Tuna Pasta Salad (Printable version)
Refreshing cold salad with tender tuna, pasta, crisp vegetables, and creamy dressing. Ready in 25 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Pasta
01 - 9 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or rotini)
→ Fish
02 - 2 cans (5 oz each, drained) solid tuna in water or oil
→ Vegetables
03 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
04 - 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
05 - 1/2 cup celery, diced
06 - 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
07 - 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
08 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
→ Dressing
09 - 1/3 cup mayonnaise
10 - 2 tbsp plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
11 - 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
12 - 1 tbsp lemon juice
13 - 1/2 tsp salt
14 - 1/4 tsp black pepper
# Directions:
01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
03 - Add the cooled pasta, drained tuna, cherry tomatoes, red onion, celery, cucumber, olives, and parsley to the bowl with the dressing.
04 - Toss gently to combine, ensuring everything is evenly coated with dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
05 - Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld together for best taste.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The dressing gets better as it sits, so this salad actually improves overnight in the fridge
- You can throw it together in under 30 minutes with pantry staples
- It travels beautifully for potlucks and never fails to disappear first
02 -
- Rinse the pasta under cold water immediately after draining to stop the cooking process completely
- Let the salad chill for at least 30 minutes, otherwise the dressing tastes too sharp and the pasta hasnt absorbed the flavors yet
03 -
- Cut all vegetables to roughly the same size so every forkful gets a balanced mix of flavors and textures
- For a lighter version, replace all the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt but add an extra teaspoon of mustard to maintain the depth