Giada De Laurentiis Uses This Tuna For A Rich-In-Flavor Salad

With a plethora of culinary achievements under her belt, Giada De Laurentiis has recently partnered with Home Chef to create a line of meal kits which bring her signature Italian flair to home cooks. It's a match made in heaven seeing as De Laurentiis is full of useful culinary tips like waiting to eat pasta until it's a day old and spicing up arugula salad Italian-style. She also has some tricks up her sleeve to make tuna salad that's bursting with flavor. While proper seasoning and add-ins will enhance the dish, she recommends beginning with a specific type of tuna as a foundation for a meal you won't forget.

Sure, you can always take the advice of Jamie Oliver and use fresh tuna steaks if you want to go above and beyond. Yet, if you're like most folks, you just want a flavorful meal that doesn't require an enormous amount of effort on your part. De Laurentiis' recommendation? "I like the Italian tuna in glass, it comes in olive oil," De Laurentiis told The Takeout. "You start out with that rich flavor."

One brand of jarred tuna in olive oil that's popular among chefs is Tonnino, hailed for its luscious, creamy texture and flavor. Still, De Laurentiis noted that folks shouldn't get too caught up in trying to find the best jarred tuna money can buy. As far as what brand to pick, she said, "Any of them, as long as it's in glass in olive oil."

Using a product packed in olive oil makes for a tasty tuna salad foundation, but Giada De Laurentiis doesn't stop there when preparing the dish. Given her affinity for Italian cuisine, it's no surprise that she opts to zhuzh it up with extras that embody those flavor profiles. Whereas many folks will include ingredients like celery and onion, toss everything in mayo, and call it a day, De Laurentiis utilizes buttery white beans and fresh tomatoes that mimic the flavors of a Tuscan white bean soup. She also includes some Dijon mustard, capers, and a splash of lemon juice for acidity; resulting in a vibrant, balanced dish.

If you want to get really fancy, follow De Laurentiis' lead by topping the tuna salad with veggies. She uses chopped endive, treviso, shaved fennel, and baby arugula to add the wow factor to her Italian tuna salad; introducing a slight bitterness that harmonizes with the richness and acidity in the dish. Visually, adding veggies on top of the tuna salad also incorporates a graceful charm that perfectly exemplifies De Laurentiis' cooking style.