This Avocado Tuna Salad with a Japanese-inspired soy sauce dressing is light yet flavorful and refreshing. It takes very little time and effort to put this salad together.
I have previously shared some Japanese-style salads, including iceberg lettuce with ginger dressing and green salad with sesame dressing. This tuna avocado salad recipe is my most recent favorite. If you are looking for a healthy tuna salad without mayo, I highly recommend it.
Ingredients
To compose this salad, you will need:
- ripe avocado
- good quality canned tuna, drained
- mixed lettuce: I recommend using a mix of different types of lettuce for salads whenever possible for different flavors and textures.
- other add-ins: carrot, cherry tomato, and cucumber. These add-ins will bring more colors, textures, and freshness to the salad.
Easy Soy Sauce Salad Dressing
This Japanese-style soy sauce dressing (also called shoyu salad dressing) goes so well with all ingredients in this avocado tuna salad. It is quick and easy to make, light, savory, and umami.
The essential components of the dressing are soy sauce, rice vinegar, and toasted sesame oil. You can also add minced garlic, salt, and pepper to flavor it to taste.
Related: this soy sauce salad dressing can also be used to make this cucumber and tofu salad.
Recipe Notes
Here’s how I like to plate the salad:
1️⃣ First, toss the mixed lettuce, julienned carrot, cucumber and cherry tomato with half of the dressing first. Then arrange them on a serving plate.
2️⃣ Lastly, top with avocado slices and tuna flakes. Drizzle the remaining dressing over everything.
Substitutions
- If you don’t have avocado on hand or it is not in season, you can try using boiled eggs instead.
- If you don’t have toasted sesame oil, replace it with your choice of vegetable oil for salad dressing. However, the sesame oil will add a nutty aroma, making the salad more delicious.
- Other ingredients you may add to the salad are sliced radish and corn kernels.
Please find instructions in the recipe card below, and feel free to customize this mayo-free tuna salad with soy sauce dressing to your liking.
Related Recipes
Other easy and light salad recipes you may like:
Filling salads that can be a main meal to try:
⭐️ I’d love to hear what you think about the dish, so please feel free to leave a comment and a rating if you have tried it. New recipes are added every week so let’s connect on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates. You can find my collection of Vietnamese recipes here.
Avocado Tuna Salad with Soy Sauce Dressing
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons neutral-flavored vegetable oil
- 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
For the Salad
- 5 oz mixed lettuce, roughly chopped or torn (about 140g/4-5 cups)
- 1 small carrot, peeled and julienned (about 60g/2oz or ½ cup)
- half a medium cucumber, thinly sliced (about 40-50g/¼-⅓ cup)
- 6 cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and thinly sliced
- 3-4 oz drained and flaked good quality canned tuna (about 85-110g)
Instructions
- Whisk together all ingredients to make the dressing. Taste and adjust to your liking.
- Gently toss the mixed lettuce, julienned carrot, cucumber and cherry tomatoes with half of the dressing. Then arrange them on serving plates.
- Place avocado slices and tuna flakes on top of the lettuce. Drizzle the remaining dressing (or put it on the side) and serve right away.
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