This Avocado Tuna Salad is fast, fuss-free, and totally satisfying. Just grab a can of tuna, a ripe avocado, and a few pantry staples—and lunch is done. It’s packed with protein and fiber to keep you full, comes together in minutes, and skips the mayo without skipping flavor.
A no cook lunch packed with protein and fiber!
As a rule, I always have cans of tuna in the pantry and limes, ripe avocados, and jalapeños in the fridge. With these items at my fingertips, I can whip up a couple of this satisfying avocado and tuna salad whenever I’m hangry. (Got more time? Make my Spicy Tuna Cakes!)
If you don’t have Paleo mayonnaise on hand, a quick guacamole is the best binder for salads like this one. Mashed avocado is nature’s mayonnaise, after all!
Ingredients
- Canned wild albacore tuna in water: There are lots of great brands of canned tuna, but I really like American Tuna and Wild Planet. Not a tuna fan, canned chicken also works!
- Green onion: If you don’t have green onion, toss in a little diced red onion!
- Jalapeno pepper: If you don’t like spicy, just leave out the pepper! No fresh pepper? Just add about ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.
- Haas avocado
- Fresh lime juice: Yes, lemon juice will also work!
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Butter lettuce leaves or toasted nori: You can eat the salad right out of the bowl or wrap it up with the edible wrapper of your dreams!
How to make avocado tuna salad
Crack open a can of tuna, drain the liquid, and dump the tuna into a medium-sized bowl. Then, gently break up the meat with a fork.
After you’ve chopped the green onion and jalapeño pepper…
…toss them on the tuna. Mix in salt and pepper to taste, and a spritz of lime juice.
In a separate bowl, mash half an avocado with salt and pepper to taste, and the rest of the lime juice.
Scoop up the mashed avocado, add to the seasoned tuna…
…and stir to combine.
How to serve this avocado tuna salad
Eat it straight out of the bowl or wrap in butter lettuce leaves, grain-free tortillas, or toasted nori! (Yes, you can also slap it in between two pieces of bread to make a tuna fish sandwich!)
Chow down!
How to store leftovers
Tuna Avocado salad keeps for about 3 days in the fridge in an airtight container. However, please note that the avocado will continue to get browner the longer it sits—it’ll be okay to eat, but it may look a little unappetizing.
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Avocado Tuna Salad (Easy, Creamy, Protein-Packed!)
Ingredients
- 5 oz canned wild albacore tuna (in water)
- 1 green onion thinly sliced
- ½ jalapeño pepper diced small
- ½ medium Hass avocado
- ½ lime
- ¼ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 butter lettuce leaves, toasted nori, or grain-free tortillas (optional wrappers)
Instructions
- Crack open a can of tuna, drain the liquid and dump the meat into a medium-sized bowl. Next, gently break up the meat with a fork.
- Finely slice the scallion (green onion) and mince the jalapeño pepper. Toss them in the bowl with the tuna.
- Season the tuna to taste with a little salt, pepper, and a spritz of lime juice.
- In a separate bowl, mash half an avocado with salt and pepper to taste, and the rest of the lime juice.
- Scoop up the mashed avocado and add it to the bowl of seasoned tuna. Stir to combine.
- Eat straight out of the bowl or wrap in lettuce leaves, toasted nori, or grain-free tortillas.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Tried it for the first time this past week and it was delicious! Easy, flavorful, and great meatless option for Lent.