Mayonnaise and tuna are a common combination since mayonnaise can bind tuna and enhance tuna’s texture, making this combo perfect for sandwiches, salads, and more.
However, you may be wondering what to mix with your tuna if you do not have any mayonnaise. I did the research, and here is a list of mayonnaise substitutes for tuna that I discovered!
Mayonnaise Substitutes For Tuna
1. Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is a common substitute for mayonnaise, and Greek yogurt is an excellent choice if you need a replacement for mayonnaise to mix with tuna.
Generally, Greek yogurt tastes similar to sour cream with a bit of tangy sharp flavors that work well with tuna, but the exact taste of Greek yogurt will depend on the brand.
Moreover, Greek yogurt is thick, creamy, and white like mayonnaise, meaning you may not notice that you used Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise in many recipes, especially for tuna.
Typically, you can use the same amount of Greek yogurt as you would use mayonnaise for a tuna recipe, but this will depend on the brand of Greek yogurt you get.
2. Sour Cream
Since Greek yogurt tastes a bit like sour cream, sour cream is naturally another decent replacement for mayonnaise with tuna.
Similar to Greek yogurt, sour cream is also thick, creamy, and white, making sour cream easily disguise itself as mayonnaise when you mix sour cream with tuna.
However, sour cream has a slightly more distinct tart flavor than mayonnaise, so you may notice a small difference in flavor.
Despite having a tarter flavor than mayonnaise, sour cream can potentially taste better than mayonnaise when mixed with tuna, but this will depend on your preferences.
3. Cream Cheese
As you can guess from the name, cream cheese has a creamy and thick texture, which is why cream cheese can easily substitute for mayonnaise in a mayonnaise and tuna recipe.
However, cream cheese does taste noticeably like cheese, but the flavor of cream cheese could compliment tuna, particularly if you are making a sandwich.
4. Avocado
If you have avocado on hand, avocado can be an alternative for mayonnaise since avocado becomes creamy and smooth when mashed, meaning mashed avocado can bind tuna together.
However, mashed avocado will be best for tuna recipes that involve a sandwich or wrap, but mashed avocado could also work in a salad if desired.
Moreover, it is important to note that mashed avocado has a bright yellowish-green hue, so the avocado’s color will stand out compared to mayonnaise.
5. Cottage Cheese
Cottage cheese is a kind of curd cheese that is creamy, white, and soft, meaning cottage cheese can be easily mixed with tuna in place of mayonnaise.
However, the exact texture of cottage cheese will depend on the variation you get since cottage cheese can have small, medium, or large curds.
Moreover, there are whipped and creamed cottage cheese variations which could be a better replacement for mayonnaise due to the smoother texture.
Keep in mind that opting for curd-like cottage cheese may affect the overall texture of your tuna recipe since you may notice the cottage cheese’s curds.
6. White Beans
White beans, which are also called cannellini beans, may not seem like an obvious substitute for mayonnaise, but you need to prepare the white beans first to make them an acceptable mayonnaise alternative.
Generally, you must soak and boil the white beans until they are fully cooked then mash the white beans.
Once the white beans are mashed, you will be left with a creamy and subtle mixture that you can use instead of mayonnaise.
7. Tahini
Tahini is a sauce made from ground sesame paste or butter, and tahini can be found in many Middle Eastern recipes.
Generally, tahini can make a good replacement for mayonnaise with tuna because tahini has a smooth consistency, but tahini is more pourable than mayonnaise.
Moreover, tahini tastes earthy with a strong nutty flavor, meaning tahini has a much stronger flavor than mayonnaise.
However, tahini can make a decent replacement for mayonnaise if you need to bind tuna because tahini can still hold the tuna together.
8. Hummus
Hummus is a dip or spread made of tahini, chickpeas, seasonings, etc. and hummus has a thick and creamy consistency that can bind tuna.
Similar to tahini, hummus has a noticeably nutty and earthy flavor with a savory taste, so you will notice if hummus is mixed with tuna instead of mayonnaise.
Additionally, some hummus recipes may have a grainier and slightly chunkier texture compared to mayonnaise, so hummus cannot perfectly replicate mayonnaise’s texture.
However, hummus can still be an ideal mayonnaise substitute if you just need something to bind the tuna, but hummus may work best if you are binding the tuna before placing the tuna into a wrap or sandwich.
9. Tzatziki
Tzatziki is a sauce made from drained cucumber, yogurt, fresh herbs, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and olive oil, which creates a slightly thick, creamy, and white sauce.
Typically, Tzatziki tastes a bit sour depending on the type of yogurt used, but you will also taste the garlic and tangy flavors along with bites of freshness from the herbs.
Generally, you can use Tzatziki sauce to bind tuna together, making Tzatziki sauce an excellent replacement for mayonnaise if you want to use tuna to create a sandwich.
Plus, the overall flavors of Tzatziki sauce compliment the tuna, further enhancing the dish if you want a stronger flavor than mayonnaise.
However, tzatziki sauce will be noticeable in most tuna recipes, meaning this may not be ideal if you want a milder binding ingredient for your tuna recipe.
Take a look at our related articles to discover mayonnaise substitutes for egg salad, mayonnaise substitutes for coleslaw, and a list of mayonnaise substitutes.
Conclusion
Mayonnaise and tuna is a classic combo that can be used in many recipes, but you may need an alternative for mayonnaise if you do not have any available.
Luckily, foods like mashed avocado, cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, tahini sauce, and more can easily bind tuna when you need a mayonnaise substitute for tuna.