This Avocado Tuna Salad has a simple and surprising combination of ingredients but it just works! This tuna salad can be served on the side with dinner or as a very satisfying lunch because it comes together quickly and is loaded with protein.
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The avocado gives this tuna salad recipe a healthy and highly satisfying creaminess without needing mayo. The lemon juice and cilantro give it incredible fresh flavor – this may just become your new favorite tuna salad.
P.S. Want to know a little secret? This salad is a close relative to the #1 recipe on my site of all time – that’s where the inspiration came from and it was an instant hit!
Ingredients for Avocado Tuna Salad (print the recipe below):
This Avocado Tuna Salad has such simple ingredients and you may already have everything you need to make it (I love it when that happens!!).
What Kind of Tuna is Best for Tuna Salad?
We used drained Solid White Albacore Tuna in oil for more flavor and it seems to hold its form better, but you can substitute for well-drained tuna in water if you prefer.
Make-Ahead Tip: Once you add salt, the salad should be enjoyed within 3 hours of making, or the cucumbers start to lose their crispness. To prep the salad in advance, combine all of the ingredients except the salt, cover and refrigerate. Season with salt just before serving.
I would pass you a fork if I could so you could experience this amazing tuna salad for yourself. It’s worth discovering and this tuna salad recipe is meant to be shared!
KITCHEN EQUIPMENT (affiliate links):
Boos Cutting Board
OXO Fruit Scoop
Wusthof Classic Ikon 7-Inch Santoku Knife
VIDEO GEAR (if you’re curious!):
CANON 6D Camera
Canon 80D Camera (auto-focus for overhead shots)
Canon EF 24-105 F4 Camera Lens
Canon EF 100mm 2.8L IS Camera Lens
Canon EF 50mm f/1.2 L IS USM Camera Lens
Manfrotto Tripod
Manfrotto Video Head
Rhino Slider with Motion Controller
Rhino Arc Motorized Pan Head for Motion
Camera Mount Wireless Lavalier Mic System
Avocado Tuna Salad Video Tutorial:
Watch Natasha make this Tuna Salad Recipe with Avocado! It is mouthwatering good and so simple – definitely an upgrade on classic tuna salad.
Is your mouth watering yet??
Print Friendly for Avocado Tuna Salad:
Avocado Tuna Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 15 oz tuna in oil, drained and flaked, (3 small cans)
- 1 English cucumber, sliced
- 2 large or 3 medium avocados, peeled, pitted & sliced
- 1 small/medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro, (1/2 of a small bunch)
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt, or to taste
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- In a large salad bowl, combine: sliced cucumber, sliced avocado, thinly sliced red onion, drained tuna, and 1/4 cup cilantro
- Drizzle salad ingredients with 2 Tbsp lemon juice, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp black pepper (or season to taste). Toss to combine and serve.
Nutrition Per Serving
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
It really is as good as it looks. Avocado and tuna are a winning combination.
So much juiciness and flavour!!! Make this for your next party and your guests will rave about your avocado tuna salad. I hope you love this so much that it becomes a new favorite for you.
Q: What are YOUR favorite tuna recipes?
This is a perfect and delicious recipe! I love all of your recipes. I also did a version where I mixed a teaspoon of minced jalapeño and zested some lemon into the dressing. It added a nice kick. But yours by itself is perfect as it is 🙂
Sounds great too! Thanks for sharing that with us, Chris. I should try adding that next time.
Natasha, this salad is so easy to make and it is exceptional. Thank you so much for sharing!!!! I didn’t have much cilantro so substituted for parsley instead 😉
You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed it, Anna!
I made this with some chopped baby tomatoes and a little creme fraiche to rub on corn tortillas. Filled with your filling and drizzled with some home made chilli infused olive oil. It was exceptional!
I forgot to rate 5 out of 5. Remedied 🙂
Hello Ian, thank you for sharing your good feedback with us. I’m glad you enjoyed this salad recipe!
Hi natasha I tried this salad and it was lovely. can you use dill in this salad too? Can this salad be stored in the fridge and for how long?
Hi, dill would work and I would say not to make it more than 2 days ahead. The lemon juice will preserve the avocados and keep them looking fresh overnight but probably not much beyond that.
Awesome, love it
Thank you for watching!
First time trying one of your recipes. Made the avocado tuna salad. LOVED IT! So many flavors! Will be back to try more.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kathi! Thank you for that wonderful review!
Hi I prepare this salad adding asparagus and a pinch of chile de arbol flakes. What a delicious!! loveee it
I’m so glad! Thank you for sharing that with us!
How would I cut the recipe down for one person?
Hi Diane, scroll down to the printable recipe card and by the servings slide (the red number) down to one. I hope that helps
My husband and I have been making this every day for the last week! It is SO SO good! We also add Dijon Mustard and jalapeños to ours and it is just perfect! Thank you for the recipe!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite, Irina!
Made this recipe, for an easy lite summer dinner. My husband tried it and said you better take it away, which meant he really liked it. I found it so delicious it is our new salad. Thank you Natasha.
That is so awesome! You are so welcome and I hope you and your family love every recipe that you try.
This is fantastic. I don’t eat mayo, so this was a really delicious alternative to tuna salad. It was great as is, but I also tried it with a little sour cream and that was great too.
Yum! Thank you so much for sharing that with me Jenn! I’ll have to try that!
I made the tuna avocado salad for the first time today and it was absolutely SCRUMPTIOUS! The lemon vinaigrette was the perfect dressing for this dish. This is going to be a staple in my meal plan from now on.
Super love it! Thanks for your awesome review, Meg.
Can I use parsley instead of cilantro I’m not a big fan of it in the tuna avocado salad will it make a differance
Hi Mary! That should work! I hope you love this recipe!
Hi Natasha,
Thank you for all your receipts,
they all look so good! What would you recommend for this salad other then avocado?
Hi Cindy, Avocados are one of the main ingredients in this recipe but you are welcome to omit them.
The 1st time I tried it, I loved it, but I had a little heartburn I think from the red onion. So, I tried it again and sautéed the red onion for just a few minutes. Still tangy, but slightly milder and sweeter. Still yummy.
Thanks for sharing that with us, Audrey. You can use less onion or omit it next time if it’s still giving you the same effect.
Hi, I absolutely HATE cilantro; it tastes like soap to me, lol! What can I substitute for it? A lot of your recipes call for cilantro in the dressing but I have no idea what to use to fill in for flavor since I won’t use cilantro. Thanks for your help, and btw, I tried your Beef Broccoli and Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira and they were superb! You are so talented.
Hi Sheri, if you are not a fan of cilantro, you can use dill or chives/green onion.
Soooo good! I made half the recipe and ate the whole thing for lunch today. The canned tuna I had was in water, not oil, so I added a little bit more of the olive oil. And I used extra light olive oil, since I love its delicate flavor. Thank you for the recipe!
You’re welcome Irina! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
Looks so tasty healthy thanks
You’re welcome Pat! I’m so glad you enjoyed that!
Hi Natasha, I want to ask, since I can’t find cilantro? What can replace cilantro? Thanks. I am planning to make this recipe soon
Hi Maria, dill or parsley should work. I hope you love this recipe!
I made this for dinner with bread. I disappointed with myself coz it turned out not really good. The reason might be that I can’t find the perfect avocado, mine is slightly ripe, then I could not find English cucumber and use the white cucumber instead, and then I could not find red onion so use small onions. Also, can’t find the perfect lemon and use big lime instead.
Good things is that I made only small portion because I couldn’t find everything for this salad.
Only one store open near my place
since this
But will try next time..
Thank you…
Hi Maria, that does make it really difficult when the right ingredients aren’t available and I know some areas are more difficult than others. I feel for you and I can’t wait for everything to turn around for our world!
it’s too easy to make and healthy.
i love the recipe that could be make in no time
Thank you for your great review!