Mix Guacamole Into Canned Tuna And Thank Us Later

Pick up some ripe avocados, lime juice, and spices to make a batch of guacamole today — or give yourself a break and get a tub of the premade stuff at the store. However, instead of buying tortilla chips to go with that guac, you should really grab a can of tuna. Skeptical? That's an understandable reaction to imagining this creamy, spicy party dip in the company of an oily, canned fish folks tend to either love or hate. Hear us out: The combination of the two is actually quite delicious. 

The exact components of guacamole, of course, vary from one bowl to the next. However, they all start with mashed or diced avocado. From there, guacamole typically includes onions, tomatoes, cilantro, salt, lime juice, jalapeños, and spices like cumin and chili powder. According to "The Flavor Bible" by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg, it turns out that all of these ingredients also pair well with tuna. That's the first scrap of proof that guacamole and tuna have a real future together. 

Another reason to blend guacamole with canned tuna is to experience what this dip does for the texture. Tuna is typically mixed with mayonnaise to make a creamy salad for sandwiches, to serve on a bed of lettuce, or to fold with cold, cooked pasta. Now consider the buttery texture of mashed avocado: When mixed with tuna fish, it also creates a salad with a delectable silkiness. The spices, aromatics, and other ingredients combined with avocado in guacamole also give tuna salad a lot more flavor than mayonnaise alone. 

Here's one last reason to give guacamole blended with tuna a chance: Eating avocados regularly offers a nutritional boost. Made with eggs, oil, and vinegar, mayonnaise offers little nutritional contribution to tuna salad. 2 tablespoons of mayo have a trace amount of protein, no fiber, and more than 3 grams of saturated fat. In contrast, the same amount of avocado has a little protein, 1 ½ grams of fiber but only contains ½ gram of saturated fat. Avocado also contains potassium and has far less sodium than mayonnaise. 

Whether you swap guacamole for mayonnaise or add a few spoonfuls to your tuna along with some mayo, your tuna salad will be more flavorful and nourishing than ever before.