I’m a teensy bit obsessed with tuna. I’m also a teensy bit obsessed with this healthy mayo-free tuna salad. If you get my email newsletters (sign-up if you don’t!), you may remember the time I exchanged 8 cans of tuna at the grocery store and then got asked out on a date by the store clerk; he was obviously impressed with my impeccable tuna taste. 🙂
I’m not opposed to mayo; I think it’s delicious. And anyone that says they don’t like mayo is probably lying. But, I also really love trying to cram as much nutrition into meals as possible and using avocado instead of mayo in this tuna salad helps with that. Avocado has healthy fats AND tons of fiber (did you know that?), which will help keep you full.
I really hate long, complicated recipes and for lunchtime, hard recipes an absolute no-go. So like all my lunch recipes, this is super simple and can be made in less than 10 minutes.
1 4 or 5-ounce can tuna (I always buy chunk white albacore)
1/2 ripe avocado, chopped
1/2 cup minced red bell pepper
1/4 cup diced green onion
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest (trust me here!)
2 Tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Mash the avocado in a bowl and then add all the ingredients and mix well. Boom. Done.
If you don’t have the ingredients prechopped (I do a lot of veggie chopping on Sundays), it’ll take you about 5-10 minutes to do all that. Still quick!
I love it on toasted sourdough bread or gluten-free bread, either Udi’s Whole Grain, Trader Joe’s multi-grain gluten-free or Whole Foods Gluten-Free Prairie Bread. (I seem to be able to tolerate sourdough these days! More info on why that may be.)
It’s also great on top of a salad or in lettuce wraps. You can easily double or triple this recipe. I ate most of it at lunch and the rest a few hours later for a snack. I think this would also be great with canned salmon, but I haven’t tried that yet.
I would definitely try this with chicken… I can’t stand canned tuna haha. I don’t really like store mayo, but I’ve been making my own and I’m kind of obsessed!
What do you do with sardines? I have a can that has been sitting in my pantry for a year…and I’m too scared to open it. ha! I don’t know how to prepare them! Any suggestions?
You are probably the only person I know who likes tuna as much as I do!! My dad once sent me several dozen cans of tuna while i was in the dorms, and someone gave me a gift certificate for some super-fancy brand of tuna at one of my bridal showers, haha! Anyway, I will definitely be trying a version of this…though I really love to add mustard to my tuna these days. I usually add like a teaspoon of mayo, a few teaspoons of mustard and salt and pepper…mmmmmm….I’m seriously getting hungryyyy. But turns out you are only supposed to eat albacore tuna once a week when you’re expecting due to mercury content :'(
Tuna is the BESSSSST! Have you tried the tuna packed in olive oil from Trader Joe’s? Supposedly it’s amazing – I just bought some. Haven’t tried it yet!
My friend made this recipe using shredded rotisserie chicken instead of tuna since she is pregnant too. She said it turned out great!
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6 responses to “Healthy Mayo-free Tuna Salad”
I would definitely try this with chicken… I can’t stand canned tuna haha. I don’t really like store mayo, but I’ve been making my own and I’m kind of obsessed!
http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2010/06/03/the-secret-to-homemade-mayo-patience/
Have you tried chunk albacore? It’s the ONLY canned tuna I like!
Oooh, fancy homemade mayo! I want to try!
Tuna is such a staple (so is canned salmon and sardines!) They are my comfort food to whip up on those lazy days!
What do you do with sardines? I have a can that has been sitting in my pantry for a year…and I’m too scared to open it. ha! I don’t know how to prepare them! Any suggestions?
You are probably the only person I know who likes tuna as much as I do!! My dad once sent me several dozen cans of tuna while i was in the dorms, and someone gave me a gift certificate for some super-fancy brand of tuna at one of my bridal showers, haha! Anyway, I will definitely be trying a version of this…though I really love to add mustard to my tuna these days. I usually add like a teaspoon of mayo, a few teaspoons of mustard and salt and pepper…mmmmmm….I’m seriously getting hungryyyy. But turns out you are only supposed to eat albacore tuna once a week when you’re expecting due to mercury content :'(
Tuna is the BESSSSST! Have you tried the tuna packed in olive oil from Trader Joe’s? Supposedly it’s amazing – I just bought some. Haven’t tried it yet!
My friend made this recipe using shredded rotisserie chicken instead of tuna since she is pregnant too. She said it turned out great!