Healthy, yummy, avocado tuna macaroni salad
Avocado tuna macaroni salad. Try saying that five times fast! It’s a real mouthful, both literally and figuratively. It’s also a super yummy and healthy meal that I never have to feel bad about chowing down on. And why would I feel bad about it? Because, mayo. It is my absolute favorite condiment! Any time I make some tuna macaroni salad I end up slathering it in mayo. It tastes delicious but I always end up with a little twang of guilt, even though I get the low-fat, olive oil mayo. For a while I’ve been telling myself I needed to give it a healthier spin, and now I’ve finally done the deed. My result? An avocado tuna macaroni salad that is as good as its name is long.
Why avocados?
I didn’t really grow up eating avocados too much. Since becoming a pescatarian though, and trying to improve my diet, I’ve been incorporating as many super foods as I can. Avocados are one of my new favorites. They’re incredibly nutrient rich, with a good amount of fiber, potassium and quite a few vitamins. So I thought that instead of making another delicious tuna macaroni salad smothered in mayonnaise, this time I’d smother it in mashed avocados. And I don’t think I’ve ever been prouder of myself!
Don’t be afraid to make it your own
Everyone’s tastes are different. Feel free to tweak this recipe as needed to make it most enjoyable for you. Sometimes I’ll leave out the pasta and put the avocado tuna mixture on bread to make a nice sandwich. Other times I’ll use it as a dip and scoop it out with crackers. If I want a standalone meal then I’ll put the macaroni in it with tomatoes or even cucumbers. It just depends on how I’m feeling. So test it out, play around with it, and enjoy!
*Please note that this post contains affiliate links and I may earn a commission if you click on them and make a purchase. This is, of course, at no cost to you, and I only feature products that I myself have used, and would recommend.* 🙂
Avocado Tuna Macaroni Salad
A yummy and healthy, tuna and avocado salad.
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
- 2 large eggs
- 2 3.0 oz pouches/cans of tuna
- 2 whole avocados (ripe)
- 2 tbsp mustard
- salt & pepper (to taste)
- Boil eggs for 10-15 minutes in a small saucepan with lightly salted water.
Boil pasta simultaneously for 15-20 minutes in a medium saucepan with lightly salted water.
- While eggs and pasta are boiling, peel avocados, then mash them.
- Place eggs in cold water after cooking. Peel when cooled, then cut into small bite-sized pieces
- When pasta becomes tender, then drain.
(I rinse my pasta for about a minute in cold water to cool it so that when I mix it with the other ingredients, it isn’t too hot and doesn’t dry the mixture out).
- In a large bowl combine pasta, diced eggs, mustard, and mashed avocados. Mix ingredients together until coating of avocados on pasta is even. Add salt and pepper to taste.
(I bought this handy avocado peeler/slicer/core remover that I had been dying to try out so this finally gave me the chance to use it. It was super nifty and I had way more fun using it than I expected.)
Also, my favorite “healthy” pasta, Barilla Rotini Veggie Pasta
Finished result
Once completed you should have a nice, slightly green, bowl of tuna, avocado, macaroni deliciousness. I like to chill it in the fridge for a few hours before eating.
Tried it. Super yummy
I am a vegetarian but I love the idea of using avocado instead of mayo as it is far healthier and just as yummy! I want some avocados now haha xx