
Classic California Tuna Salad
A vibrant and creamy salad inspired by the fresh flavors of California. This no-cook recipe combines flaky tuna, ripe avocado, juicy tomatoes, and crisp lettuce, all brought together with a simple mayonnaise dressing. Perfect for a light lunch or a quick, healthy dinner.
By CuocoMitra · Published · Updated 9 August 2026
- Total time
- Prep
- Serves
- 2
- Per serving
- 391kcal
- Difficulty
- easy
Classic California Tuna Salad is a easy California recipe that serves 2 and takes 15 minutes. It uses 9 ingredients across 4 steps. Each serving provides about 391.2 calories.
Ingredients
9 ingredients for 2 servings. Open any ingredient for its nutrition detail.
Canned Tuna in Olive Oildrained well150 gSeafoodCanned fishIn this recipe: 150 g, drained well
Per 100 g
Calories198 kcalProtein29gCarbs0gFat8gFiber0gCommon portions
100 g 100 g drained 1 can 80 g 1 tbsp 15 g Main proteinFishySavouryUmamiFlakyMoist
Romaine lettucewashed and roughly chopped200 gLactuca sativa L. var. longifolia
VegetablesLeaf vegetablesIn this recipe: 200 g, washed and roughly chopped
Per 100 g
Calories17 kcalProtein1.23gCarbs3.29gFat0.3gFiber2.1gCommon portions
leaf inner 1 undetermined 6 g leaf outer 1 undetermined 28 g cup shredded 1 undetermined 47 g NLEA serving 1 undetermined 85 g BaseGarnishTexture enhancerMildFreshGrassy
Raw Avocadosripe, peeled, pitted, and sliced1 piecePersea americana
VegetablesFruit vegetablesIn this recipe: 1 piece, ripe, peeled, pitted, and sliced
Per 100 g
Calories160 kcalProtein2gCarbs8.53gFat14.7gFiber6.7gCommon portions
NLEA Serving 1 undetermined 50 g cup, sliced 1 undetermined 146 g cup, cubes 1 undetermined 150 g avocado, NS as to Florida or California 1 undetermined 201 g Fat sourceCreamy baseGarnishNuttyButteryMild
Cherry Tomatoesrinsed and halved150 gCHERRY TOMATOES
Pre-Packaged Fruit & Vegetablessr_legacyIn this recipe: 150 g, rinsed and halved
Per 100 g
Calories127 kcalProtein2.22gCarbs10gFat7.78gFiber5.6gSalad componentGarnishSnackSweetTangyAcidic
Regular Mayonnaisefull-fat or light, to your preference45 gSalad dressing, mayonnaise, regular
Fats and Oilssr_legacyIn this recipe: 45 g, full-fat or light, to your preference
Per 100 g
Calories680 kcalProtein0.96gCarbs0.57gFat74.8gFiber0gCommon portions
packet 1 undetermined 10 g tbsp 1 undetermined 13.8 g cup 1 undetermined 220 g EmulsifierBinderFat sourceTangyRichSavory
Red Onionfinely diced25 gRED ONION
Pre-Packaged Fruit & Vegetablessr_legacyIn this recipe: 25 g, finely diced
Per 100 g
Calories30 kcalProtein0.68gCarbs6.76gFat0gFiber1.4gAromaticFlavor enhancerGarnishPungentSharpSweet
Raw Lemon Juicefreshly squeezed15 mlLemon juice, raw
Fruits and Fruit Juicessr_legacyIn this recipe: 15 ml, freshly squeezed
Per 100 g
Calories22 kcalProtein0.35gCarbs6.9gFat0.24gFiber0.3gCommon portions
wedge yields 1 undetermined 5.9 g fl oz 1 undetermined 30.5 g lemon yields 1 undetermined 48 g cup 1 undetermined 244 g AcidFlavor enhancerTenderizerSourCitrusBright
Black Pepperfreshly ground, to taste1 pinchSpices, pepper, black
Herbs & Spicessr_legacyIn this recipe: 1 pinch, freshly ground, to taste
Per 100 g
Calories251 kcalProtein10.4gCarbs64gFat3.26gFiber25.3gCommon portions
dash 1 undetermined 0.1 g tsp, ground 1 undetermined 2.3 g tsp, whole 1 undetermined 2.9 g tbsp, ground 1 undetermined 6.9 g SeasoningFlavor enhancerAromaticSpicyPungentEarthy
Plain Saltfine sea salt, to taste1 pinchPLAIN SALT
Seasoning Mixes, Salts, Marinades & Tenderizerssr_legacyIn this recipe: 1 pinch, fine sea salt, to taste
Per 100 g
Calories0 kcalProtein0gCarbs0gFat0gFiber—Common portions
1 g 1.5 g Flavor enhancerSeasoningSaltyGrittyCrystalline
What you’ll need
9 tools across 4 steps.
Method
- 1
Prepare the Vegetables
Start by preparing your fresh ingredients.
- Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine lettuce. Chop it into bite-sized pieces and place it into a large salad bowl.
- Rinse the cherry tomatoes and slice them in half.
- Finely dice the red onion.
For extra crisp lettuce, you can soak the leaves in ice water for 10 minutes after washing, then spin them dry.
- 2
Mix the Tuna Dressing
In a separate medium bowl, create the creamy tuna mixture.
- Drain the canned tuna completely.
- Add the drained tuna, 45 g of mayonnaise, and the diced red onion to the bowl.
- Season with a pinch of salt and black pepper.
- Mix everything together until well combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
For a lighter version, you can substitute half of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt. For extra flavor, add a teaspoon of Dijon mustard.
- 3
Prepare the Avocado
The avocado adds the signature Californian creaminess.
- Cut the avocado in half lengthwise and remove the pit.
- Scoop out the flesh and slice or dice it, depending on your preference.
- Place the avocado pieces in a small bowl and gently toss with 15 ml of lemon juice. This will prevent it from browning.
To easily remove the pit, carefully but firmly strike it with the blade of your knife, then twist to lift it out.
- 4
Assemble and Serve
Now it's time to bring it all together!
- Add the halved cherry tomatoes to the large bowl with the lettuce.
- Add a generous scoop of the tuna mixture on top of the greens.
- Arrange the avocado slices around the tuna.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the fresh textures and flavors.
You can either serve it deconstructed as described, or gently toss everything together for a more integrated salad. Serve with a slice of whole-grain toast on the side for a more filling meal.
Nutrition
Per serving, across 2 servings.
| Nutrient | Per serving | Whole recipe |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 391.2 kcal | 782.4 kcal |
| Protein | 4.7 g | 9.5 g |
| Carbohydrates | 18.8 g | 37.6 g |
| Fat | 34 g | 68 g |
| Fibre | 11.6 g | 23.2 g |
| Sodium | 594.8 mg | 1189.7 mg |
Computed from the matched ingredient data rather than entered by hand, with 100% of ingredients matched. Treat it as a close estimate, not a clinical figure.
How it tastes
- Salty
- 2 out of 5
- Sweet
- 1 out of 5
- Sour
- 1 out of 5
- Umami
- 3 out of 5
- Herbal
- 3 out of 5
- Rich
- 3 out of 5
Texture
Mood
Good for
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