This avocado tuna salad is loaded with chunks of tuna, avocado and colorful veggies for a fresh and lighter take on the classic dish! It’s the perfect lunch or dinner that’s packed with protein and nutrition.
I eat a salad almost every day, such as caprese salad or rainbow quinoa salad. Tuna salad is always a lunch time favorite; I’ve modernized this dish with a zesty lime dressing, plenty of creamy avocado, and an assortment of crisp veggies. It’s a quick and easy meal you can feel good about eating.
I’m always looking for more ways to get more seafood into my diet, and this avocado tuna salad has to be my new favorite! It only takes about 15 minutes to make and is full of flavors and textures to keep things exciting.
Tuna salad ingredients
The main components of this recipe include tuna, avocado, red onion, cucumber and cilantro. The dressing is made with lime juice, olive oil, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper.
How do you make avocado tuna salad?
This recipe starts with canned tuna, which is drained and flaked in a bowl. Mix the tuna with avocado, thinly sliced red onion, cucumber and cilantro and red onion to form the base of the salad. A simple lime dressing goes over the top, then the final step is to toss, eat and enjoy!
Tips for avocado tuna salad
- I use water packed tuna versus oil packed tuna so that I can control the fat content of the recipe.
- Try using a mandoline to thinly slice your onion. You can also used minced onion or shallots if you prefer.
- Choose firm but ripe avocados. You want to make sure your avocados are on the firm side so that they won’t get mushy when you toss the salad together.
- This salad can be made up to 6 hours before you plan to serve it. Simply omit the avocado, then stir in the avocado right before serving.
- While I typically use cilantro in this recipe, you can also try parsley, chives or even fresh dill.
Recipe FAQs
Avocado pairs perfectly with canned tuna! The mild flavor and creamy texture of the avocado complements the fish nicely. Tuna salads tend to be creamy and are often made with mayonnaise. In this recipe, you can skip the mayo because the creaminess of the avocado is a great substitute.
Avocado tuna salad is a great addition to a healthy diet. Tuna is high in protein and low in fat and calories, and the vegetables in the salad are also full of nutrients. The dressing is olive oil based, and olive oil is considered to be a healthy fat.
Tuna Salad Variations
This is a basic recipe, but there are so many different ways to customize it to your tastes!
- Vegetables: You can add other veggies to the mix such as corn, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers or olives.
- Beans: Add some canned beans for an extra dose of protein and fiber. Some of my favorite options include black beans, chickpeas or cannellini beans.
- Cheese: Sometimes I like to sprinkle a little cheese into the mix such as feta or crumbled cotija.
How to serve tuna salad
There are so many different ways to serve this tuna salad, and they all happen to be super delicious.
- Bread: Serve your salad on toasted wheat bread with lettuce and tomato.
- Pita: Stuff your salad into half of a pita bread.
- Chips: Scoop up the salad with tortilla chips.
- Lettuce Cups: Spoon the salad into romaine or butter lettuce leaves.
- Tomato: Stuff the salad into a hollowed out tomato.
- Wrap: Spread a spinach tortilla with a little mayonnaise. Add the tuna salad and roll up tightly. Cut in half and serve.
No matter how you choose to serve this salad, you’ll find yourself making it on the regular. It’s just that good!
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Avocado Tuna Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cans tuna water packed, drained
- 1 cup English cucumber quartered and sliced
- 1 avocado seeded, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons red onion thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 2 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the tuna, cucumber, avocado, red onion and cilantro in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, chili powder, cumin and salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the tuna mixture; gently toss to coat. Serve immediately.
Notes
- I use water packed tuna versus oil packed tuna so that I can control the fat content of the recipe.
- Choose firm but ripe avocados. You want to make sure your avocados are on the firm side so that they won’t get mushy when you toss the salad together.
Mary says
Always try to use the chunk light tuna, albacore is very high in mercury.
Sara says
Thanks for the tip! 🙂
Annemarie LeBlanc says
My choice of canned tuna is always Chicken of the Sea. It just tastes better than the other brands. I love how you made this salad recipe. All those different textures would make it really delicious and healthy too!
Our Family World says
Sounds really interesting. Tuna is a favorite in the house and avocado is a staple in our salads. I will make this salad and I know it will be a winner. I can even make some to take to work for my lunch.
Kita Bryant says
I would love to try this recipe. There are so many great ingredients in this one.
Farrah Less G. says
Wow we have this same meal on dinner yesterday. My family loves it healthy and delicious. They want me to make it at least twice a week now.
Debbie says
I just love this twist on tuna which we always have in the house! My husband will love this!
Emily says
This looks so good! I always love adding avocado to things, it gives most recipes such a great flavor. I would love to make this for a yummy lunch option!
Heather says
Oh my gosh it looks so good! I love that you put it in a lettuce wrap too! I love avocado, but I just found out that I could be deathly allergic to them. It sucks to develop an allergy to a food you love.
Pam says
This looks like such a refreshing meal. I love anything that has avocado in it!
Jenn @ EngineerMommy says
I never thought of combining avocado and tuna but I love both of them individually. It makes sense that together, they would be even better.
Lisa says
This looks like the perfect light and healthy lunch. I love the addition of the lettuce cups. I bet it gives it the perfect amount of crunch.
Joanna @ Everyday Made Fresh says
I love the addition of the avocado in this. I haven’t had tuna salad in a while, this would be perfect to whip together this weekend!
Heather @ Kraus House Mom says
I think the tuna pouches are such a great invention. I buy them all the time. I will put them in my kids’ lunches, grab one on the go and bring them to the beach. They’re so convenient. This salad is so bright, it’s begging to to be eaten..
Angelic Sinova says
I am obsessed with all things avocado. No really, I add avocados to everything nowadays. I can’t wait to try that avocado tuna salad. It looks so yummy.
Amber Myers says
Yum, this would be an incredible salad to have! I tend to love anything with avocado in it. This looks so tasty and I’ll be making it soon for lunch.
Kimberly says
This is absolutely amazing. You cannot go wrong with avocado and tuna. They are both refreshing and light ingredients. This is such a simple and easy to follow recipe that this could be made in no time. And packed with such good an wholesome ingredients for a healthy treat — I know my son would eat it because he loves all of it aside from the jalapenos which I’m sure I could omit without taking away from the recipe. Thank you so much for sharing it.
valmg @ Mom Knows It All says
This dish has such great color! We always have tuna on hand, it’s so versatile and a favorite of my youngest son’s. My sister-in-law loves avocado so I know she;d be up for trying this.
candy says
Wish I enjoyed tuna more. But my husband loves tuna and would really enjoy this salad. So I will have to make it for him and let him enjoy every moment of eating it.
robin rue says
We don’t eat seafood, but my husband will eat tuna on occasion. He always says it’s not real seafood LOL….so I be he’d like this for lunch one day.
Alli Smith says
I love the addition of avocado in your tuna salad. It’s such a bright and pretty salad with all my favorite veggies and spices. Those pouches of tuna are so easy to use and I always have several in my pantry.