This avocado tuna salad recipe takes just 15 minutes to make. It’s without mayo and perfect for Keto, Whole30 and Paleo diets.
Hey Foodies,
Today I’m going to show you how to make one of the best tuna salad recipes in the world. Forgive my excitement, but I really love it and here’s why.
First of all, it takes just 15 minutes to make. That’s amazing for such a delicious and filling salad. And if you’ve got excellent chopping skills you can even make it in 5. How great does that sound?!
Second, it’s super healthy. I made it without mayo and it’s full of healthy ingredients, like avocado and veggies.
Furthermore, this avocado tuna salad recipe is Paleo, Keto, Whole30 and gluten-free. But don’t worry, this is not a diet-only meal.
It makes a perfect to-go lunch or a light dinner for any foodie, and it’s excellent for meal planning. But I’ll tell you more about that in the tips and tricks below.
Moreover, I’ll tell you how to adapt this Paleo tuna salad recipe to your taste and how to choose the best canned tuna.
So stick around if you want to make the best tuna salad recipe ever.
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How to make avocado tuna salad – Best Tips & Tricks
1. What goes in tuna salad
I wanted to keep it healthy, fresh and simple so I made this Paleo tuna salad with avocado, chopped veggies, a drizzle of lemon juice and olive oil. But there are many other ingredients that would go well in this salad and here are some of my favorites:
- quinoa
- bulgur
- pasta
- corn
- a mix of nuts and seeds
It’s worth noting here that if you add the above ingredients it wouldn’t be Keto, Paleo or Whole30 anymore. Nor gluten-free for that matter.
Now let’s move on and see how to adapt this avocado tuna salad recipe to your taste.
2. How to adapt this recipe to your taste
If you don’t stick to a certain diet, you can add any of the ingredients mentioned in the previous section. Furthermore, you can use any of your favorite chopped veggies and your favorite dressing. I recommend you try the dressing used in this pasta salad. I’m sure you’ll love it.
And here are a few veggies that would go well in this healthy tuna salad (other than the ones I used):
- Kale
- Shredded carrot
- Cabbage
- Arugula
- Cauliflower
- Sweet potatoes
- Radish
- Broccoli
- Beetroot
Apart from veggies, you could also add fruits like:
- Strawberries
- Grapes
- Mango
- Dried apricots
- Pomegranate
- Apples
- Mandarins
And you can also add shrimp or crispy bacon to make it more filling.
3. How to meal plan with this Paleo tuna salad
Apart from being Keto, Paleo and Whole30, this easy tuna salad recipe is also perfect for meal planning. And the best way for that is in a mason jar.
Start by adding the liquids (lemon juice and oil), the avocado and then the rest of the ingredients. Make sure the salad leaves are the last ones that go inside the jar.
This way, the avocado will stay fresh and green because it’s coated in lemon juice, and the salad leaves remain crisp and fresh because they won’t get into contact with the liquid.
And whenever you’re ready to serve this Paleo tuna salad, just shake the jar and serve right out of it. Or, you could toss everything in a bowl.
It’s worth mentioning that it lasts up to 3 days in the fridge, although I am sure you’ll gobble it up much sooner than that.
Now, I know many of you wonder if they can freeze tuna salad for meal planning, so I’ll answer that in the next section.
4. Can you freeze tuna salad?
You can freeze tuna salad as long as it doesn’t have any mayo, dressing, or chopped veggies in it. The mayo can separate and the veggies will end up mushy.
So basically you can only freeze it if it’s very simple, like tuna, corn and cabbage. But otherwise, it’s not a great idea.
And even though my healthy tuna salad has no mayo, I still don’t recommend freezing it because you really don’t need to. As I said, it takes 15 minutes to make tops, and it lasts up to 3 days.
Moreover, you’ll be losing all that freshness and flavor which make it the best tuna salad in the world.
And now here’s the last tip for today.
5. Which canned tuna to go for
Canned tuna is one of the quickest forms of protein. It’s already prepared so it’s very easy to use it in a healthy meal or snack, like this easy avocado tuna salad.
Plus, it’s a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids especially DHA and EPA, which reduce inflammation and help to prevent heart diseases.
But not all canned tunas are the same. You should go for wild tuna rather than farmed. That’s because farmed fish doesn’t have as many nutrients and it’s regularly treated with antibiotics to prevent any infections or diseases.
Also, check the cans to include the ‘certified sustainable seafood’ logo. This means the brand complies with sustainable fishing practices that ensure we have tuna for generations to come.
Last but not least, check the ingredients carefully. Always choose clean tuna cans which contain only tuna, oil/spring water, salt and seasoning. That should be ALL! No additives or hard-to-read ingredients.
If you are on a low-fat diet, then going for tuna in spring water would be the best choice. I usually love tuna in olive oil, because I like the texture since it’s not that chewy as the one in water. I always drain the fat, and sometimes I don’t even use any more oil in my easy tuna salad.
And that’s it for today foodies. Those were all my tips and tricks for this easy tuna salad recipe.
Now let’s make it and afterward, snap a few shots and post them on Instagram using the @theblondelish tag.
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Easy Avocado Tuna Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 can (15oz / 425g) tuna in olive oil - drained and flaked
- 1 Romaine - chopped
- 1 English cucumber - chopped
- 1 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes - halved
- 2 large avocados - peeled, pitted and sliced
- 1 small red onion - thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Kalamata olives - pitted
- a small bunch of fresh cilantro or parsley - chopped
- 4 Tbsp lemon juice - freshly squeezed
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- In a large salad bowl add the following: chopped Romaine, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, sliced avocado, red onion, olives, drained tuna, and chopped cilantro.
- Season with sea salt and pepper to your taste and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.
- Gently toss to combine and enjoy!
To make the salad in a jar:
- Divide all ingredients into 4 and add them to large mason jars in the following order: salt & pepper, lemon juice, olive oil, avocado, olives, onions, tuna, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, cilantro and romaine.
Recipe Notes
- You can add quinoa, bulgur, pasta and corn, but it won't be Paleo, Keto or Whole30 anymore.
- You can add your favorite veggies, fruits, shrimps and crispy bacon. See more at Tip #2.
- This healthy tuna salad is perfect for meal planning. You can store it for up to 3 days in the fridge but you shouldn't freeze it. See more about this at tips #3 and #4.
- If you want to make the best tuna salad ever, go for wild sustainable canned tuna and make sure it doesn't contain any additives. See more about this at Tip #5
Nutrition
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