Tuna Pasta Salad Creamy (Printable)
Tender pasta tossed with flaky tuna, crisp vegetables, and tangy creamy dressing. Ideal for warm weather dining and meal prep.
# What You 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 - Gently toss all ingredients together until evenly coated with the dressing. Be careful not to break up the tuna flakes too much.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you put way more effort into it
- The flavors actually get better after sitting in the fridge, making it perfect for meal prep
- Everyone who tries it asks for the recipe, seriously without fail
02 -
- Rinse the pasta under cold water immediately after draining to prevent it from sticking together
- The salad needs at least 30 minutes in the fridge for the flavors to really come together
- It keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator and actually tastes better on day two
03 -
- Cutting all your vegetables to roughly the same size makes every bite perfectly balanced
- Taste before serving and adjust the salt since cold food tends to taste less seasoned