Tuna pasta salad has all of my favorite things from a tuna sandwich without the bread. I love salads, especially in the summer when it’s too hot to cook anything. I am always throwing random things in a bowl to make a salad and one day I was craving a tuna sandwich but didn’t have any bread, so I decided to put all the ingredients from a tuna salad sandwich into a salad plus a few added things. This salad has evolved over time into what the recipe is today, but essentially it’s the same at its core. I can’t wait for you to try this healthy tuna pasta salad for an easy lunch this summer.
What you need to make this tuna pasta salad:
This is an amazing recipe with protein-rich tuna as the star ingredient. This cold tuna pasta salad can be whipped up for the main dish served at your next backyard barbecue that the entire family will love.
Here are the main ingredients…
To begin you’ll need 2 cans of tuna fish in water. You can buy the tuna in oil, which is very tasty, but it does add some additional fat that you don’t really need here. Next, crunch is a very important component when making a salad so this salad has a lot of crunch. Feel free to add more or less of any of the following fresh veggies: Diced celery, carrots, dill pickles, red onion, and cucumbers. After those crunchy veggies, I like halved cherry tomatoes and briny capers. Then I throw in about a cup or two of fresh arugula for the peppery taste. If Arugula is not your thing or you can’t find it, I have also made it using chopped Romaine lettuce.
The type of pasta you use is up to you. I like penne pasta or bowtie pasta best, but there are other options that would work just as well. Consider trying Rotini pasta, shells, or elbow macaroni instead.
For the dressing, I wanted to keep it light so it is made with fresh lemon juice, the zest of a lemon, dijon mustard, plus a little salt and pepper. I steered away from a heavy mayonnaise dressing, but still wanted the creaminess it offers. So there is a little mayo as well. These simple ingredients are then whisked together with extra virgin olive oil.
Extra! Extra!
Something worth adding to the dressing if you like it is fresh dill. Dill is one of those herbs people either love or hate. I happen to like it, but no one in my family does so I don’t get to use it very often. Fresh dill would be very good in this dressing. Just a couple of teaspoons are all you would need. Add it in just before you whisk in the olive oil.
How to make this delicious tuna salad:
First, you are going to want to get your pasta going. This is important because you need to give the pasta time to cool down before adding it to your salad. No one likes hot pasta in a cold salad. So grab a large pot and fill it with cold water then follow the package instructions. Be sure to cook it al dente so the pasta still has a bite and is not mushy and overcooked. Once it’s finished, drain the pasta in a colander and drizzle with a bit of olive oil to prevent the cooked pasta from sticking together. Let cool completely.
Next, make the lemon dressing. Doing it now gives the flavors time to come together and develop. You won’t add it until ready to toss and eat.
After that, chop all of your veggies. Be sure to cut the veggies very small. I like everything to be diced very finely. Halve or quarter the tomatoes depending on how big they are. Roughly chop the capers by running a knife over them a few times. They will be more smashed than chopped.
Now grab a large mixing bowl. Add the drained tuna and break it apart with a fork. Add the chopped veggies, tomatoes, and capers. Now pour a bit of the dressing on top to lightly coat everything in the bowl. Now give that all a stir. Add the cooled pasta and arugula and the rest of the dressing. Toss together so everything is evenly combined and the dressing has coated the pasta. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
If you are not ready to eat right away, cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for about an hour. You can also store leftovers in an airtight container for about a day. The arugula will get wilted, but it will still taste ok! When ready to serve, transfer to a large bowl.
This cold tuna pasta salad is an easy dish the whole family will enjoy!
Other recipes you might enjoy:
Pasta Salad with Spinach tossed with Soy Ginger Vinaigrette
Tuna Pasta Salad
I’ve deconstructed a tuna sandwich and thrown all the classic ingredients into a salad with penne pasta and arugula. It's tossed with a lemony vinaigrette making it light and perfect for a summertime meal.
Ingredients
- 2 8oz cans of tuna
- 1/4 cup celery, diced
- 1/2 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- 1/4 cup pickles, diced
- 1/2 cups carrots, shredded
- 1/2 cup cucumber, diced
- 2 tbsps capers
- 1 cup arugula
- 2 cups uncooked penne pasta (bowtie, macaroni, orreciette, spiral, shells)
- *Optional 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
Ingredients for Lemon Dressing:
- Zest of one lemon
- 1-2 lemons (about 3 tbsps)
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsps mayonnaise
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup olive oil
Instructions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside and let cool.
2. Combine lemon zest, lemon juice, dijon, mayo, salt, and pepper together. While whisking gradually add olive oil until fully incorporated.
4. To a large bowl add tuna, celery, tomatoes, pickles, carrots, cucumber, capers, arugula, and cooked pasta.
5. Add dressing and toss to combine. Enjoy.