Avocado Tuna Salad Recipe (Paleo, Keto, Whole30) (2024)

This no mayo avocado tuna saladrecipe is an easy healthy lunch or snack that's ready in 5 minutes with just 4 ingredients. And it's a gluten-free, dairy-free, paleo, Whole30, and keto tuna salad recipe.This quick meal is packed with protein and so delicious!

Avocado Tuna Salad Recipe (Paleo, Keto, Whole30) (1)

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I love this avocado tuna salad. It makes a great quick and easy healthysnack or a perfect lunch. And it's another great way to eat one of my favorite foods—avocados.

This recipe uses just four essential ingredients, but it reminds me of the old school classic tuna salad I used to eat as a kid. For me, it's true comfort food.

And it's really simple to put together. Best of all, it requires NO cooking, so it’s perfect if you’re in a hurry or don’t feel like heating up the stove.

Unlike traditional tuna salad, it requires no mayo! This healthy tuna salad recipe without mayonnaise gets its creaminess from the avocado instead.

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Ingredients for no mayo tuna salad

Avocados are in season throughout most of the year. Choose a ripe avocado that’s firm but with a little “give.”

You can check for ripeness by pulling the small piece of stem. If the stem comes off easily, the avocado is ripe. If it holds firm, then it’s not ready quite yet.

The spot where the stem meets the avocado should appear green underneath. If the stem falls off easily and the spot underneath is brown, the avocado is overripe and may be brown inside.

Avocado Tuna Salad Recipe (Paleo, Keto, Whole30) (2)

When it comes to selecting the fish, you can use whatever tuna you have—leftover tuna from last night's dinner works great in this recipe. In fact, home-cooked tuna may be even better than canned!

Of course, most of us opt for cans of tuna out of convenience. Be sure to select a good quality canned tuna.

White albacore tuna has a firm, meaty texture, light white color and mild flavor. Chunk light tuna is made from smaller varieties of tuna fish and has smaller flakes and a stronger flavor.

With a recipe this simple, choosing the best tuna and avocado will make a huge difference. When there are only four components to a dish, you want to choose the best items you can find—this means perfectly ripe avocados and high-quality tuna. You won't even miss the mayo!

How to Make a Tuna Salad Stuffed Avocado

Cut the avocado in half,remove the pit (carefully) and scoop out the middle of both halves leaving a shell of avocado flesh. You want to have about half of the avocado in the mixing bowl to use for the salad.

Add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice, stir in a bit of finely chopped onion to taste, and mash all the ingredients together. Once the other ingredients are combined, gently mix in the tuna to finish this easy tuna salad.

Avocado Tuna Salad Recipe (Paleo, Keto, Whole30) (3)

The key to making this recipe truly great is tasting it as you make it. Because avocados and lemons vary in size, it's important to taste as you go along to make sure you have the right balance of creaminess and acidity in the tuna salad. Add a little more avocado or lemon juice if needed to strike the right balance.

I love how perfectly simple this recipe is—yet you can easily customize it to suit your taste by adding dill pickles, red onion, dijon mustard, fresh herbs, bell pepper or even hot peppers for a little kick. You could even use lime juice instead of lemon. Just add whatever else you like in your tuna salad.

When you’ve got your perfect tuna salad blend, you simply scoop into the avocado cups and enjoy.You get a few bonus bites of avocado left in the shell (who can complain about more avocado?!).

This stuffed avocado boat is a simple, healthy meal. It’s low carb, high in protein and full of healthy fats, so it will keep everyone full and satisfied for hours. It’s an easy lunch with simple ingredients and a great quick meal or snack to make any time.

To round this main dish out, you could pair it with a delicious soup. Avocado stuffed with tuna salad along with a quick tomato souporbroccoli soup makes a perfect fast meal.

More Easy Healthy Salad Recipes

Try these healthy recipes for a light lunch, snack or side dish for something a little different.

  • Antipasto Salad
  • Broccoli Salad with Bacon
  • Avocado Caprese Salad
  • Roasted Sweet Potato Salad
  • Shrimp and Arugula Salad

Avocado Tuna Salad Recipe (Paleo, Keto, Whole30) (4)

Avocado Tuna Salad (Paleo, Keto, Whole30)

An easy no-mayo quick and easy healthy snack or lunch.

4.58 from 19 votes

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Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Total Time: 5 minutes mins

Servings: 2 servings

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Diet: AIP, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Keto, Low Carb, Paleo, Whole30

Author: Lisa Wells

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cut the avocado in half and scoop the middle of both avocado halves into a bowl, leaving a shell of avocado flesh about ¼-inch thick on each half.

  • Add lemon juice and onion to the avocado in the bowl and mash together. Add tuna, salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Taste and adjust if needed.

  • Fill avocado shells with tuna salad and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 239kcal Carbohydrates: 14g Protein: 16g Fat: 15g Saturated Fat: 2g Cholesterol: 25mg Sodium: 183mg Potassium: 688mg Fiber: 8g Sugar: 2g Vitamin A: 185IU Vitamin C: 38.7mg Calcium: 38mg Iron: 2mg

Keyword: avocado tuna salad, tuna salad without mayo

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Avocado Tuna Salad Recipe (Paleo, Keto, Whole30) (2024)

FAQs

Is tuna allowed on paleo? ›

The paleo diet includes flavorful foods that can be prepared ahead and taken on the go. Pack a salad for lunch, and just add a pouch of our Chunk Light or Albacore Tuna for a delicious lunch or snack on the go.

Is canned tuna allowed on Whole30? ›

Canned tuna is a great protein option on the Whole30. There are a few things to be careful about when buying it though. Make sure there are no added oils, broths, or preservatives. I love the brand Safe Catch.

Why should avocado not be added to a salad until immediately before serving? ›

Avocados can brown when exposed to the air, so let them be the last ingredient you add before serving to help keep them green for your presentation.

Is tuna AIP compliant? ›

Canned tuna in extra virgin olive oil, is one of those #bloodyfabulous, AIP-friendly pantry staples. It's an inexpensive and easy way to add more fish to your diet, even if you're not a the biggest fan of fish recipes (<– like me!) Jessica Simpson famously referred to tuna as the chicken of the sea.

Why should you not eat tuna every day? ›

Certain types of tuna are high in mercury, which can have harmful effects on health in high amounts or in certain populations. For most healthy adults, it's recommended to consume at least 2 servings of fish per week, which can include tuna.

Can you eat bananas on Whole30? ›

What about bananas? Yes, both pickles and bananas are allowed on Whole30. Yet if they are a potential trigger food for you (for instance, the sweetness of bananas sets off a craving for other treats or makes you want to binge on the fruit), then you may consider including them on your “don't eat” list.

Can I have mayonnaise on Whole30? ›

To make it easy for you we made a list of nutritionist-recommended condiments approved on Whole30—mayo, BBQ, ketchup, salad dressing, and more!

Why is mayo not on Whole30? ›

Yes! And no. Mayonnaise the condiment is definitely allowed, but “standard” mayonnaise like Hellman's is not, since it almost always has sugar, canola oil, soybean oil, etc. This Whole30 mayo is absolutely compliant, but if you need to buy some in a pinch, check out Primal Kitchen Avocado Oil Mayo.

What not to mix with avocado? ›

The combination you want to stay away from is eating avocados (a fat) with nuts (a protein). The raw fat properties of the avocado have an inhibiting effect of the digestion of the protein in nuts.

Why are chefs not using avocados? ›

With avocados being labeled “the new blood diamond” due to their unsustainability and threat to human rights (at least for the time being), a consumer boycott of the fruit would seem to be an obvious response. Indeed, many chefs have scratched avocados right off their menus.

Why not eat avocado and toast for breakfast? ›

They're not a complete breakfast.

Being that they're a fruit, avocados are very low in protein. Protein is super important in the morning — it gives you a boost of energy and keeps you full longer. Avocado toast is essentially carb + fat.

Is canned tuna inflammatory or anti inflammatory? ›

Fish such as sardines, salmon, and tuna are chock full of omega-3 fatty acids and considered to be anti-inflammatory. One large study12. Long-term intake of dietary long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk of rheumatoid arthritis: a prospective cohort study of women.

Are bananas OK for AIP? ›

Examples of foods you can eat while on the AIP diet include: Vegetables that aren't nightshade vegetables like cucumbers, spinach, sweet potatoes and zucchini. Fresh fruits like apples, oranges, mangos, strawberries, bananas and blueberries.

Can canned tuna trigger IBS? ›

Fresh fish (Cod, Haddock and/or Plaice; Salmon, Trout and/or Tuna) is without doubt among the foods good for IBS in most cases, as is canned tuna. So-called 'safe' herbs to flavour your dishes with include: Basil, Chili and Coriander.

Is tuna with mayo OK on a diet? ›

Tuna is a healthy food. But when folks make tuna salad, they tend to go overboard on the mayo adding tons of extra calories and fat. One cup of mayo has a whopping 1440 calories, 160 grams fat, and 24 grams saturated fat. It'll also tack on almost 50 percent of your daily recommended amount of sodium.

Can you eat tuna on anti inflammatory diet? ›

Foods that may help manage inflammation include: oily fish, such as tuna and salmon. fruits, such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and cherries. vegetables, including kale, spinach, and broccoli.

What tuna has no salt added? ›

StarKist Selects® Chunk White Albacore Tuna in Water – No Salt Added (Can) Carefully hand filleted, this mild albacore tuna with low sodium content (only 65 mg per 4oz.

What fish is paleo? ›

Foods to eat on the paleo diet

Fish and seafood: salmon, trout, haddock, shrimp, shellfish, etc (choose wild-caught if you can) Eggs: may be free-range, pastured, or omega-3 enriched.

References

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