Easy Avocado Tuna Salad

Simply delish! I halved the recipe because I am a solo household. I was looking for something fast and easy and I had all the ingredients. It came together nicely, added a pinch of cayenne. Will definitely make again.

— Karen

Salads are my favorite for lunch. I pretty much eat one every day, such as my skinny egg salad or this copycat Magnolia Market chicken salad. And a good tuna salad is always a favorite! It’s a quick, easy, nutrient-rich meal that can be served a variety of ways.

If you’re a fan of tuna and you love avocado then this avocado tuna salad is for you. I personally think adding avocado to tuna salad is even more delicious than the original! The avocado adds a wonderful flavor and a creamy texture to the salad and replaces mayo making this meal super healthy.

As an added plus, avocado tuna salad is versatile enough to serve in lots of different ways. Serve it up in a wrap, on sandwich bread, over a bed of baby spinach, topped on apple slices or use it as a dip with crackers or tortilla chips. The options are pretty much endless!

Why you’ll love this recipe

• Quick & easy. This tuna salad recipe requires just a handful of simple ingredients that you toss together in one bowl. It only takes about 10 minutes to whip up!
• Perfect for meal prepping. If you meal prep, this easy avocado tuna salad recipe is perfect for you. It stores well and tastes great the next day for a healthy lunch.
• Healthy and nutrient-rich. This dish is packed with vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. It contains plenty of lean protein from the tuna and fiber, healthy fats, vitamin c and potassium from the avocado. Plus, there are a variety of vegetables mixed in to make this a very well-balanced meal.

Ingredients needed

All you’ll need are a handful of fresh, simple ingredients to make this tuna fish salad recipe. Feel free to mix and match ingredients as you like, but personally, I really love the recipe as written. Here’s everything you’ll need to make this healthy tuna salad recipe:

• Tuna. I recommend using skipjack wild tuna or canned light tuna in water, because both of these options are lower in mercury than other varieties of canned tuna.
• Celery. Adds fresh crunch!
• Avocados. Chunks of creamy avocado add richness to the salad. So good! Feel free to slightly mash up the avocado, if preferred.
• Red onion. This salad uses red onion, which is sweeter than yellow and white onions and much more palatable. Feel free to sub with another onion variety, though.
• Herbs. Chopped fresh cilantro for a fresh, citrusy taste. Other options for this salad are parsley, tarragon, or chives.
• Lemon juice. The juice from half of a lemon adds a bright, fresh flavor. Lime juice works great too!
• Olive oil. Mixed with the lemon juice to dress the salad. Other oils work fine.
• Salt & pepper. Really makes all of the flavors pop!

How to make this recipe

Once you have your veggies chopped and other ingredients prepped, this avocado tuna salad is as easy as stirring everything together in a large bowl. Here’s the simple method:

Full, printable instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

1. Prep. This recipe starts with canned tuna, which is drained and flaked in a bowl. You can use your favorite variety of canned tuna in oil or water. I like to use albacore or white tuna packed in water, but any type of tuna or even canned salmon will work.
2. Combine salad ingredients. In a large bowl, gently mix the tuna with the finely diced celery, chopped avocado, thinly sliced red onion, and chopped fresh cilantro to form the base of the salad.
3. Make the dressing. A simple lemon or lime vinaigrette is mixed in a small bowl. Pour that over the top of the salad, then the final step is to toss, eat and enjoy!

Tips for recipe success

Here are a few tips, so that this salad recipe turns out perfect every time!

• When draining the tuna, try to drain as much water (or oil) as possible before mixing the tuna with the other ingredients. This will keep your tuna avocado salad from being overly watery.
• Choose soft, but not overripe avocados. You want to make sure your avocados are soft, but not too soft. If they are more on the firm side, the tuna salad won’t be creamy.
• Mash up the avocado as much or little as you like. As seen in the pictures, I usually keep my avocado in coarsely chopped pieces, but feel free to make this salad extra creamy by mashing it all up.
• To make this salad ahead of time, simply stir all ingredients together, except the avocados. When you’re ready to serve, mix in the avocado. You can make this salad about a day in advance.
• If the flavor of raw onion is too intense for you, soak it in water with a pinch of salt for about 10 minutes, to take the bite out of it.

Variations

This avocado tuna salad is a very simple recipe and I personally love it as-is, but there are so many ways to make this your own and customize it to your preferences! Here’s some options:

• Vegetables. You can add other veggies to the mix such as cucumber, tomatoes, bell pepper, corn and/or black olives.
• Beans. Try adding canned beans for an extra dose of protein and fiber. I would suggest using only 1 avocado and a can of beans that have been drained and rinsed. Chickpeas or cannellini beans work great in this salad.
• Cheese. For an added flavor dimension, sprinkle in a little cheese, such as feta or crumbled cotija.
• Herbs. If you’re not a fan of cilantro, you can replace it with parsley, chives or fresh dill.
• Additions. Sometimes I like to add in crumbled bacon and/or a couple of chopped hard-boiled eggs.

Serving suggestions

There are variety of delicious ways to serve this avocado tuna salad. Which is your favorite?

• Bread. Pile on toasted or un-toasted bread with any other favorite sandwich fixings. It’s especially delicious served on croissants.
• Pita. Stuff the tuna salad into pita bread halves.
• Crackers or chips. Scoop up with your favorite crackers or chips.
• Apple slices. Load on top of large thin slices of apple.
• Lettuce wraps. Spoon into romaine or butter lettuce leaves.
• Tomato. Fill into a large tomato with the meaty part of the tomato spooned out.
• Wrap. Add to a tortilla wrap and roll it up. Or wrap it in a large burrito-size tortilla and toast it in a skillet, crunch wrap style.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best tuna to use for tuna salad?
Not all brands of canned tuna are created equal, either in terms of their flavor profile or their health benefits. Look for a sustainable, dolphin-safe brand. For this recipe, we suggest using tuna packed in water. If you only have tuna packed in oil, you may not need as much olive oil in the dressing. This also tastes great with canned salmon.

Is canned tuna healthy?
Canned tuna fish is an excellent source of high-quality protein, vitamins, and minerals and is low in saturated fat. Ounce for ounce, tuna is lower in calories, fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol than even the leanest cuts of beef and chicken. Just be sure to moderate your intake as large sport fish, like tuna, are known to contain mercury.

Does tuna pair well with avocado?
Absolutely! The mild flavor and creamy texture of the avocado complement the fish nicely. Many tuna salads are creamy and often made with mayonnaise or Greek yogurt. In this tuna salad recipe, there’s no need for mayo because the creaminess of the avocado is a great substitute.

Storage recommendations

To store: Cover with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container to keep the avocado from browning. The tuna salad should keep fresh for about 2 days in the fridge, if covered properly.

This avocado tuna salad truly takes the classic tuna salad from ordinary to extraordinary! I make it on the regular. It’s just that good! Trust me and give it a try!

If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment and if your family loves it as much as mine does, be sure to give it a five star ⭐️ rating! Also, tag @kimscravings on Instagram with a picture of your creation. It’s so fun to see what you’re cooking! Be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.