Equipment
Ingredients
Salad Base
- 250 g canned yellowfin tuna in olive oil, drained, leaving a small amount of residual oil for flavor
- 150 g english cucumber, diced into 1cm cubes
- 1 avocado, pitted and diced into 1.5cm cubes
- 40 g pickled red onions, roughly chopped
- 10 g fresh dill, finely chopped
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Dressing
- 30 ml rice wine vinegar, unseasoned
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil
- 5 g dijon mustard
- 2 g kosher salt
- 1 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 442 kcal
- Protein
- 39 g
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Fiber
- 6 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
- Sodium
- 1113 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 16 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Cholesterol
- 23 mg
- Potassium
- 779 mg
- Calcium
- 62 mg
- Iron
- 3.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 75 mg
- Phosphorus
- 450 mg
- Zinc
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 78 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 20 mg
- Vitamin D
- 8.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 3.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 168 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.4 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 2.8 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.28 mg
- Niacin
- 16.9 mg
- Folate
- 80 mcg
- Water
- 205 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Drain the tuna, reserving a small amount of the oil if desired for the dressing, and place the drained tuna into a large mixing bowl. Flake gently with a fork into bite-sized chunks.
In a small bowl, combine the rice wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is fully emulsified and slightly opaque.
Add the diced English cucumber, pickled red onions, chopped fresh dill, and chopped fresh parsley to the large bowl containing the flaked tuna. Pour the emulsified dressing over the top and mix gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
Add the diced avocado to the salad mixture. Using a flexible spatula, fold the avocado in very gently to prevent it from turning to mush and clouding the dressing.
Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or a splash more rice wine vinegar if needed. Serve immediately on its own, over a bed of leafy greens, or with crackers.
Chef's Notes
- Utilizing the oil from a high-quality canned tuna for the dressing instead of fresh olive oil boosts the savory umami profile of the entire dish while reducing waste.
- If you do not have pre-made pickled red onions, you can quick-pickle sliced raw onions by submerging them in the rice wine vinegar called for in the recipe for 10 minutes before whisking the dressing.
- English and Persian cucumbers are preferred here because their thin skins do not require peeling and they have fewer watery seeds than standard slicing cucumbers.
- Rice wine vinegar is naturally sweeter and less acidic than white or cider vinegars. If substituting with white wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar, add a pinch of sugar to balance the harshness.
Storage
Refrigerator: 24 hours — Store in an airtight container with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface to minimize avocado oxidation. Best eaten fresh.
Troubleshooting
Salad becomes mushy and cloudy
Cause: Over-mixing after adding the avocado
Fix: Cannot be fixed structurally, but the flavor will remain excellent
Prevention: Always add avocado as the absolute last step and fold delicately rather than stirring vigorously
Salad is too watery at the bottom of the bowl
Cause: Cucumbers released their water content into the salad
Fix: Use a slotted spoon when serving to leave excess liquid behind
Prevention: If not serving immediately, scoop the seeds out of the cucumbers before dicing
Cultural Context
Tuna salad in America has historically been heavily reliant on mayonnaise to provide moisture and cohesion. This recipe leans into Mediterranean and contemporary health-conscious traditions, utilizing high-quality olive oil and bright vinegar to create a lighter, more refreshing profile that allows the actual flavor of the fish and fresh produce to shine.
