Tuna salad is one of those wonderfully humble recipes that seems to have a permanent place in the family-recipe box.

It’s quick, inexpensive, filling, and made with ingredients many of us already have tucked away in the pantry and refrigerator. A little tuna, some mayonnaise, crunchy celery, maybe onion or relish, and suddenly lunch is ready.

But there’s one question that comes up again and again:

What actually makes a tuna salad taste really good?

I’ll admit it—I didn’t have the faintest idea how much difference a few small details

There’s more to discover. Continue to the next page for the rest of this article.