Tuna-Stuffed Avocado

(c) Ed Valdizán

Ed: Back when I had a gluten sensitivity and had to select my food very carefully, avocados were the one of the top ingredients on my list. I no longer have that excuse for eating them, but they are still one of my favorite foods.

Stuffed avocados are a popular appetizer in Latin America, where the climate allows the fruit to grow nicely. This recipe, which takes advantage of the avocado’s natural shape and showcases its unmatched flavor, is very easy to make, and is equally good as a starter or as a main dish. The avocados are cut in half and filled with a mixture of tuna, vegetables, herbs, and mayo, then served at room temperature or only slightly chilled, in order to fully appreciate all the flavors.

One of my favorite ways to eat this dish is as the centerpiece of the meal, placing the stuffed avocado on top of a salad made of lettuce, cucumber and tomato; it’s also great as a substantial side dish that goes well with well-seasoned beef medallions or even a flaky, lightly-breaded fish filet.

And in case you need an additional reason to eat them: avocados are an excellent source of vitamins C, E, K, and B-6, and for minerals great for vision and helping to prevent osteoporosis and improve digestion. I wish everyone a good meal and fun. Bon Appetite!

More with these ingredients:

• Basic Chunky Guacamole
• Tuna (or Salmon) Loaf
• Do you know the origin of the word avocado, and what this fruit was called decades ago in the U.S.? Learn this and more from Robin’s interesting piece about avocado trivia.

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Tuna-Stuffed Avocado

Avocado halves stuffed with a mixture of tuna, veggies, and herbs. Serve slightly chilled or at room temp as a main dish or special side.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Latin American

Keyword avocado, stuffed

Prep Time 15 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 6

Calories 430 kcal

Author Ed Valdizán / comboplate.net

Ingredients

• 2 cans of tuna 5 ounces/142 grams each, drained
• ¼ cup finely chopped white onion
• 1 and ½ cup diced cooked veggies (peas, carrots, potatoes, etc.)
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce optional, omit if you want to keep this mild
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 3 medium sized avocados ripe but still firm
• 3 large juicy limes
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions

1. In a medium-sized glass or metal mixing bowl, combine the tuna, cooked vegetables, mayonnaise, spicy sauce (if using), chopped parsley and cilantro, and the juice of one lime. Mix well, adding salt and pepper to taste. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or rubber scraper, folding the ingredients in rather than beating.

2. Cut the avocados lengthwise, remove the seeds, and calmly and carefully remove the skin. Squeeze the juice of the other two limes over all the surfaces of the avocado flesh to prevent it from darkening.

3. Place each avocado half on a salad plate. If necessary, cut a small slice from the bottom of each half so it can stand upright. Fill the avocados with the tuna mixture. Sprinkle with more cilantro or chopped parsley, if desired. Serve immediately or chill briefly before serving.

Recipe Notes

Variation:

• You can replace some of the ingredients as you wish. For example, skip the cilantro or the hot sauce, or replace the tuna with cooked, shredded chicken breast.
• Prepare a vegetarian version by leaving out the meat. Include additional ingredients, such as chopped celery and minced hard boiled eggs in the veggies mix.