Crafty Costco Shopper Makes Unforgettable Tuna Salad With This Flavorful Dip

Tuna salad is quick and easy to make for a standalone snack or sandwich spread, but you might eventually get tired of the same old mayonnaise-and-tuna combination. Adding flavorful mix-ins like celery leaves or pickles is an inspired choice, and experimenting with spices like paprika or cayenne pepper can bring a smoky quality or a heated kick. Yet sometimes you need to change things starting from the foundation. Costco aficionado @thecostcochick on Instagram shows you how to do so with an unexpected swap for the standard mayo: La Terra Fina Spinach, Artichoke, and Parmesan Dip and Spread. 

This dip contains cream cheese, spinach, mayonnaise, onion, artichoke, and Parmesan and Monterey Jack cheeses for a creamy meld of sharp flavors, balanced by the earthiness of the spinach and the nutty taste of artichoke. Find it in the refrigerated aisles at Costco or have it delivered to your doorstep using the retailer's same-day delivery service. 

A tuna salad prepared with this dip is made the same way as the standard fare; combine pre-packaged tuna in a bowl with your desired amount of dip and stir. The dip can be eaten heated or chilled, so you could riff off of The Costco Chick's spinach-and-artichoke-dip grilled sandwich by creating regular or miniature tuna melts. She also mentions that this mayo substitute contains 80 calories in its standard serving size of 2 tablespoons, which may be noteworthy for anyone on a low-calorie diet. Before you go all in, here's how to get the most from this dip and how it compares to other tuna salads.

Creating the best tuna salad with this product comes down to the ingredients you use. Higher-quality tuna means a better-tasting result, and tuna packed in oil offers more flavor than packed-in-water varieties, so it's important to know the best canned tuna brands — Ortiz, Tonnino, and Wild Planet rank highly with us. Since the dip already includes artichoke, spinach, and Parmesan, you might not need extra mix-ins commonly used to upgrade mayo-based tuna. If you do add them, aim for ingredients that will mesh well. Try crunchy cucumbers to complement the creamy texture or thyme and parsley that harmonize with artichoke's nuttiness.

Compared to tuna salad with avocado mixed in, which is also rather creamy, this dip-based version offers more flavor and a subtle difference in texture. Another tuna salad addition like labneh would likely have a similarly intense taste thanks to the tangy strained yogurt. But if you're not a fan of chunky tuna salad, you might pass up this cooking hack for one of the others due to the bits of artichoke and spinach. Don't like the dip's cream cheese either? Try cottage cheese for your tuna salad for an alternative dairy swap instead.