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?
Dr put me on low carbohydrate meals can you help
Hi Janet, this would be a good option that is low carb. We don’t have a low carb category but we do have some dietary categories in our RECIPES index that may be helpful.
The Tuna Avocado Salad is so Good !!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Debbie!
Natasha I have printed off so many of your delicious recipes. Do you have a cookbook? I’d love to have a book full of your colorful dishes and their recipes all in one single book.
a faithful followers of your cook cook’n/food.
Hi Bette, Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I don’t have a cookbook out yet, but it’s on my list of life goals.
Bette, I love all of Natasha’s recipes so I print them and keep them in a stand up file in categories in my pantry.
Solid Albacore Tuna, NOT Chunk Light. That’s Solid Albacore in the pic and it makes a huge difference.
Hi George, you are correct, that was an error on my part. I updated the post to reflect what we used.
You really need your own show as you are fun to watch and recipes are so great! I used this as an appetizer and used oregano instead of cilantro and served with Tostiots Scoops. My family loved it and so did I. You are the best!!
Thank you for that wonderful compliment! You’re so nice!
I really liked this recipe I halved it since I was the only one eating it
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Dianne!
I love this recipe! Sent this to my daughter. Very fresh, filling and healthy! Thank you!
You’re very welcome, Debra. Thanks for your great review!
Healthy, filling and tasty recipe. The 3 adjectives that make me happy. Great alternative to mayanaissance heavy tuna salads.
I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Phoebe!
Loved this.
I’m happy you enjoyed that!
Waiting for avacados to ripen can’t wait to try this! Keep them coming Natasha!
Thank you Sue!
This salad is absolutely delicious, the lemon dressing was so tasty. Great lunch with excellent nutritional value. I only had 1/2 English cucumber so added some kalamata olives. Delicious!!! Thank you for the recipe. You’re awesome!
Thank you so much for your great comments and feedback! I’m happy to know that you enjoyed this salad recipe.
Wondering what the macros are if I left out the olive oil?
Hi Alex, I don’t currently have a system where we can easily calculate that without changing the entire recipe nutrition label. You might have to figure it out for the amount of oil and then divide.
How big is a serving? Thanks!!!
Hi Megan, this recipe serves 6 as a side dish so just imagine one order of a side dish when you eat out.
Dear Natasha
I have tried some of recipes, some turned well some didn’t, obviously because of me 😊
This one was sooo easy to make and so delicious, I just love it
I can’t stop eating 😄😋
You are great, thanks !
Hi Sonia, I’m so happy to hear that.
Natasha I often make your tuna avocado salad. It’s definitely my favorite. I did take it to a pot luck dinner. Everyone liked it. I add clover leaf jalapeño tuna that has olive oil added to it. It gives it a slight spicy flavour or a kick as some may call it. I just like spicy flavours. I made your gingerbread cookies too and they were devoured quickly.
Hello Nora, so nice to know that you’ve been enjoying my recipes. Thank you for sharing and I hope that you will love every recipe that you will try!
I would also add Feta Cheese cause I love it.
I changed up the dressing with my favorite Ponzu dressing:
Mix together:
3 Tab. Ponzu Sauce
2 tsp. Sesame oil
1 tsp. Soy Sauce
1 tsp. Ginger, grated
1 tsp. Toasted Sesame seeds
I love both ways.
Sounds great! Thank you too, for sharing this with us, we appreciate it.
Hi Natasha,
love your recipes. Can I substitute salmon instead of tuna with this salad
Hi Zai, I think this would still work great with Salmon. You can also check out my Avocado Salmon Salad Recipe if this helps.
This sale is so yummy! My family doesn’t like cilantro so I substituted parsley and added a few cherry tomatoes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Can you use water packed tuna? I dont like all the oil.
Hi Debby, yes that would work fine, just drain well.
Any thoughts on what to serve with this?
Hi JD, this can be served as a side with dinner or as a very satisfying lunch because it comes together quickly and is loaded with protein. One of our readers wrote in saying they enjoyed this on toast.