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This fresh, lightened up Asian Avocado Tuna Salad Grain Bowl is finished with a silky honey miso dressing and it’s ridiculously delicious! Quick and easy to prepare, plus packed with flavor and nutrients (NO MAYO!), this grain salad will be your new favorite lunch, or it’s perfect as a light, healthy dinner! Tuna salad has never looked so good!

Overhead shot of a neutral colored serving bowl filled with Asian Avocado Tuna Salad Grain Bowl with black chopsticks resting on the top of the bowl and a purple linen, small additional salad, can of tuna, ramekin of honey miso dressing and ramekin of sesame seeds surrounding the serving bowl.

Hey there, friends!

Before we get to today’s ridiculously delicious dish, I want to let you in on a random, fun fact about me. I have a moderate to severe obsession with tuna.

Whether it be albacore, yellowfin, canned, seared, sushi, sashimi, whatever (!), it doesn’t really matter. I love it ALL.

Given my admiration for all things tuna, it should come as no real surprise that I eat some form of tuna at least 5 times a week. (<– I told you, the obsession is real.)

And the recipe I’m sharing today is my new, all-time favorite way to devour my beloved, choice fish. AND, I’m also sharing my preferred brand of tuna!

Overhead, up close shot of Asian Avocado Tuna Salad Grain Bowl in a neutral colored serving bowl.

Table of Contents

About this tuna avocado salad

Refreshing, healthy, and packed with both protein and nutrients, this salad seriously stellar, you guys!

This Asian grain bowl is loaded with carefully chosen, seasonally fresh ingredients that your beach-body-goals-driven self DESERVES.

Crisp lettuce is tossed with creamy avocado, cool cucumber, fresh scallions, spicy jalapeños and herbaceous cilantro, piled high on fluffy, nutty forbidden black rice, and then topped with rich, meaty, protein packed tuna.

This fresh tuna salad gets finished off with a generous drizzle (or glug) of silky, sweet and savory, umami-spiked homemade honey miso dressing.

Say goodbye to that old school, mayo laden tuna salad from your past and HELLO to your new favorite, easy to make, lightened up, CLEAN and nutritious tuna salad… sans the mayo!

Is tuna avocado salad healthy?

Short answer – it totally depends.

Obviously if you are eating old school tuna salad swimming in mayo, no, tuna salad is not healthy at all!

But, this tuna salad you see here today?! It is healthy and hearty!

Packed with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and probiotics, plus loaded with flavor, this salad isn’t just something you can feel good about eating, it is also something you will ENJOY eating too!

Overhead shot of Asian Avocado Tuna Salad Grain Bowl in a neutral colored serving bowl a persons hand holding the bowl and another hand holding black chopsticks; with a purple linen, ramekin of honey miso dressing and ramekin of sesame seeds surrounding the serving bowl.

Expert tips for the best success!

  1. The recipe below calls for neutral oil to make the dressing. You can use any neutral oil you would like, such as vegetable, corn or grapeseed. Make sure you do not use a flavored oil, such as olive oil, or it will overpower the dressing.
  2. Always make sure you taste and adjust recipes with salt and pepper to suit your own taste buds! This especially applies to the dressing. Make sure you prepare the dressing according to the recipe instructions and then adjust with salt and pepper to taste. As
    well, if a thinner, weaker dressing is desired, you can whisk in more oil, 1 tablespoon at a time. The dressing can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored, covered in the refrigerator. Make sure to give it a good whisk or shake before using.
  3. While the recipe below calls for forbidden black rice, you can absolutely substitute brown or wild rice if desired. To keep things super quick and easy, I like to make the rice in advance and keep it stored in a container with a tight-fitting lid in the refrigerator. That way I can make this Asian Avocado Tuna Salad in a flash whenever a craving strikes… which is on the daily!
  4. This grain salad is easily customizable with whatever add-ins or toppings your heart desires! Some of my favorites are: shredded carrots, shelled edamame, microgreens and seaweed salad.

This fresh, delicious Asian grain bowl twist on classic tuna salad is a protein powerhouse meal you are sure to love! Light on unnecessary, unhealthy fats, and bold on flavor, THIS is how you do tuna salad without mayonnaise!

Until next time, friends, cheers – to giving canned tuna new life!

Cheyanne

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More recipes with tuna!

Overhead, landscape shot of a neutral colored serving bowl filled with Asian Avocado Tuna Salad Grain Bowl with black chopsticks resting on the top of the bowl and a purple linen, small additional salad, ramekin of honey miso dressing and ramekin of sesame seeds surrounding the serving bowl.

Asian Avocado Tuna Salad Grain Bowl with Honey Miso Dressing

5 from 4 votes
Author: Cheyanne Holzworth
Total Time: 20 minutes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
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This fresh, lightened up Asian Avocado Tuna Salad is finished with a silky honey miso dressing and it’s ridiculously delicious! Quick and easy to prepare, plus packed with flavor and nutrients (NO MAYO!), this grain salad will be your new favorite lunch, or it’s perfect as a light, healthy dinner! Tuna salad has never looked so good!

Ingredients 

Salad:

  • 2 4.5 ounce cans Bella Portofino Tuna
  • 3 Cups Baby Arugula or Spring Mix
  • 2 Avocados – pitted and cubed or sliced
  • 1 Cup Seedless Cucumber – sliced
  • 4 Scallions – sliced
  • 1 Jalapeno – seeded and chopped
  • Fresh Cilantro – chopped, to taste
  • 4 Cups Forbidden Black Rice cooked according to package directions (can substitute brown or wild rice)
  • 2 TBS Sesame Seeds
  • Kosher Salt & Ground Black Pepper

Dressing:

  • 3 TBS White Miso Paste also known as Shiro Miso
  • 3 TBS Rice Vinegar
  • 1 ½ TBS Ginger – grated
  • ¼ Cup Honey can substitute Agave
  • 2 tsp Sesame Oil
  • 2 TBS Neutral Oil such as vegetable or corn*

Optional Add-ins: Shredded Carrots, Microgreens, Edamame, Seaweed Salad, Furikake

Instructions

  • Make the dressing*: In a small bowl, whisk together miso, vinegar, ginger, honey, sesame oil and pinch of salt. Slowly whisk in oil. Taste and add salt, pepper and additional tablespoon of oil as desired*. Set aside.
  • Prep the salad: In a large bowl, gently toss together the lettuce, avocado, cucumber, scallions, jalapeno and cilantro. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  • To serve: Arrange the rice in the bottom of serving bowls. Arrange the salad on top of the rice. Use a fork to gently lift the tuna out of the can (making sure to keep the chunks of tuna intact, but leaving most of the oil behind in the can) and arrange it on top of the salad. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and drizzle with dressing. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. The recipe below calls for neutral oil to make the dressing. You can use any neutral oil you would like, such as vegetable, corn or grapeseed. Make sure you do not use a flavored oil, such as olive oil, or it will overpower the dressing.
  2. Always make sure you taste and adjust recipes with salt and pepper to suit your own taste buds! This especially applies to the dressing. Make sure you prepare the dressing according to the recipe instructions and then adjust with salt and pepper to taste. As well, if a thinner, weaker dressing is desired, you can whisk in more oil, 1 tablespoon at a time. The dressing can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored, covered in the refrigerator. Make sure to give it a good whisk or shake before using.
  3. While the recipe below calls for forbidden black rice, you can absolutely substitute brown or wild rice if desired. To keep things super quick and easy, I like to make the rice in advance and keep it stored in a container with a tight fitted lid in the refrigerator. That way I can make this Asian Avocado Tuna Salad in a flash whenever a craving strikes… which is on the daily! 
  4. This grain salad is easily customizable with whatever add-ins, or toppings, your heart desires! Some of my favorites are: shredded carrots, shelled edamame, microgreens and seaweed salad.

Nutrition

Calories: 517kcal    Carbohydrates: 77g    Protein: 9g    Fat: 20g    Saturated Fat: 3g    Sodium: 502mg    Potassium: 757mg    Fiber: 11g    Sugar: 20g    Vitamin A: 685IU    Vitamin C: 19.5mg    Calcium: 98mg    Iron: 2.6mg
Course: entree, Salad
Cuisine: Asian

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