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Home » Salads

Spicy Tuna Salad

Douglas Cullen, This blog generates income via ads and affiliate links which earn us a small commission.

Ensalada de Atun

This spicy tuna salad, called ensalada de atun in Spanish, is a tasty blend of tuna, avocado, vegetables, and serrano chile served on tostadas.

The avo and veggies are the stars; The serrano chiles and lime juice give it some kick; The tuna gives it flavor. You only need 15 minutes to prepare it and you probably have all of the ingredients on hand.

Spicy Tuna salad with Avocado
Mexican Style Spicy Tuna Salad

A Versatile Recipe

Tuna salad is popular throughout Mexico and every cook has her own personal version. This recipe is my personal favorite but it is very versatile.

Use it as a base to create your own tuna salad recipe. A few ideas: Omit the lettuce and add shredded carrot. Substitute parsley for the cilantro. Omit the chiles. Use lemon juice instead of lime juice. Add a pinch of black pepper. Replace the lettuce with spinach. Use your imagination. It is almost impossible to mess it up.

As they say in Mexico, provecho!

Mexican Spicy Tuna Salad with Avocado
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4.34 from 3 votes

Spicy Tuna Salad

Mexican Style Spicy Tuna Salad Recipe. A tasty blend of tuna, avocado, vegetables, and serrano chile served on tostadas or saltine crackers.
Course Salad
Cuisine Mexican
Keyword Easy, lunch, spicy, tuna, tuna salad
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Total Time 15 minutes minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 364kcal
Author Douglas Cullen

Ingredients

  • 2 cans water packed tuna
  • 1 small red onion diced
  • 2 Plum tomatoes diced
  • 2 avocados cut into ¼" pieces
  • 2 cups of lettuce cut into ¼" strips Any type of loose leaf lettuce works great. Iceberg lettuce works also.
  • 2 serrano chiles minced
  • 2 tsp. minced cilantro
  • 2 tsp. mayonaise
  • juice from 2 Mexican limes Key limes
  • 12 tostadas
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Drain the tuna well.
  • Add all of the ingredients to a large mixing bowl except the avocado. Gently mix until the ingredients are dispersed evenly.
  • Salt to taste.
  • Add the avocado to the salad and mix very gently until the avocado is dispersed evenly.
  • Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to lightly chill the salad.
  • Serve the tuna salad on tostadas.

Notes

  • This salad is best eaten immediately although if you have some leftover it will keep in the refrigerator for a day.
  • Use the mayonnaise sparingly. More isn’t better for this salad.
  • Add only 1 serrano chile to reduce the heat.

Nutrition

Serving: 3tostadas | Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 415mg | Sugar: 3g

More Mexican Salads

  • Cactus Salad
  • Cuernavaca Style Cucumber Salad
  • Zucchini Squash and Chayote Salad
  • Andrés’ Tuna Salad
  • Fruit Salad
  • Beet Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Comments

  1. Ramona Contreras says

    March 12, 2020 at 2:28 pm

    Great recipes

    Reply
  2. Ramona Contreras says

    March 12, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    5 stars
    Great recipes, I well try. Thank you

    Reply
  3. Annie ACELAR Young says

    March 21, 2022 at 9:16 am

    I don’t know of the much Mexican foods I was Born in the Philippines And we only mostly European Food and Asian Foods And German Food or American

    Reply
4.34 from 3 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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I'm Douglas

I spent 25 years living across Mexico, from Durango and Monterrey to Puerto Vallarta and San Miguel de Allende. Since 2014, we have published nearly 200 of our own Mexican recipes and we have collaborated with professional chefs, established food bloggers, and writers to bring you even more. 

About me

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