This One Simple Swap Made My Tuna Salad Healthier—and So Much Tastier

I’ve always been a tuna salad person. It’s one of those classic, comforting meals I grew up eating weekly—scooped onto toast, stuffed between sandwich bread, or packed into a lunchbox with crackers. Somehow, I never got tired of it. Over the years, I’ve tested just about every possible variation. Sometimes I go old-school with mayonnaise and celery; other times I add pickles, fresh herbs, or a squeeze of mustard for an extra tangy bite. I even try to recreate versions I’ve had at local cafés or luncheonettes, just to switch things up.

But recently, I made one small change that ended up making a big difference: I swapped out the mayo for mashed avocado.

It started as a total accident, but resulted in a delicious new recipe I’ve made again and again. I was throwing together a quick tuna sandwich for lunch, only to realize I was completely out of mayo and even Greek yogurt, which is my usual mayonnaise substitute. All I had was a perfectly ripe avocado sitting on the counter, already at that blink-and-you-miss-it stage of peak ripeness and creaminess. I mashed it up with a can of tuna, squeezed in some lemon juice, added a pinch of salt, and tossed in chopped celery and carrots for a bit of crunch. My new take on tuna salad was still creamy and satisfying, but lighter, fresher, and dare I say… genuinely better.

Now, this tuna salad recipe is in my regular lunch rotation. The avocado brings the same richness and binding power that mayo does, but with a bevy of heart-healthy fats, a subtle buttery flavor, and a more vibrant texture. It’s also super adaptable. I’ll sometimes add red onion or dill, throw in a bit of Dijon mustard, or layer it over toast with sliced tomato and arugula. And on busier days, it’s just as good scooped onto crackers and eaten straight from the bowl.

If you’re already a tuna salad loyalist, this isn’t some radical reinvention. But it is a small, feel-good upgrade that makes a well-worn staple feel new again—one ripe avocado at a time.