Easy Avocado Salmon Salad
This easy avocado salmon salad is the perfect lunch that will only take you 5 minutes to prep! It’s the perfect simple and healthy alternative to a mayo-based tuna salad.
Table of contents
- Why Avocado Salmon Salad Will Be Your New Go-To Lunch!
- Do avocado and salmon go well together? How do you eat them together?
- Recipe Ingredients
- How to make Avocado Salmon Salad
- Can you prep this avocado salmon salad ahead of time? How do you keep it fresh?
- What do you serve with avocado salmon salad?
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- More easy salmon recipes to try:
Why Avocado Salmon Salad Will Be Your New Go-To Lunch!
Lunches on the go can get a little boring. It’s easy to get stuck in a rut of eating the same thing, or falling into the trap of overpaying for a salad at an overpriced salad bar.
This avocado salmon salad is about to change how you do lunch! It’s packed with veggies, healthy fats, and protein, and it requires zero cooking. It only takes about 5 minutes to prep the easiest healthy lunch that’s also gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo.
- It’s a lower mercury alternative to tuna. I love tuna salad, but eating tuna salad daily or even several times a week isn’t ideal because of the mercury. Both fish do have mercury, but generally, larger fish like tuna will have more mercury than smaller fish like salmon (source).
- It’s lighter than a traditional tuna salad and packed with healthy fats. Traditional tuna salad uses mayo as the base to make it creamy. Avocado contains half the fat of mayo which is primarly just fat (source) and has added fiber to make it a much more balanced base that will keep you fuller longer!
- Quick, easy, and no-cook. Since this recipe uses canned salmon, there’s zero cooking involved, making it the perfect workday lunch.
- How the heck do you use canned salmon? This recipe! If you have a can of salmon sitting in your pantry for forever, this is it’s time to shine. I love making butternut salmon cakes as well, but there’s no denying how quick and easy this is.
- Anti-inflammatory powerhouse. Salmon is an amazing anti-inflammatory food (source), and this is a great way to enjoy it!
Do avocado and salmon go well together? How do you eat them together?
Yes, avocado and salmon make the perfect pairing! Not only do the flavors go well together, but pairing them together leaves for a meal packed with protein, healthy fats, and even fiber making it both filling and nourishing at the same time.
Of course, you could have a lettuce-based salad and add a salmon filet and sliced avocado, and it would be delicious, but it’s also a bit more labor-intensive. Mashing canned salmon and avocado together is the upleveled version of a tuna salad!
Recipe Ingredients
| Ingredient | What it’s for | Potential swap |
| Canned salmon | The main source of protein for this dish | Roasted salmon that’s cooled and flaked |
| Fresh avocado | The creamy healthy fat | Refrigerated avocado mash (I like the brand good foods) |
| Onion powder & garlic powder | A flavor pop | Fresh onion and garlic |
| Cucumber, red onion, and celery | These add some crunch and extra veggies | Bell pepper, radish, or jicama |
| Lemon juice | This adds acid to the dish and helps to keep the avocado from browning | Lime juice or vinegar |
| Green onion | Extra flavor! | Dill or parsley |
How to make Avocado Salmon Salad
Here are the simple steps, with photos, to make this recipe. Find full instructions in the recipe card.
Step one. Mash the avocado well, season, and add lemon juice.
Step two. Drain the canned salmon and add it to the avocado mash.
Step three. Add the veggies and combine well.
Step four. Serve topped with green onion.
Can you prep this avocado salmon salad ahead of time? How do you keep it fresh?
Though this avocado salmon salad is best fresh, you can definitely prep the morning or night before to have it for lunch the next day.
The best way to keep this avocado salmon salad fresh is to wrap it as air-tight as possible. You can also add extra lemon to keep the avocado from browning.
What do you serve with avocado salmon salad?
| As a dip with… | As a sandwich or wrap with… |
| Carrot sticks | Gluten-free bread |
| Crackers | Gluten-free tortillas |
| Tortilla chips | Butter lettuce |
| Plantain chips | Romaine lettuce cups |
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use ripe avocado only. This will ensure that it’s easier to mash and stays fresh longer!
- Add a hard-boiled egg for extra protein. If you love egg salad, this recipe is perfect for adding those vibes. Simply add a chopped hard-boiled egg for some extra protein. You may need extra avocado as well.
More easy salmon recipes to try:
If you tried this Avocado Salmon Salad or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Easy Avocado Salmon Salad
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Ingredients
- 1 medium avocado
- Salt and pepper to taste, omit pepper for AIP
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Juice of half a lemon
- 6 oz can of salmon, drained
- ⅓ cup cucumber, diced
- ½ red onion, diced
- 1 stalk celery, diced
- 1 tbsp green onion, chopped
Instructions
- Add the avocado to a medium sized bowl and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Top with lemon juice and mash the avocado.
- Add the canned salmon to the bowl and flake into small pieces with a fork.
- Fold in the cucumber, red onion, and celery.
- Season further to taste and top with green onion. Serve over a sandwich or wrap, or with sides to dip like crackers or plantain chips.
Is that 1/2 of a red onion or 1/2 cup? 1/2 red onion seems like a lot! I got the smallest red onion I could find, but it’s still a good size.
I use half a red onion, but if that’s too much for you, feel free to use less!