Tuna Pasta Salad
A creamy and satisfying tuna pasta salad with a thick dressing that clings to every shell, crisp celery, and sweet peas. Ready in 30 minutes, it's perfect for potlucks, picnics, and easy weeknight meals.
Equipment
- Mixing Spoon or Silicone Spatula
- Airtight storage containers - For leftovers
Ingredients
- 12 oz medium pasta shells - 340g, or elbow macaroni
- 2 cans tuna packed in water - 5oz/142g each, drained well (10oz/280g total)
- 1 cup mayonnaise - 225g
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt - 115g
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice - 30ml, about 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard - 15g
- 3 celery stalks - diced, about 3/4 cup or 90g
- 1/2 cup red onion - 75g, finely diced
- 1 cup frozen peas - 150g, thawed
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill - 8g, chopped, or 2 teaspoons dried dill
- 1/2 teaspoon salt - 3g, plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper - 1g
- paprika - for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pasta shells and cook according to package directions until al dente. Stir occasionally.
- Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse immediately under cold running water until fully cooled. Let it sit in the colander to drain off any remaining water.
- Open the tuna cans and tip them into a fine-mesh strainer. Press firmly with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Flake the tuna apart with a fork.
- Dice the celery and red onion into small, even pieces. Thaw the frozen peas by running them under cool water in a strainer for about a minute, then shake off excess water.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard until smooth. Stir in the dill, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Add the cooled pasta, drained tuna, diced celery, diced red onion, and thawed peas to a large mixing bowl. Pour the dressing over in two additions and fold gently with a spatula until fully coated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Give the salad a final stir before serving. Sprinkle with paprika or extra dill if desired.
Notes
- Salt the pasta water generously; it's the only real chance you get to season the pasta itself.
- Rinse the pasta under cold water immediately after draining to stop the carryover cooking and prevent mushiness.
- Press the tuna dry before adding it, since excess liquid thins the dressing within an hour.
- Dice the celery and onion small and uniform so the texture stays balanced in every bite.
- Let the salad rest for at least 30 minutes before serving so the dressing has time to soak into the pasta.
- Taste right before serving and add a splash more lemon juice if the dressing tastes flat, since cold temperatures mute flavor.
- Use a light hand when folding everything together to keep the tuna flakes and peas intact instead of turning to mush.
- If you're making this for a picnic, keep it in a cooler and pull it out only when you're ready to eat.
- Hold back a small amount of dressing and stir it in right before serving if you're making the salad more than a day ahead, since the pasta continues to absorb liquid as it sits.
- Chop the dill fine and add it toward the end of mixing the dressing, since it can turn bitter if it sits too long in the acidic lemon juice before use.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Give it a stir before each serving.
- Add a splash of milk or a spoonful of mayonnaise if it looks dry after a day or two in the fridge.
- Freezing is not recommended, since the mayonnaise-based dressing separates and turns grainy once thawed.
- For a dairy-free version, use all mayonnaise instead of the mayo-yogurt blend.
- For a gluten-free version, swap in your favorite gluten-free short pasta.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 410kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 19gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 620mgPotassium: 350mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 10IUVitamin C: 15mgCalcium: 6mgIron: 10mg
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