Whole30 Mexican Tuna Stuffed Peppers

Mexican tuna stuffed peppers are the perfect lunch or light dinner recipe that is packed with protein and low in carbs! They are so simple and made with everyday ingredients you probably already have in the house! Gluten free, paleo Whole30 and keto friendly, these simple tuna stuffed peppers don’t require any cooking!

Tuna Stuffed Peppers on a white serving tray with avocado, red bell pepper and cilantro
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Why this recipe works

  • Tuna stuffed peppers are simple to make and are made with everyday ingredients you probably already have in the house!
  • No cooking required! That’s right, these peppers can be thrown together in a matter of minutes, making them perfect for quick meals or packed for lunch.
  • These simple Whole30 tuna stuffed peppers are the perfect lunch idea! You can make them (and stuff them) the night before and take them with you for a simple lunch that is easy to eat while you are at work!
  • Mexican tuna stuffed peppers are the perfect low carb meal. Instead of using bread to serve the Mexican tuna salad, the tuna is stuffed in bell peppers. This recipe is packed with healthy fats, protein and veggies, making it keto, low carb, Whole30 friendly and extremely satisfying.

Why should you try this healthy Mexican tuna salad recipe?

This simple Mexican tuna salad recipe is packed with flavor and added veggies! If you struggle with thinking of new combinations for your lunch or you have trouble getting in enough vegetables, you have to try these Mexican tuna inspired stuffed peppers.

This Mexican tuna salad combines canned tuna, avocado, cauliflower rice, red onion to make the perfect low carb lunch!

What is the best kind of tuna to use for tuna salad?

There are many options of canned tuna but they are not all created equally. When you are buying canned tuna, be sure to check the ingredients! You want to make sure the only ingredients are tuna, water (or olive oil) and salt (optional). 

Focusing on sustainably caught, low mercury fish is also important to me! 

To find if the fish is caught sustainably, look for pole caught, line-caught or troll-caught on the label specifically.

Skipjack tuna has much less mercury than albacore or yellowfin tuna. However, skipjack does have a stronger fishy taste. If you want to eat albacore or yellowfin tuna, you may want to limit your consumption to once or twice a week. 

What are the best brands of tuna to buy? 

  • I really love Safe Catch (which has the lowest level of mercury of the market), Wild Planet, Thrive Market brand and Trader Joe’s brand. 
  • You can find Safe Catch and Wild Planet in most grocery stores, Whole Foods, Amazon and Thrive Market. If you are interested in checking out Thrive Market, you can get 25% off your first order!

What makes this recipe so healthy?

  • Avocado– Avocados are nutritious, delicious and they’re a good source of monounsaturated fat and fiber. 
  • Bell Pepper– The bell pepper adds crunch and a little sweetness, and they’re packed with vitamins (specifically high in Vitamin C) and low in calories!
  • Cauliflower Rice– Struggling to get your veggies in? Adding riced cauliflower to dishes like this was an easy way to increase the veggies without ever tasting it!

What if you don’t love canned tuna?

You can make these tuna salad recipes with other proteins as well! Try them with:

Tuna Stuffed Peppers on a white serving tray with avocado, red bell pepper and cilantro

How to make tuna stuffed peppers

Step 1: In a bowl, cut avocado in half, scoop out half of the avocado into a bowl and mash the avocado.  (Can use the whole avocado if doubling recipe, to keep the other half of the avocado from discoloring, add vinegar, lemon or lime juice, and store in the fridge).

Step 2: Add the red onion, cilantro, salt, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder to the bowl and stir until completely blended.

Step 3: Add in the cooked riced cauliflower (you can microwave it for 2-3 minutes from frozen) be sure to let cool. Next, add cooked (cooled) rice into the bowl with the avocado and spices.

Step 4: Drain the tuna (in water) and add to the bowl with the avocado mixture.

How to make Mexican tuna stuffing.

Step 5: Cut peppers: To cut the pepper turn it upside down so it sits on the stem. Use where the pepper naturally forms bumps at the top to trace where you should cut to make the cups. Follow the lines down to the bottom. Remove the seeds.

Step 6: Fill the bell pepper cups with the tuna mixture. ENJOY!

Steps on how to cut a bell pepper for stuffing

How long does tuna salad last in the fridge?

It tastes even better if you let it chill between 30 minutes up to 6 hours. This tuna recipe is good in the fridge for up to 24 hours. You can easily prep and fill peppers the night before for a quick and easy lunch.

Substitutions

Avocado: Prefer traditional mayo in your tuna salad? No problem. You can easily swap out the avocado and use mayo. I like Primal Kitchen because it’s made with quality ingredients and keeps this recipe Whole30. You can also use one single-serving packet of guacamole in place of the avocado in this recipe.

Note: If using a guacamole packet, you may want to reduce adding salt to these peppers.

Cauliflower: you can also use chopped broccoli, shredded zucchini or chopped snap peas to replace the cauliflower. 

Peppers: Can use small or larger peppers. You can use any color pepper but yellow, orange and red are the best and most flavorful. If you cannot have peppers or don’t have them on hand, you can also use cucumber boats, collard green wraps or lettuce wraps in place of the peppers.

Tuna Stuffed Peppers on a white serving tray with avocado, red bell pepper and cilantro

What are other ways you can serve Mexican tuna salad?

  • On a bed of salad greens (with more salad dressing)
  • In lettuce cups or on romaine lettuce boats
  • In a collard green wrap
  • Stuffed in a cucumber
  • Stuffed in an avocado
  • Stuffed in a tomato
  • With cucumber slices, carrot chips, homemade crackers
  • With Siete Tortilla chips or Tortillas (does not make recipe low carb).

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Tuna Stuffed Peppers on a white serving tray with avocado, red bell pepper and cilantro

Simple Whole30 Tuna Stuffed Peppers

Whole30 Tuna Stuffed Peppers are a simple and easy low carb lunch or dinner recipe! This healthy recipe has a Mexican twist and is filled with cauliflower rice, avocado and tuna all stuffed in a pepper! Gluten free, dairy free, grain free, paleo, keto friendly!
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Save Rate
Course: Lunch
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: mexican tuna, Tuna Stuffed Peppers
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a bowl, mash the avocado. Add the red onion, cilantro, salt, paprika, cumin, and garlic powder and stir well
  • Add in the cooked riced cauliflower (you can microwave it for 2-3 minutes from frozen) to the avocado and spices.
  • Drain the tuna (in water) and add to the avocado mixture
  • To cut the pepper turn it upside down so it sits on the stem. Use where the pepper naturally forms bumps at the top to trace where you should cut to make the cups. Follow the lines down to the bottom. Remove the seeds
  • Fill the bell pepper cups with the tuna mixture. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 24 hours. 

Notes

How long does tuna salad last in the fridge?
It tastes even better if you let it chill between 30 minutes up to 6 hours. This tuna recipe is good in the fridge for up to 24 hours. 
Substitutions
Avocado: Prefer traditional mayo in your tuna salad? No problem. You can easily swap out the avocado and mayo. I like Primal Kitchen because it’s made with quality ingredients and keeps this recipe Whole30. You can also use one single-serving packet of guacamole in place of the avocado in this recipe.
Note: If using a guacamole packet, you may want to reduce adding salt to these peppers.
Cauliflower: you can also use chopped broccoli, shredded zucchini or chopped snap peas to replace the cauliflower. 
Peppers: Can use small or larger peppers. If you cannot have peppers or don’t have them on hand, you can also use cucumber bites, collard green wraps or lettuce wraps in place of the peppers.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts
Amount per Serving
Calories
369
Fat
 
17
g
Carbohydrates
 
20
g
Fiber
 
10
g
Sugar
 
7
g
Protein
 
37
g
Where does nutrition info come from? Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy, sourced from the USDA Food Database.
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Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in January of 2018, but was published again in February 2020 to include step by step directions, recipe notes and some new photos.

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