Cucumber Avocado Salad with Tuna (Video)
Cucumber Avocado Salad with Tuna is better than tuna sandwiches and just as easy to make, and this tuna salad is perfect for a low-carb meal. And this post has links to more low-carb salads with tuna!
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Cucumbers. Avocado. Tuna. Let me get those ingredients out there just in case anyone turned up their nose at this idea because of the canned tuna, which admittedly is not everyone’s cup of tea. I wasn’t much of a canned tuna lover myself until I discovered my favorite tuna packed in olive oil, and now I find myself reaching for it regularly, especially during the summer months.
This Cucumber Avocado Salad with Tuna is something I came up with on one of those days when I was standing in front of the fridge wondering what to make for lunch. My first time I just made one serving (and gobbled it up) and then the next day I worked on the actual recipe and took these photos.
And this salad was absolutely a winner! And if this particular salad with tuna doesn’t grab you, look below for more summer salads with tuna!
What ingredients do you need for this recipe?
- cucumber
- cilantro (or use more green onion)
- green onion
- avocado
- fresh-squeezed lime juice, I used my fresh-frozen lime juice
- Genova Tuna Packed in Olive Oil (affiliate link), or other canned tuna
- salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
- mayo
What if you don’t like cilantro?
I realize that cilantro really does taste bad to some people. So if you’re one of those people with the anti-cilantro tastebuds, just double the amount of green onion and skip the cilantro.
Why I love tuna packed in olive oil:
Years ago I discovered tuna packed in olive oil from another blogger, and it was so flavorful compared to the tuna I was used to that I’ve been using it ever since. The Genova Tuna Packed in Olive Oil that I use in this recipe is the only tuna I ever buy!
Want more recipes with my favorite tuna?
You can check out Low-Carb and Keto Canned Tuna Recipes for more treats with canned tuna!
Tips for making Cucumber Avocado Salad with Tuna:
(Scroll down for complete recipe with nutritional information.)
- If it’s not a garden cucumber, I like to cut stripes so most of the peel is removed.
- Cut the cucumber in fourths lengthwise and slice into pieces.
- Slice green onions and chop the cilantro (if using).
- Whisk together mayo and lime juice.
- Cut up avocado and toss with lime juice.
- Stir together the avocado, cucumber, cilantro (if using), and sliced green onion.
- Then add the dressing and stir to combine.
- Drain oil from the tuna and use a fork to gently break it apart.
- GENTLY mix tuna into the salad, being careful not to over-mix. (You want chunks of tuna in the salad.)
- Season salad to taste with salt and fresh ground black pepper, and enjoy.
More Low-Carb Summer Salads with Tuna:
Tuna Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Parsley, and Mint
Cucumber Salad with Tuna and Sweet Basil
Cucumber Avocado Salad with Tuna
This Cucumber Avocado Salad with Tuna tastes better than a tuna sandwich and this is perfect for a low-carb lunch!
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
- 1 large European cucumber (see notes)
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (more or less to taste, see notes)
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion
- 1 avocado
- 1 T fresh-squeezed lime juice (see notes)
- 1 can (5 oz.)Â tuna packed in olive oil
- salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste
Dressing Ingredients
- 2 T mayo
- 1 T fresh-squeezed lime juice (see notes)
Instructions
- Peel strips from the cucumber if desired, then cut into fourths lengthwise and slice into bite-sized pieces. (You can skip this step for fresh garden cucumbers.)
- Chop the cilantro (if using).
- Thinly slice the green onion.
- Whisk together the mayo and 1 tablespoon lime juice to make the dressing.
- Dice the avocado into 1/2 inch pieces,
- Put avocado in a bowl large enough to hold the whole salad, and toss with 1 tablespoon of lime juice.
- Add the chopped cucumbers, chopped cilantro (if using), and sliced green onions to the avocado and gently combine.
- Add the dressing and stir just enough to combine.
- Drain the oil from the tuna and use a fork to partly break apart the tuna into chunks.
- Stir tuna into the salad and GENTLY combine (don’t over-stir; you want the tuna to remain chunky.)
- Season to taste with salt and fresh-ground black pepper and serve.
- This will last okay in the fridge for a day, but it’s far better freshly made.
Notes
I used my fresh-frozen lime juice. I use this tuna packed in olive oil for the salad. Use two smaller cucumbers if you don't have a European cucumber. If you're not a cilantro fan I would double the amount of green onion and skip the cilantro.
Recipe created by Kalyn.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
3Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 231Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 17gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 262mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 5gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.
Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Cucumber Avocado Salad with Tuna is great for low-carb diet plans, including Keto. Although this salad is loaded with healthy low-carb ingredients, avocados are a limited food for the original South Beach Diet, so for South Beach Dieters you need to limit portion size, especially if you use full-fat mayo.
Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Salad Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.
Historical Notes for this Recipe:
This recipe was first posted in 2013. It was last updated with more information in 2022.
33 Comments on “Cucumber Avocado Salad with Tuna (Video)”
Really good lunch menu. I used chopped fresh asparagus and sugar snaps in place of cucumber. Really good !
That sounds like a delicious variation, thanks for sharing!
I just made this and used coconut cream (the kind that's just coconut milk but with less water — I'm sure coconut milk would have worked too but that's what I had in my cupboard) instead of mayo, since I never use mayo and it wasn't worth it to buy a whole jar just to use 2 T. It's DELICIOUS!!!!! I think next time I make it I'm going to double the avocado! 😀
Interesting idea, and it sounds good to me. And double avocado is never bad! Glad you liked it!
Wanda, I love those little cucumbers; perfect for this salad. Glad you like it!
Another winner, Kalyn! I love and have these ingredients on hand. I would also call it Spring-Summer Salad…or Fall and Winter Summer Salad. I always buy avocados and those small delicious cucumbers in a bag at Costco or Trader Joes. Deeeelicious!
Thanks!
Hi Maria,
Glad you like the recipe. I really prefer that you feature my recipes without listing the ingredients, so that people need to visit my blog to find out what is in the salad, since I make a living from this blog and I don't get paid if people can figure out the recipe elsewhere. Thanks,
Kalyn
Hi Kalyn,
Love your blog and recipes!
I've been collecting salad recipes from around the web for awhile and started to share them with family and friends then decided to post them on a blog. I used this recipe (and another from your blog) and linked to it here:
http://www.mariasalad.com/cucumber-avocado-salad-with-tuna-cilantro-and-lime-recipe/
I just want to double check that this is ok!
Let me know.
Thanks,
Maria
Thanks so much! It was a hit. I added garbanzo beans, simply because I had some in the fridge, and used red onion instead of green, so I didn't have to go to the grocery store.
Jill, I'm always in favor of adapting, especially if it prevents a trip to the store.
Kalyn,
I decided to try this salad. I actually had some leftover shredded cabbage that had been dressed with mayo and cilantro with a substantial amount of green onion so I mixed all the ingredients you listed in with my cabbage which added a totally delightful crunch.
On a whim I tapped on the tuna link and found that is my favorite tuna also, which I get on sale at Safeway here in California. But I had to chuckle. Genova is the brand, but tonno is the Italian word for tuna. So to translate, tonno Genova is really genova tuna! 🙂
I love this salad! So glad you like it too.
I made this today and it's superb. Thanks for the recipe.