flavor, Rocco DiSpirito's recipe is your best bet. As the celebrity chef shared on an episode of the "The Rachael Ray Show," it starts with a white vinegar and cornstarch slurry.
Once the two ingredients are whisked together, mix in a 2/3 cup of Greek yogurt, and add it all into a saucepan, bringing it to a boil over high heat. Once the Greek yogurt mixture has thickened, transfer it to a food processor, and blend until smooth. Add the remaining Greek yogurt from the tub, followed by Dijon mustard, sweetener, and salt, then blend again. After two hours of sitting in the fridge to firm up, your "mayonnaise" will be ready to be added to your tuna salad.
And if you want to enhance your tuna salad even more, consider adding sardines or one of these recommended cheeses.