Avocado Tuna Salad – A No Mayo Recipe That Is Creamy, Delicious & Full Of Flavor

Sometimes it is simply just too hot to cook lunch or dinner, and that is when I turn to this Avocado Tuna Salad recipe. A delicious and healthy tuna salad recipe that doesn’t included mayonnaise.

For several years now avocados have been designated as a super food. They are full of healthy fats that actually help you lower your overall cholesterol levels.

They are also a great source of potassium and are high in fiber. Although they are most often known as the main ingredient in guacamole, they are also used as a creamy substitute in many recipes.

The Super Food

Whether you are making a dairy free smoothie or need to find a substitute for sour cream, heavy cream, or even cheese, the creamy and rich taste of avocados can step up and do the job, even in tuna salad.

And the same holds true when you need to find a replacement ingredient for mayonnaise. Fortunately I found out about this simple swap out of necessity.

Several years ago I discovered that I was allergic to eggs. Although it was devastating learning that I would no longer be able to enjoy a typical egg, bacon, and hash brown breakfast in the morning, it never really occurred to me what else that I would have to give up.

Before that I never really gave it a second thought about the specific ingredients in a lot of my favorite foods and condiments. Pancakes, waffles, cupcakes, brownies, and even anything that was made with ranch dressing or mayonnaise I could no longer have.

Although it was more difficult to eat out at a restaurant, especially for breakfast, I knew that I could easily make egg free substitutions at home.

Avocado Instead of Mayonnaise

Before the popularity and availability of plant based mayonnaise, I began using avocado as a creamy substitute in many of my recipes. Whether I was making Mayo Free Chicken Salad or simply making Avocado Toast, I simply couldn’t enough of this delicious and healthy fruit.

And when I decided that it was just too hot out to grill or cook lunch this week, I turned to it again to make Avocado Tuna Salad.

Within just a few minutes, I had lunch on the table without turning on a single appliance. And during the hot days of summer, when the temperature is in the 90’s and the humidity is out of control, this is a welcome recipe!

Best of all you can eat it as a cold sandwich or serve it with saltine crackers for a quick midday snack. Add in a little Fruit Salad and you have a summer time meal that is refreshing and takes little effort.

Avocado Tuna Salad Recipe

*A printable recipe card is located at the bottom of this article which contains the specific measurements, temperatures and cook times. However, continue reading below to learn about more helpful tips about this specific recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 5 oz tuna in water, drained and flaked (1 can)
• 1/2 stalk celery, halved then sliced
• 1 medium avocado, peeled, pitted & diced
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, diced & divided
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt and black pepper, to taste

More About The Ingredients

Tuna: You can purchase tuna either in a can or in a pouch. Although there will be more tuna in a pouch per ounce, either one will work for this recipe.

Whether you purchase the can or the pouch, just be sure that the tuna has been stored in water and not in oil.

Celery: The familiar crunch in this Avocado Tuna Salad recipe comes from diced celery. However, if you aren’t a fan of celery because it tastes too woody, feel free to substitute diced cucumbers instead.

Avocado: Be sure to choose a ripe avocado that can easily be mashed or spreadable. The easiest way to tell if the avocado is ripe is to remove the knobby stem at the tip of the avocado.

If it is bright green in the indention it is not yet ripe. However, if it is brown in the center of the indention, and the avocado isn’t rock hard, it is ripe.

However, you should not be able to easily squeeze an avocado. This indicates that the avocado is over ripe and most likely brown on the inside.

Cilantro: If you dislike the taste of cilantro, use fresh parsley instead.

INSTRUCTIONS

In a medium bowl, add the drained and flaked tuna. Then add the diced celery, avocado, red onion, and 1 tablespoon diced cilantro. Lightly toss to combine.

Pour the lemon juice and oil over the top of the salad and toss to evenly coat. Add salt and pepper and additional cilantro per taste.

It is best to serve and enjoy the avocado tuna salad immediately.

Helpful Recipe Tips

• If you can’t tolerate onions, simply skip them in this recipe.

• Feel free to add a diced hardboiled egg to your tuna salad. It will add some texture but still keep the salad creamy.

• If you are taking avocado tuna salad to work, or need to eat it at a later time, store it in a closed container with plastic wrap sitting directly on top of the salad. This will help prevent the avocado from turning burn too quickly.

• If you like a little spice in your food, feel free to add in diced jalapeños and/or hot red pepper flakes.

• Serve it between two pieces of bread for a sandwich, on bed of lettuce for a low-carb meal, or with crackers as an appetizer or snack.

• This recipe is best when served immediately or eaten within a few hours of making it. If you want to prepare it ahead of time, assemble all the ingredients, except the avocado. Then right before eating, peel and dice the avocado and mix it with the other ingredients.

How To Dice An Avocado For Tuna Salad

The best way to dice an avocado is to cut the avocado in half lengthwise. Twist and separate the two halves.

Using a sharp knife forcefully hit the pit so that the edge of the knife is partially inserted in the top of it. Then use a twisting motion to remove the pit away from the flesh.

Working with one half of the avocado at a time, slice the flesh in one direction several times. Then slice it in the other direction to make small, dice size pieces.

Using a large tablespoon, scoop out the diced avocado. Repeat the process with the remaining half. Now you can add the avocado to make Avocado Tuna Salad, Avocado Chicken Salad, or Easy Shrimp & Avocado Salad.

Enjoy! Mary

Follow My Facebook Page For Great Recipes For Two! I Cook For Two Facebook Page

To receive FREE recipes delivered directly to your email, be sure to sign up for the iCookfortwo newsletter. A sign up form is located in the middle of this article. If you have any questions, comments, or want to submit an idea for a recipe for two, feel free to email at mary@icookfortwo.com