Tuna Avocado Salad

Quick answer: This tuna avocado salad has about 29 grams of protein and 290 calories per serving, and takes 15 minutes with no cooking. Mashed avocado does the creamy work here instead of mayo, yogurt or cottage cheese — the only dairy-free, egg-free tuna salad in the collection. Serves 4. Sodium is comparatively low, about 370 mg per serving.

Every other tuna salad on the site leans on dairy or eggs for its creaminess. This one doesn’t use either — mashed avocado, lime and cilantro carry the whole bowl, closer to guacamole than to a classic tuna salad.

Why This Recipe Has About 29 Grams of Protein

A larger tuna portion carries almost all of this, since avocado contributes bulk and creaminess more than protein.

A Note on Sodium

About 370 mg per serving, roughly 16% of the WHO’s 2,300 mg daily limit — one of the lowest-sodium recipes in the collection, since avocado, lime and cilantro all carry very little.

What You Need

Makes 4 servings

• 5 cans (5 oz / 142 g each) light tuna in water, drained (about 550 g drained total)
• 2 avocados, mashed
• 2 limes, juiced
• ½ cup (30 g) fresh cilantro, chopped
• ¼ red onion, finely diced
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

How to Make It

1. Mash the avocado with lime juice until mostly smooth, a few chunks left.
2. Drain the tuna and flake it into the bowl.
3. Combine with cilantro, red onion and jalapeño.
4. Season with salt and pepper, adjust lime to taste.

Tips

Make this close to serving time. Avocado browns within a few hours even with lime juice added.

Taste the jalapeño before adding all of it. Heat varies a lot between peppers.

Substitutions

Jalapeño: a pinch of cayenne if fresh peppers aren’t available. Cilantro: parsley for those who find cilantro soapy-tasting.

Storage

Same day only. This doesn’t hold well past a few hours — the avocado breaks down and the texture turns unpleasant by the next day.

PFadmin

Tuna Avocado Salad

A creamy tuna avocado salad with lime, cilantro and jalapeño, no dairy or mayo. About 29g protein per serving.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Servings: 4

Course: Salad

Cuisine: Mexican

Calories: 290

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 550 g 5 cans, 5 oz each light tuna in water, drained
• 2 avocados mashed
• 2 limes juiced
• 30 g ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• ¼ red onion finely diced
• 1 jalapeño seeded and minced
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Method

 

1. Mash the avocado with lime juice.
2. Drain the tuna and flake it in.
3. Combine with cilantro, onion and jalapeño.
4. Season to taste.

Notes

• Best made close to serving time, doesn’t store well overnight.
• One of the lowest-sodium recipes in the collection.

Nutrition

Per serving (recipe makes 4):

Preliminary calculation from USDA FoodData Central reference values, not yet verified against a finished Tuna nutrition workbook.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this ahead?

Not really — avocado-based salads brown and soften within a few hours, even with lime juice. Best made close to serving.

Is this dairy-free?

Yes — the only tuna salad in the collection with no dairy or eggs at all.

Can I add tomatoes?

Yes, diced cherry tomatoes work well and add a fresh contrast to the creamy avocado.

How spicy is this?

Mild by default — one seeded jalapeño. Add more, seeds included, for real heat.

More High Protein Tuna Recipes

Part of the 🥗 Tuna Salads collection, alongside High Protein Tuna Salad.

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