This simple recipe for Dairy-Free Tuna Salad is perfect if you are looking for a healthy lunch you can meal prep ahead of time. Protein-rich tuna combined with creamy avocado and mixed in with red and green onions, sweet pieces of apple, briny olives, and crisp celery. All topped with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Loaded with lean protein, Omega-3 healthy fats and antioxidants, this tuna salad is a low-carb, high protein option for lunch or dinner! So next time you're craving a fresh healthy lunch, give this dairy free tuna salad a try-- you won't regret it.
As a dietitian, I appreciate any recipe that will take me from an empty plate to nutrient-rich meal in 10 minutes and this tuna salad is just that!
This recipe was inspired by my Mediterranean Tuna Salad recipe. I wanted a dairy-free option to share with people who can't tolerate dairy! I hope you love it. 😊
Jump to:
- When to make Dairy-Free Tuna Salad
- Why You'll love Dairy Free Tuna Salad
- Ingredients for Tuna Salad without Mayo
- Instructions for Dairy Free Tuna Salad without Mayo
- Variations
- How to Serve Tuna Salad without Mayo
- Storage for Dairy Free Tuna Salad
- Expert Tips
- FAQs about Tuna Salad without Mayo
- 📖 Recipe
- RELATED
- LOOKING FOR NUTRITION EDUCATION?
- 💬 Comments
When to make Dairy-Free Tuna Salad
If you are avoiding dairy, the avocado in this recipe is a great substitute for mayo or plain greek yogurt, which are often used in tuna salad. Avocado gives the same creamy texture as a traditional tuna salad while also adding healthy fats (and so much flavor)! Make it for lunch or dinner anytime of year. Or pack it in school lunches for the kids.
Why You'll love Dairy Free Tuna Salad
QUICK - this recipe only takes about 10 minutes to throw together!
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS - no need for anything fancy. This healthy meal is made with ingredients you might even already have in your pantry and fridge.
NUTRIENT-DENSE - as a dietitian, I love that this dairy-free tuna salad provides lean protein from the tuna, healthy fats and fiber from the avocado, antioxidants, and Vitamin C from the fresh lemon juice. This salad makes for happy taste buds and is also good for hormone health, gut health, and brain health.
LEFTOVERS - make a big batch to have enough for lunch the next day!
Ingredients for Tuna Salad without Mayo
*Be sure to check the recipe card at the bottom for exact ingredient measurements and full recipe.
Canned Tuna - of course, tuna is the main ingredient. The key to a good tuna salad is a great tuna. I love Safe Catch Tuna and Wild Planet Tuna. Both brands use high quality real tuna and contain lower mercury content than other tuna brands. You can use either solid white albacore tuna or wild-caught tuna packed in water or extra virgin olive oil. Tuna has a long shelf life so it's perfect to keep on hand for times when you want to throw together a healthy recipe in a pinch.
Avocado - avocado isn't a classic ingredient in tuna salad, and the first time I used it in place of mayo I was skeptical. But as soon as I tried it, I've never looked back! I love the creamy consistency and added nutrition. Plus, I truly think it gives this recipe the best flavor.
Fresh Lemon Juice - if possible, don't use the bottled lemon juice. It doesn't taste as good. Fresh squeezed lemon adds Vitamin C and a citrus flavor. The ascorbic acid from the lemon also stops the avocado from browning -- especially helpful if you decide to make a double batch and have leftovers!
Apple - for a bit of sweetness and antioxidants.
Celery - for extra crunch.
Olives - for a touch of a salty, briny taste. I love using green manzanilla olives, but you could also use kalamata olives or black olives.
Red onion and Green onions - raw onions add so much flavor!
Salt and Black Pepper - to tie everything together.
Instructions for Dairy Free Tuna Salad without Mayo
Step 1: Open the can of tuna and add it to a mixing bowl. Dice the avocado, apple, celery, red onion, green onion, and green olives. Add to the bowl.
Tip: no need to drain the can if using either Wild Planet or Safe Catch tuna. The fish will be in its natural fish oils with no added water or ingredients.
Step 2: Add lemon juice to the bowl and mix all the ingredients well.
Hint: Mash the avocado for an especially creamy end result.
Substitutions
- Avocado - if you hate avocado, replace it with vegan mayonnaise or coconut yogurt! If you aren't avoiding dairy, you could use mayo, sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt. Most classic tuna salad uses mayo.
- Fresh lemon juice - you can substitute with lime juice or apple cider vinegar.
Variations
- Mediterranean Tuna Salad - if you want to add a mediterranean flare to this dairy-free tuna salad, add hearts of palm, fresh herbs (fresh parsley or fresh basil are great options!), and diced red bell peppers.
- Chickpea tuna salad - throw in ¼ cup of chickpeas to turn this into a chickpea tuna salad.
- Dill tuna salad - add garlic powder and fresh dill or dill pickles for a zesty grassy flavor!
- Fancy - add dijon mustard and celery seeds to up-level this dairy free tuna salad.
- Spicy - like your tuna salad on the spicier side? Add some red pepper flakes.
How to Serve Tuna Salad without Mayo
One of the best parts about tuna salad is that once you make a batch, there are so many different ways to serve it! Try it in a tuna melt with whole grain bread, on top of a salad topped with one of your favorite salad dressings, or wrapped in nori sheets. Take a look at the FAQs below for more serving ideas.
Storage for Dairy Free Tuna Salad
How long is tuna salad good for?
Fridge: store tuna salad in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftover tuna salad is good for 3-5 days.
I wouldn't recommend freezing this recipe.
Expert Tips
- Mash the avocado before adding it to the tuna for an extra creamy consistency.
- Dice your celery, apple, onions, and olives into small pieces!
- If it is dry, add more fresh lemon juice or a splash of extra virgin olive oil.
FAQs about Tuna Salad without Mayo
Yes, canned tuna is pre-cooked.
As a registered dietitian, I think about nutrition a lot! While healthy can mean different things to different people, this tuna salad recipe is loaded with nutrition and is a healthy option as part of a well-balanced diet. It is low-carb, high protein, gluten-free, dairy-free, made with no added sugars, and uses whole food ingredients. Below are some of the nutrition details.
-Tuna is considered a lean meat meaning it is high in protein and relatively low in calories. Great for hormone health!
-It is also a good source of EPA and DHA Omega-3 fatty acids which can help to lower cholesterol and is important for brain health.
-Tuna is high in Vit D so if you don't tolerate dairy, this is a good option to help you meet your Vitamin D needs for the day.
-You've probably heard that tuna is high in mercury. This is true, especially of albacore tuna. So eat it in moderation! Canned tuna is lower in mercury than fresh tuna and both Wild Planet and Safe Catch brands are lower in mercury than the FDA standard.
-This tuna salad without mayo recipe contains a good amount of fiber which comes from the avocado (did you know avocados are high in fiber?), celery, apple, and onion. This makes it a great recipe for gut health!
-Avocado is a great source of healthy fats and many vitamins and minerals such as potassium, Vit C, Vit E and antioxidants.
The sky is the limit! But here are some ideas of what you can eat with tuna salad: crackers! Check out some of my favorite gluten-free crackers to give you ideas. Put it between 2 slices of bread to make a sandwich. I love using sourdough bread and my favorite brands of sourdough are Izzio and Easy Tiger which is made right here in Austin, Texas where I live. You could also serve your tuna salad in a whole wheat wrap or pita. Or have it in lettuce wraps, nori wraps, or over a salad. Pair it with quinoa for more fiber and protein.
I use either Wild Planet or Safe Catch Tuna.
Wild Planet:
Wild Planet uses 100% sustainably pole and line, troll, or handline caught tuna. These methods catch only small migratory fish which are naturally lower in mercury. Their fish is canned only in sea salt with no added water which leads to more protein in each can! No need to drain.
Safe Catch
Safe catch tuna is MSC certified. MSC is the Marine Stewardship Council. They aim to preserve the health and well-being of our ocean so that generations to come will enjoy the benefits of naturally abundant seafood. According to the Safe Catch website, the MSC blue fish label means that a food has been internationally recognized to the MSC custody standard for sustainability. Safe catch also tests every single tuna in their cans and keep their products to a strict mercury limit. They do not add oil, water, fillers, preservatives, or GMO-soy broth to their tunas labeled “Do Not Drain”. This is why the tuna looks more solid than some brands because it is packed in naturally occurring fish oils and juices.
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram....I LOVE knowing there’s people out there trying out my recipes! 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian.
📖 Recipe
Dairy Free Tuna Salad with Avocado, No Mayo or Yogurt
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 oz canned tuna two 5 ounce cans. I use either Wild Planet or Safe catch wild tuna.
- ½ medium avocado, diced
- ¼ cup apple, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced about ¼ cup
- ¼ cup red onion, diced
- 2 stalks green onion, diced
- 5 olives. diced I use Manzanilla olives
- ¼ cup fresh lemon juice about 1 large lemon
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Open the can of tuna and add it to a mixing bowl. Set aside.Tip: no need to drain the can if using either WIld Planet or Safe Catch tuna. The fish will be in it's natural fish oils with no added water or ingredients.
- Dice the avocado, apple, celery, red onion, green onion, and green olives. Add to the bowl.
- Add the fresh lemon juice and mix well.Hint: mash the avocado for an especially creamy end result!
Notes
-
- Mash the avocado before adding it to the tuna for an extra creamy consistency.
- Use fresh lemon juice instead of bottled lemon juice for a fresh taste.
-
- Dice your celery, apple, onions, and olives into small pieces!
-
- If it is dry, add more fresh lemon juice or a splash of extra virgin olive oil.
- Fridge: store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
Nutrition
References: WebMD, Healthline
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Kalie
I was shocked that my kids actually liked this better than the tuna salad with mayo I usually make for them! Will definitely make again. Thanks, Mal!! 🙂
Mallory
Yesss! I love hearing this SO much. Tuna salad was a staple for me growing up...so perfect for a picnic, too! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review, it means so much to me.