The 4-Ingredient Tuna Salad I Can't Stop Making

I grew up knowing tuna salad as one thing: tuna + mayonnaise. There wasn’t even celery in the version my mom made for me. While I loved the creamy combination then, too much of a good thing turned into something I very much dislike as an adult. 

These days, mayo doesn’t come near my canned tuna. Instead, I prefer a tuna salad that’s bright and fresh-tasting rather than goopy. This tuna avocado salad is exactly that and more. I’ve been making it regularly to tuck into sandwiches, pile on top of greens, or eat as-is for a quick, satisfying lunch.

Turn to Avocado for Creaminess

This mayo-free tuna salad uses buttery avocado to provide a touch of that signature tuna salad creaminess without overdoing it. I mash about half into the salad but keep the rest diced so that there’s plenty of texture. 

Beyond these two essential salad components, pickled jalapeños and their very flavorful brine really make this recipe special. The jalapeños lend a spicy kick while the brine provides tang to offset the savory tuna and rich avocado. 

The brine also quick-pickles the red onion, which tames its raw bite. While chopped fresh cilantro is optional, if you have it handy, definitely toss it in, as it gives this salad another layer of freshness. 

How To Make My 4-Ingredient Tuna Avocado Salad

For 4 to 6 servings (4 to 5 cups), you’ll need:

• 1/4 cup pickled jalapeño slices, roughly chopped, plus 3 tablespoons of their brine
• 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
• 2 (5 to 7-ounce) jars or cans tuna, preferably oil-packed
• 1 medium ripe avocado, diced
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional
• Kosher salt, to taste

Place the chopped jalapeños and the brine in a medium bowl. Add the onion, toss to coat in the brine, and leave to quick-pickle for 10 minutes.

Lightly drain the tuna, leaving it still a little oil-slicked. Add the tuna to the bowl and flake it with a fork. Add the avocado and cilantro, if using, and toss to combine, mashing some of the avocado lightly while leaving some diced. Taste and season with salt as needed.

Tips For Making and Serving This Tuna Salad

This is a very flexible recipe, so tweak it to your tastes. Keep these tips in mind when mixing things up:

• Find oil-packed tuna: Oil-packed tuna (ideally olive oil-packed—my favorite is Tonnino) is far and away more moist and flavorful than tuna packed in water. Using it means you don’t have to add any oil to the salad itself, so long as you go easy when draining. If you do use water-packed tuna, add a drizzle of olive oil to the bowl to keep the salad from being too dry.
• If you can’t resist, add mayo: If tuna salad really isn’t tuna salad for you without mayo, you have my permission to add a spoonful for extra creaminess. Mexican crema would also be a good choice.
• Make it spicer: This recipe comes with a pleasant but not overpoweringly spicy kick. After tasting, if you’d like it spicier, stir in additional pickled jalapeño brine.
• Halve the recipe: While this salad keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a few days, the avocado will inevitably brown a bit with storage. This doesn’t bother me too much, but know that the recipe is very easy to halve if you don’t want too much left over.