Best Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe: Creamy and Easy to Make
If there’s one pasta salad recipe that instantly brings me back to childhood, it’s tuna pasta salad. I grew up eating tuna salad all the time. It was hands down my favorite! My mom loved to try different recipes, sometimes adding extra veggies, other times making it extra creamy, or brightening it with citrus or a bit of fruit.
Over time, I started playing around with my own versions too, and this tuna pasta salad has easily become a staple in my kitchen.
As a self-proclaimed salad aficionado, I truly believe a great tuna pasta salad should be creamy but fresh, hearty yet bright, and comforting but never heavy. This recipe layers your favorite pasta with a flavorful tuna mixture, fresh veggies, a creamy dressing, and fruit. You can enjoy it for lunch, serve it at picnics or potlucks, or prepare it for meal prep, and it only gets better as the flavors mingle over time.
How to Make Tuna Pasta Salad
Tuna Pasta Salad Ingredients
Tuna: We use canned tuna in water or oil, and drain it well before mixing. Tuna adds protein and a rich, savory flavor.
Cherry Tomatoes: Slice them in half so they mix evenly throughout the salad
Olive Oil: We add just a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil to the tuna if using canned tuna in water. It adds a richness to the tuna.
Red Onions: They bring a mild sharpness and crunch. Slice them thinly to prevent them from overpowering the other flavors.
Mayonnaise: Creates a creamy base, coats the pasta, and binds all the ingredients together.
Cucumbers: Add freshness and a cool crunch. Dice them into small cubes.
Mustard: Adds a kick that goes very well with the creaminess of the mayonnaise. We use Dijon or yellow mustard.
Pasta: Use short pasta shapes like rotini, shells, fusilli, or bow ties because they hold the dressing well. Cook until the pasta is tender but still slightly firm for the best texture.
Feta Cheese: We love adding crumbled feta cheese to our tuna salads. Goat is also a good alternative.
Sliced Almonds: Sliced toasted almonds add a light crunch and nutty flavor that brings extra texture to the salad.
Salt and pepper
Optional Add-Ins: Avocado and Fruits (Apple, Oranges):
We love adding avocado for creaminess, and diced oranges or grapes in the summer to bring out bright seasonal flavors, and apples in the fall.
Cook the Pasta
Start by bringing a medium to large Dutch pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your pasta of choice until perfectly al dente. Once cooked, drain your pasta and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down completely. Allow the pasta to sit for a few minutes so any excess water drains off before mixing.
Cut the Veggies and Mix the Tuna
While the pasta cools, prepare the vegetables. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half so they blend easily into the salad, dice the cucumbers into small cubes, and thinly slice the red onions. Keeping the pieces similar in size helps create a balanced texture in every bite.
Next, drain the tuna thoroughly to remove any excess liquid. Place it in a large mixing bowl and gently flake it apart with a fork. If using canned tuna in water, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and mix lightly to keep the tuna moist and flavorful.
Make the Creamy Dressing
In the same bowl, add the mayonnaise and mustard to the tuna, stirring until smooth and creamy. Once combined, add the cooled pasta along with the tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, crumbled feta cheese, and sliced almonds. Toss everything together until all your ingredients are evenly coated with the dressing and well distributed throughout the salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add Optional Ingredients
If you are including optional ingredients such as avocado, apples, or oranges, fold them in at the end using a gentle motion. This helps prevent softer ingredients from breaking apart or becoming mushy.
Chill Before Serving
Once everything is combined, cover the bowl and refrigerate your tuna pasta salad for at least 30 minutes before serving. Chill to blend all flavors together and give the salad a more refreshing texture. Before serving, give it a quick stir.
Substitutions and Add-Ins for your Cold Tuna Pasta Salad
Use Greek Yogurt instead of Mayonnaise
For a healthier version of this tuna pasta salad recipe, replace the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt and add one tablespoon of lemon juice.
Make It More Traditional
For a more classic cold tuna pasta salad, add chopped celery, green onions, and fresh parsley, and leave out the cherry tomatoes. This creates a traditional flavor with extra crunch and a fresh, herby finish.
Nut Substitute
If you don’t have sliced almonds, you can use sunflower seeds.
Tips for the Best Tuna Pasta Salad
Cool the Pasta Completely: Make sure the pasta is fully cooled before mixing it with the dressing. Warm pasta can cause the dressing to become too thin and may make the salad watery.
Drain the Tuna Well: Remove as much liquid as possible from the tuna before adding it to the bowl. Excess moisture can dilute the dressing and affect the texture of your salad.
Salt the Pasta Water: Add salt to your boiling water to season the pasta from the inside, enhancing the overall flavor of the salad.
Toast the Almonds for Extra Flavor: If your almonds are not already toasted, lightly toast them in a pan in the oven for a few minutes.
Add your Almonds Last: If you want the sliced almonds to stay crispier, stir them in just before serving rather than mixing them in too early.
Store Properly: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If the salad seems dry, stir in a small spoonful of mayonnaise or yogurt to refresh the texture.
Tuna Pasta Salad
This tuna pasta salad recipe combines pasta, flaky tuna, crunchy vegetables, feta cheese, and a creamy dressing.
Ingredients
- 12 oz short pasta (rotini, shells, fusilli, or bow ties)
- 2 cans tuna, drained well
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (adjust to taste)
- 1-2 tsp Dijon or yellow mustard
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil (optional, if using tuna in water)
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside to cool completely.
- Drain tuna very well and flake it into a large mixing bowl. If using tuna in water, drizzle with olive oil and gently mix. Prep vegetables by halving tomatoes, dicing cucumbers, and slicing red onion.
- Add mayonnaise and mustard. Stir until creamy and well combined.
- Add cooled pasta, vegetables, feta, and almonds. Toss gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Stir before serving and adjust seasoning if needed.
Notes
- Cool pasta completely before mixing to prevent watery dressing
- Drain tuna thoroughly for best texture
- Add almonds just before serving for maximum crunch
- Salad stores well in the fridge for up to 3 days
Nutrition Facts
Calories
751Fat
36 gSat. Fat
7 gCarbs
72 gFiber
5 gNet carbs
67 gSugar
6 gProtein
33 gSodium
659 mgCholesterol
59 mgNutrition information is automatically calculated and should be used as an estimate. Use your own calculations when needed.
