I grew up loving tuna salad, so naturally tuna pasta salad has become one of my obsessions as an adult. I love that it’s budget-friendly, and that my kids will eat it because it’s full of familiar flavors like tuna, pasta and peas. Creamy and comforting, cold tuna pasta salad is a staple summer salad for me, and one of my favorites to bring to potlucks.
Tuna is such a great source of protein and healthy fats, and I often make this recipe with high-protein gluten-free pasta so it’s even more protein-packed. Below, I’ve listed even more ideas for mix-ins, and ways to add more veggies or protein, too.
Ingredients
- Tuna: Any canned tuna you usually buy will work great. Either oil-packed or water-packed is OK to use, just know that the oil-packed tuna will make your pasta salad richer.
- Pasta: Shells or macaroni are the classic tuna pasta salad shapes, but you can use any small shape pasta you want or have on hand. Penne, bow ties, or even wagon wheels would all work fine. Whatever pasta you use, be sure to salt the pasta water.
- Peas: Frozen peas don’t need to be cooked, just thaw them and go!
- Red onion: Minced up super finely, so that you get a nice punch of onion flavor, but nothing too overwhelming.
- Mayonnaise: Some recipes use Greek yogurt for protein, but I like the classic creaminess of mayonnaise.
- Vinegar: White vinegar is sharp and assertive, which cuts through with the rich flavors of mayo and tuna.
- Seasonings: Dijon mustard, dried dill, garlic and onion all add a nice boost of flavor to the mix. Think of all the flavors you’d add to tuna salad, and imagine them in a cold pasta salad.
How To Make Tuna Pasta Salad
- Cook the pasta in well-salted water and rinse it to remove some of the starch released during the cooking process. This keeps your tuna pasta salad from being gluey.
- Mix the pasta salad dressing by stirring together mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. I like to do this in the bottom of the bowl I’ll mix the whole salad in, to save dishes!
- Add everything else to the bowl, and stir everything together!
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Serve!
Tips For Making It Ahead Of Time
I actually think this tuna pasta salad gets better after a day in the fridge, so you can certainly make it a few days ahead of time. If you’re planning to make it ahead, reserve a little extra salad on the side, and stir it into the pasta salad right before serving to perk up the salad. Pasta salad is a great recipe for meal prep, too, because it keeps for up to 4 days, so you can make it on Sunday night and have it for lunches or dinner well into the week.
Variations + Add Ins
- Add more veggies: Try adding chopped sun-dried tomatoes, olives, or even diced bell peppers,
- Add more protein: Stir in chopped hard-boiled eggs or drained canned chickpeas.
- Play with different herbs: Try fresh dill in place of dried if you have it, or add fresh parsley or fresh basil.
- Make it gluten-free by using a gluten-free pasta.
- Make it healthier by using Greek yogurt in place of some of the mayo. Not only would this reduce the saturated fats, but you get extra protein, too.
More Easy Recipes With Canned Tuna
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