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Avocado Tuna Salad

5 from 15 votes
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posted: 01/16/22

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This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Avocado Tuna Salad is the perfect easy lunch. This recipe is filling, full of flavor and will be your new favorite sandwich recipe.

two half avocado tuna salads stacked on top of each other

I love a good tuna salad sandwich, but today I’m going to give you the most delicious spin on the classic. This creamy Avocado Tuna Salad takes out some of the mayonnaise in the dressing and replaces it with delicious avocado. The avocado perfectly combines with the dressing ingredients and makes this a salad that you will fall in love with.

While this makes a great nutritious lunch recipe, it is also perfect as a side dish for get togethers, picnics, and BBQs. Additionally, it will make a fast and easy dinner recipe that everyone will feel great about. If you have little kids, let them try this. My youngest is obsessed with avocado.

two bowls, one with ingredients for tuna salad, one with ingredients for the dressing

How to Make Avocado Tuna Salad

This is a brief overview of how easy this recipe is. For the full recipe with all of the measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

  1. Make the dressing: Mash the avocado in a bowl and whisk in mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
  2. Combine the rest of the ingredients: Stir the dressing into the drained tuna, diced onion, celery, and diced pickle.
overhead of a bowl of avocado tuna salad separated by ingredient

Eating Tuna Salad

This is a great recipe to eat on it’s own if you are on a low carb diet. You could also eat it in endive cups or bib lettuce like with my Chicken Lettuce Wraps.

I love this salad on whole grain bread with Romain lettuce and sliced tomato. If you are taking this to work for lunch and are high maintenance like me, assemble the sandwich at work. Or add a layer of Romain to both sides of the tuna salad to keep your bread from getting too moist.

How to Pick a Ripe Avocado

When looking for avocados for this recipe, you want to find an avocado that is just ripe. Here are three things to look for:

  • Skin color: The avocado’s skin should be dark green, or almost black.
  • Skin texture: The avocado’s skin should be bumpy rather than smooth.
  • Softness: When you gently squeeze the avocado, it should have just a slight give. It shouldn’t feel overly soft or hard as a rock.

Pro tip: If you pick an avocado that is underripe, throw it in a paper bag for one to two days and it will ripen perfectly.

What Tuna to Use

For this tuna and avocado salad, I recommend using a chunk tuna that has been packed in water. The tuna that has been packed in oil adds flavors and calories that aren’t needed here. If you have more questions and concerns about what tuna to buy, this article is extremely helpful.

FAQ

How long does avocado tuna salad last?

I enjoy this recipe the most right after it is made. It can be stored in the refrigerator for three days after being made.

Can avocado tuna salad be frozen?

This isn’t a recipe that I would recommend freezing. Because of the mayonnaise and the avocado, this recipe is best when made fresh.

How many does this recipe serve?

This recipe makes three cups of tuna salad, which is enough for four hearty sandwiches.

two avocado tuna salad sandwiches stacked one on top of the other

What to Serve with Avocado Tuna Salad

  • Fruit Salad: This delicious fresh salad with it’s light dressing would go great with these sandwiches.
  • Corn Salad: If I’m being honest, I could make this corn salad a meal of it’s own.
  • Summer Salad Recipe: The bright colors and flavors of this recipe make it unique and absolutely delicious.

If you make this Avocado Tuna Salad recipe, leave me a comment and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you!

two half avocado tuna salads stacked on top of each other
5 from 15 votes

Avocado Tuna Salad

Serves: 4 servings
(tap # to scale)
Prep: 10 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Avocado Tuna Salad is the perfect easy lunch. This recipe is filling, full of flavor and will be your new favorite sandwich recipe.

Ingredients

  • 14 ounces canned tuna drained
  • 1/2 small red onion diced small
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 1/4 cup dill pickles diced
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise (I used light)
  • 1 avocado
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • In a large bowl combine the tuna, red onion, pickles, and celery.
  • In a small bowl smash the avocado. Then whisk in mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Taste and add more salt and pepper to taste being careful to start out with just a little.
  • Stir the dressing into the main ingredients.
  • Serve right away or store in an airtight container for 3 to 5 days. Please note that if this salad sits out for more than 2 hours, the leftovers should be thrown away.
Serving: 0.75cup Calories: 315kcal (16%) Carbohydrates: 14g (5%) Protein: 32g (64%) Fat: 18g (28%) Saturated Fat: 2g (13%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g Monounsaturated Fat: 6g Cholesterol: 14mg (5%) Sodium: 1101mg (48%) Potassium: 647mg (18%) Fiber: 4g (17%) Sugar: 5g (6%)
Author: Lisa Longley
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
two half avocado tuna salads stacked on top of each other

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Avocado Tuna Salad

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Hi! I'm Lisa Longley, and I am committed to giving you simple dinner ideas and recipes that are easy to make; recipes that will fill your home with joy. I am the owner and author of SimpleJoy.com and I'm so glad that you are here.

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  1. Martha says

    I love your recipes!

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad to hear that, Martha!

  2. Diane says

    5 stars
    Delicious! Hubby loved it too. Good way to use avocados when they all ripen at the same time!

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad you liked it!

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad to hear it was a hit!

  3. RS says

    5 stars
    I used this recipe as a guide, since I’ve discovered I don’t like pickles (or relish) in my tuna, so I just use extra lemon juice. The avacado made it incredibly decadent and delishous! I will be doing this avacado tuna salad every time I have a ripe avacado ready to go. Thank you for posting!

    • Lisa Longley says

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

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