Subway Tuna Salad Sandwich

If you’re like me and crave a Subway Tuna Salad Sandwich, you’ll love making this Subway-style version at home. It’s simple, tasty, and you can load it up with all your favorite extras—just the way you want it.

I grew up eating basic tuna and mayo sandwiches, and I loved them even in their simplest form. But once I discovered Subway and saw all the toppings you could pile on, I never looked back. Now I can’t imagine tuna salad without all the stuff mixed in or layered on top.

This homemade version is easy to pull together with ingredients you probably already have in the fridge or pantry. Plus, it’s budget-friendly and totally customizable.

Subway Tuna Recipe

Making a classic Subway-style tuna sub at home is easier than you’d think. At its core, their tuna salad is just tuna and mayo—nothing fancy or complicated.

Of course, their mayo is a specific eggless blend with a bit of mint flavor that you can’t buy, but honestly, your favorite mayo will work just fine. I like adding a bit of lemon juice to cut any fishiness and give it a fresh edge.

If you want to keep it classic, just mix tuna and mayo. But you can also get creative and add your favorite extras—either stirred in or layered on the sandwich like at Subway. I always try to chill my tuna salad for at least an hour before using it. It just tastes better when the flavors have had time to meld.

How to Make a Subway Tuna Salad Sandwich

Here’s my simple method for making a Subway-inspired tuna sub at home:

• Start with a sub roll, hoagie, footlong, or any bread you love, sliced in half lengthwise.
• If you’re loading it up with toppings, start with a layer of shredded lettuce.
• Add a few slices of tomato and some rings of red or purple onion.
• Top the onion with a few pickle slices.
• Scoop on generous portions of tuna salad—about three big scoops if you want the real Subway feel.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Add two slices of cheese if you like.
• Finish with the top half of your bread or roll.

And that’s it. Just like they do at Subway, but made exactly how you like it at home.

Subway Tuna Sandwich Toppings

One of the best things about making these sandwiches at home is going wild with toppings. Here’s a list inspired by Subway’s options, so you can pick and choose your favorites:

Cheeses:

• Cheddar
• Monterey Cheddar
• Parmesan
• Processed Cheddar
• Swiss
• Feta (at some locations)
• Mozzarella
• Monterey Jack

Veggies and Extras:

• Baby spinach
• Banana peppers
• Black olives
• Cucumbers
• Green peppers
• Lettuce
• Pickle chips
• Red onions
• Tomatoes
• Avocado or guacamole (where available)
• Jalapeños

Seasonings:

• Grated Parmesan
• Oregano
• Pepper
• Salt

I personally love going overboard with toppings—lots of cucumbers, onions, peppers, and extra cheese. Even if the person behind the counter gives me a weird look, that’s just how I like it!

Subway Tuna

Wondering what kind of tuna Subway uses? They typically stick with skipjack and yellowfin tuna packed in water, sourced responsibly from fisheries with healthy stock levels.

At home, I like using canned tuna in water for a lighter, cleaner taste. If you have tuna in oil, just drain it really well before mixing.

Subway Classic Tuna Salad Recipe

One of the things I love about making this at home is total control. No skimping on the extras. No weird looks when you ask for more pickles or cheese.

Here’s my go-to mix for classic tuna salad:

• Tuna
• Mayo
• A splash of lemon juice to cut the fishiness
• Salt and pepper
• Celery for crunch
• Green onion or finely minced regular onion
• Chopped sweet pickles or relish
• A little garlic or Dijon mustard if you’re feeling fancy

I like making a big batch and letting it chill for a couple of hours in the fridge. It’s always better the next day, too.

How to Make Subway Tuna

Here’s my step-by-step approach:

1. Drain the canned tuna well. I usually just press the lid down to squeeze out all the liquid.
2. In a medium bowl, combine tuna, celery, onion, and garlic.
3. Add chopped pickles or relish.
4. Stir in mayo, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
5. Mix until fully combined.

If you have time, chill it in the fridge for at least an hour—it’s worth the wait.

This keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days in an airtight container.

How to Make a Tuna Sandwich

Once you’ve got your tuna salad ready, you can serve it any way you like:

• Piled onto sub rolls, hoagies, or sandwich bread
• Rolled into a wrap with lettuce and tomato
• On crackers for an easy snack
• Over a green salad with fresh veggies and a hard-boiled egg

Top it with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, olives—anything you’d add at Subway, you can do at home.

How Long Does Tuna Salad Last?

If stored properly in an airtight container in the fridge, homemade tuna salad should last up to 3 days.

What Kind of Tuna Should I Use?

I usually use tuna packed in water for a cleaner, lighter flavor. If you have tuna in oil, that’s fine too—just make sure to drain it well before mixing.

My Favorite Tuna Salad Extras

When I’m making it for myself at home, I go big on the extras. I’ll chop up a big pile of sweet pickles and stir them right in. I love that crunch and tang.

Here are some other add-in ideas you can try in your own version:

• Peas (fresh or frozen)
• Diced celery for crunch
• Cucumber slices on top or mixed in
• Hard-boiled eggs, chopped
• Diced apples for a sweet bite
• Tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• Alfalfa sprouts on top
• Cooked pasta to turn it into a pasta salad

Healthier Tuna Salad Options

If you want to lighten it up, try replacing some or all of the mayo with Greek yogurt. Or mix Greek yogurt with a bit of mayo for balance. I’ve even used light dressings like cucumber or ranch mixed in for a different twist.

How to Make a Tuna Melt

Want to turn this into a hot, cheesy melt? Here’s how:

1. Butter slices of bread and toast under the broiler until golden.
2. Flip and toast the other side.
3. Spread tuna salad on the toasted bread.
4. Add cheese slices on top.
5. Broil again until the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Serve hot and melty—it’s the ultimate comfort version of this sandwich.

Healthy Ways to Serve Tuna Salad

If you’re cutting back on bread, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy it:

• Hollow out a tomato and stuff it with tuna salad.
• Serve it over a big green salad.
• Wrap it up in lettuce or kale leaves.
• Roll it into a tortilla for an easy wrap.

Final Thoughts

Making this Subway-inspired tuna salad at home is one of my favorite ways to get exactly what I want without paying extra for add-ons. I love being able to pile on as many toppings as I like and knowing exactly what’s in every bite.

Also try these Tuna recipe:-

• Smoked Tuna Dip
• Creamy Tuna Pasta with Peas
• Panera Tuna Salad Sandwich