Citric Acid Free Basil-Avocado Tuna Slaw
This slaw is a bright, satisfying bowl that layers crunchy shredded cabbage and sweet carrot with hearty tuna and buttery avocado — the kind of meal that feels both light and genuinely filling. The real star is the hand-mashed basil dressing, where fresh basil leaves get bruised with olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, turmeric, and ginger until the whole thing turns a vivid, fragrant green. Avoiding citric acid as an additive can be tricky with packaged dressings and condiments, but here everything comes straight from whole ingredients you can see and trust. The lemon juice does the brightening work naturally, and because you're building the dressing yourself from scratch, there's no need to decode a label or second-guess a bottled sauce. Folding the avocado in last and keeping the toss gentle means you get creamy pockets throughout rather than a mushy mess. It comes together in one large bowl with minimal fuss, making it a solid weeknight option or an easy lunch you can feel good about.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the slaw
- 3 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 cup red cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced (green tops only)
- 2 cans (5 oz each) tuna packed in water, drained and flaked
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and cut into ½-inch cubes
For the basil dressing
- 1 ½ cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed
- ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (about 1 large lemon)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
For serving
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, roughly chopped (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a small mixing bowl, combine the basil, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, salt, turmeric, and ginger. Using a fork or the back of a spoon, mash and stir vigorously until the basil is bruised and the dressing is cohesive and bright green, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust salt.
- 2
In a large mixing bowl, combine the green cabbage, red cabbage, carrot, and scallion greens. Pour about two-thirds of the dressing over the vegetables and toss until every strand is evenly coated.
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