Why Matthew McConaughey’s Tuna Salad Is Shockingly Good (I Make It Every Week!)

When I’m making tuna salad, I keep it real simple: a light amount of mayo, a spritz of lemon juice, red onion, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. This classic combo hits the spot for me. Especially because I’ve gone deep into a tinned fish rabbit hole lately — with brands like Fishwife and Tonino — I can’t help but want to let the tuna shine and stay away from drowning it in extras. From there I usually toast and butter a couple slices of sourdough, layer on some buttercrunch lettuce, pile on the tuna salad, and boom! Lunch.

I stick to this routine. Or at least, I did — until I stumbled onto the absurdity that Matthew McConaughey calls a tuna salad. The actor suddenly kept popping up on my TikTok feed. No, not because of a new movie. Instead, creators on social media couldn’t stop re-creating his completely unhinged tuna salad recipe.

“You get your good tuna. Next, you want to watch how much lemon and vinegar you add. Add the mayo mixed with some wasabi and then all the rest of the stuff: chopped red onions, dill pickle gherkins, and crispy jalapeño chips to give it a little bit of a crunch,” McConaughey said in an interview on the 2 Bears, 1 Cave podcast.

So, in the name of journalism, I went ahead and tried this take on tuna salad. Here’s how it went.

Get the recipe: Matthew McConaughey’s Tuna Salad

Start by adding about a can of tuna to a medium bowl. Use a fork to flake and break it apart. Then add mayonnaise, wasabi paste, finely chopped red onion, finely chopped dill pickles, chopped apple, cooked corn, cooked peas, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything together until well-combined.

Top with about 1/3 cup of crumbled crispy jalapeño chips and enjoy right away in a sandwich, lettuce wrap, or straight from the bowl.

My expectations for this tuna salad hovered near rock-bottom. Like I explained, I usually go for a minimalist version, so this recipe just felt like it was trying too hard. But I’ll be honest: I shocked myself after that first bite. Something clicked. Beyond the hype around McConaughey, the salad went viral for a reason — it actually tastes really good.

Prep came together quickly, like it does with any tuna salad. Honestly, it felt more like cleaning out my fridge and freezer than following a recipe, which I appreciated, as I hate wasting food.

From the first bite, the tang from the pickles and heat from the wasabi stood out. Tuna salad can sometimes bore me with the same texture and flavor in every mouthful, but McConaughey’s version delivered variety. Tender corn and pea niblets met crunchy jalapeño chips, and somehow it all worked. I even found myself making it a few more times that week.

What really sets his recipe apart is the no-frills, dump-it-all-in approach. “Every Sunday night, I clean out the fridge and make a batch of tuna fish,” he says. And it sounds wonky, but I promise it works. From now on, when I make tuna salad I’ll toss in whatever veggies I have hanging around or chips that are about to go stale.

McConaughey’s tuna salad won me over. At this point, I’m shocked to say it, but it has secured a permanent spot in my weekly lunch rotation.

• Swap the protein: If tuna isn’t your favorite, try using another canned staple like chicken, smoked salmon, or mackerel. You can also shred in some leftover rotisserie chicken as a substitute.
• Have fun with the crunchy component: This recipe lends itself to customization. Instead of jalapeño crisps, try salt and vinegar, classic potato, or sour cream and onion chips.
• Brighten it up with herbs: For a more pronounced and aromatic flavor, mince some fresh dill or parsley and mix it into the salad.

Get the recipe: Matthew McConaughey’s Tuna Salad

This post originally appeared on The Kitchn. See it there: Why Matthew McConaughey’s Tuna Salad Is Shockingly Good (I Make It Every Week!)