The Easy Ingredient To Replace Mayo With For Flavorful Tuna Salad

A can of tuna is the ultimate go-to meal option — quick and versatile, it's the perfect solution for those "What should I have for lunch?" moments. Not to mention, it's packed full of protein (per Healthline), easy on the wallet, and shelf-stable. The options for add-ins and variations of tuna are endless. From a classic sandwich or a cheesy and toastie melt to a Mediterranean pasta dinner, tuna wears many hats and it wears them well.

One of its timeless hats, and a deli staple, is the tuna salad. Once designated as a vehicle to use up leftovers and be conservative, per Smithsonian, tuna salad quickly grew in popularity along with its very straightforward and simple recipe.

When you think of tuna salad, you may immediately think of that infamous blue and yellow jar of mayonnaise. However, if you've ever opened your fridge post-turn of the can opener and found an empty jar of mayo, your dreams of a scoop of tuna salad are not lost. There's an easy, flavorful, and nutritious ingredient you may have sitting in your produce bowl that's eager to act as a stand-in.

That avocado on your counter that's ripe-and-ready window is quickly closing is the perfect creamy mayo substitute. The rich, luscious flesh of an avocado smashed into that can of tuna not only offers a unique spin on the popular diner salad, it comes with some added benefits. Avocados are full of vitamins, minerals, and satiating healthy fats that may tide you over to dinner better than a spoonful of mayo (via MedicalNewsToday).

One thing to note: Mayo comes with a list of ingredients and typically includes vinegars and salt that round out the flavor profile (via Meijer). Don't forget a hearty pinch of seasoning and maybe a splash of vinegar or squeeze of lime or lemon, as with Martha Stewart's basic homemade mayo recipe, to avoid a bland tuna avocado salad.

Another tasty addition to up the ante of that creamy mouthfeel even further is yogurt – a dollop of the greek stuff plus that alligator pear may have you forgetting to restock that blue and yellow jar altogether.