Tuna Salad Stuffed Avocados
Creamy lemon-dill tuna salad with crunchy celery, piled into ripe avocado halves. No cooking, ready in 15 minutes, and easy to pack for lunch.
- Prep15 min
- Cook0 min
- Total15 min
- Servings4
- Net carbs*2.2 g
- LevelEasy
This lunch takes two cans of tuna and turns them into something you look forward to. The salad is creamy with mayo, sharp with mustard and lemon, and crunchy from celery and green onion. Each scoop goes into half an avocado, so the soft, buttery fruit does the job of bread. It is a no-cook meal that works on hot days and busy ones.
Drain the tuna really well. Press it in the can with a fork and pour off every bit of liquid, then fluff it in the bowl before adding mayo. Wet tuna makes a loose, watery salad that slides off the avocado. Squeeze a little lemon on the cut avocado too, so it stays green.
Ingredients
Makes 4 stuffed avocado halves (1 per serving). Tap an item to check it off.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Fork
- Sharp knife
- Spoon
Instructions
- Drain the tuna, pressing it with a fork to remove as much liquid as you can. Flake it into a mixing bowl.
- Add the mayonnaise, mustard, celery, green onions, dill, 2 teaspoons of the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Stir until evenly mixed but still a bit chunky.
- Taste and adjust the salt, pepper or lemon.
- Halve the avocados, remove the pits and brush the cut sides with the remaining lemon juice.
- Scoop out a spoonful of flesh from each half to widen the hollow, chop it and fold it into the tuna salad.
- Pile the tuna salad into the avocado halves, dust with paprika and serve.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 284
- Total carbs
- 7.3 g
- Fiber
- 5.1 g
- Net carbs
- 2.2 g
- Protein
- 17.8 g
- Fat
- 21.7 g
*These are estimates, calculated from the ingredient weights above and USDA FoodData Central data, divided by 4 servings. Net carbs = total carbs minus fiber. Values vary with brands, quantities, ingredient swaps and how you portion the dish. How we estimate nutrition.
Kitchen tips
- Pick avocados that give slightly when pressed near the stem. Rock-hard ones will not soften in time for lunch.
- For packed lunches, keep the tuna salad in one container and the whole avocado separate. Cut and fill it right before eating.
Substitutions
- Tuna → cooked chicken Use 2 cups chopped cooked chicken. Same method, slightly more calories.
- Mayonnaise → plain Greek yogurt Same amount. Tangier and lighter, adds about 0.5 g net carbs per serving.
- Fresh dill → dried dill Use 1 teaspoon dried dill.
Swaps change the nutrition estimate shown above.
Storage and reheating
- Fridge
- Tuna salad keeps up to 3 days in an airtight container. Fill the avocados only when serving.
- Freezer
- Does not freeze. Mayonnaise separates and avocado turns brown and mushy.
- Reheat
- Serve cold. No reheating needed.
Questions cooks ask
Can I use tuna packed in oil?
Yes. Drain it well and cut the mayonnaise to 3 tablespoons, since the oil already adds richness.
