Avocado Tuna Salad

This fresh and healthy avocado tuna salad swaps the classic mayo for nutrient-rich avocado! It will become your new go-to after first bite.

Here’s a healthy lunch or dinner idea to spice up your routine: avocado tuna salad! This spin swaps out the classic mayonnaise for nutrient-rich avocado. The flavor is so fresh and delicious, you may give up the mayo version altogether. Alex and I might like this even better than classic tuna salad (except our recipe is really the very best so it’s a hard call). It takes only a handful of ingredients and 10 minutes to put together. It’s easy to forget about tuna salad, but this one is now solidly part of our healthy meal repertoire!

Ingredients for avocado tuna salad

The best part about tuna salad? You can make it using mostly pantry ingredients. Of course, you’ll need a ripe avocado. But other than the celery and onion, it’s totally pantry. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

1 can tuna (water packed or oil packed work)
1/2 ripe avocado
Celery
Red onion
Dill pickles are the key to getting that classic tangy flavor!
Lemon juice for a little pop
Dijon mustard adds just the right savory note

All you have to do is chop the veggies, then mash the ingredients together with a fork. This might just win the easiest meal ever award!

How to safely pit & chop an avocado

The only technique to avocado tuna salad recipe is making sure to safely pit your avocado! Many people have issues with knife safety when cutting this green fruit. Here’s the best way to cut an avocado:

Cut lengthwise around the avocado. Twist the two halves to separate them.
Place a towel in your hand and put the avocado on top. With a gentle but quick motion, tap the knife into the avocado pit.
Don’t remove the avocado pit with your hand! Instead, pull the cutting board close to your body, then place the pit against the far edge of the cutting board and pull back to release it from the knife. (Watch the video below for this part!)
Use a large spoon to scoop out the avocado from the peel. Place the avocado with the cut side down, then cut it into slices and then rough pieces.

Ways to serve avocado tuna salad: the sandwich & beyond!

Of course, the first way you’ll think of to serve this healthy tuna salad is the classic sandwich! There are lots of other creative ways to serve it: especially gluten-free and Paleo options. Here are some ideas:

Sandwich: There’s nothing wrong with the classic! Try our Artisan Bread (shown here), No Knead Bread, Whole Wheat Bread, or Best Sourdough.
Lettuce wraps: Try tuna salad wrapped in crisp lettuce leaves!
Main dish salad: Or, place the avocado tuna salad on mixed greens and add some sliced tomatoes and hard boiled eggs. Instant meal!
Crostini or crackers: Spread over baguette slices or crackers. For gluten free or Paleo, try our homemade almond crackers.
In an avocado: What to do with the other half of your avocado? Use it for serving your tuna salad!

Avocado nutrition

Alex and I aren’t against mayo over here. Our classic tuna salad has a touch of mayo along with some Greek yogurt, and so does our tuna salad with egg. But it’s fun to have a variation that maximizes the nutrition of this healthy fruit. Here are some facts about avocado nutrition…as if you needed more inspiration to eat it! (Source)

Rich in fiber. Avocados have lots of fiber; one serving has 7 grams or about 25% your daily value.
Full of heart healthy “good” fats. Avocados are full of monounsaturated oleic acid, a heart-healthy fatty acid.
Loaded with vitamins and nutrients. They’re also filled with a long list of vitamins.

This avocado tuna salad recipe is…

Pescatarian, gluten-free and dairy-free.