This Tuna Pasta Salad has got a real hold on me! In fact, I’ve been known to eat it any time of the day or any time of the year - that’s right, this pasta salad is good in summer AND winter, especially for kick-starting healthy eating goals!
Next time try this Macaroni Pasta Salad Recipe! Another great side dish option for your next picnic, barbecue, or gathering.
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Why you'll love this recipe
✔️This salad is super healthy, incredibly filling, and oh-so-delicious!
✔️It’s right up there among the easiest recipes to make with simple ingredients.
✔️It’s a great dish to make ahead and take along to the next potluck or social gatherings throughout the year.
Ingredients
For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Diatalini Pasta or other smaller pasta
- can of tuna fish - I prefer chunk albacore tuna
- sliced olives
- celery
- green onions or red onions
- parmesan cheese
- mayonnaise
- miracle whip
- seasoning salt
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions for the easy pasta salad. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!
- Cook pasta to al dente, drain, rinse in cold water to stop cooking process. Drain well again and sprinkle with olive oil and seasoning salt. Cool to room temperature.
- Slice the olives and onions, dice celery. Drain the tuna and flake it well.
- Combine pasta, olives, celery, green onions, tuna and parmesan cheese in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Add the mayonnaise and miracle whip and mix well. Cover and refrigerate.
- Stir well before serving, add additional mayo/miracle whip if needed. You want this to be super creamy.
Equipment
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- stock pot
- strainer
FAQ's
Yes. The beauty of this pasta is the fact that you can enjoy it straight from the fridge. In fact, it often tastes the best after it's made.
I don't recommend freezing this dish. Some of the fresh ingredients such as the olives, celery, and onions, won't hold up well under freezing and thawing.
Pasta salads are well known for adding bulk to backyard BBQ meals but they can just as easily be enjoyed as a filling meal too, any time of the year. In fact, this healthy dish is very popular at the start of each year!
Both are creamy condiments. However, mayonnaise is tangy while Miracle Whip is sweet. I've used a combination of the two for a good balance of flavors.
Tips
- Cool pasta completely as warm pasta will absorb more sauce, making it soggy.
- Stored pasta has the tendency of absorbing more sauce in storage. You may like to add additional sauce a day or two later.
- Always follow the directions on the package for cooking pasta. It’s better to have al dente pasta than mushy pasta for this salad!
Variations
- Add some extra vegetables into this dish such as fresh peas, frozen peas, fresh corn, or diced red onion. All of these will add to the contrasting textures of this meal.
- If you don’t enjoy mayonnaise or Miracle Whip in your food, you can use Greek yogurt instead mixed with some Dijon mustard and a small amount of sweetener of choice to compensate for lack of tanginess and sweetness.
- For a kick of heat, add some cayenne pepper to the creamy sauce.
- You can use any small pasta variety of your liking. I would suggest opting for tubular pasta for the sauce to mix into.
- Diced dill pickles will tang and crunch.
Storage
Refrigerate - This tuna pasta salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-5 days.
Related recipes
If you’re looking to incorporate more yummy pasta into your monthly meal plan, these cold pasta salads are must makes!
- BLT Pasta Salad - just like your favorite sandwich with pasta!
- Southern Style Ham Pasta Salad - tender pasta, salty ham and loaded with crunchy veggies this is the best combination!
- Italian Bow Tie Pasta Salad - this is so flavorful and because there's no mayo, it's perfect for a cookout.
- Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad Recipe - great for a party or potluck, this is so good!
Love tuna? You’re not alone which is why you’ll be in good hands when you make these great tuna recipes!
- Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole - classic old fashioned pasta salad.
- Seared Ahi Tuna Poke Recipe - easy to make and just like your favorite poke recipe.
Serve with
This is an easy lunch! Tuna pasta salad is great to serve as is with some freshly cut wedges of lemon on the side and a sprinkling of freshly chopped parsley as garnish.
If you aren’t counting your carbs, adding a side of homemade dinner rolls or these Cheesy Pizza Hut Breadsticks is a must!
Don't forget to check out my Amazon storefront for some of my favorite products! 🛍️
If you love this recipe please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating!
Tuna Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound Diatalini Pasta or other small pasta
- 5 ounce canned albacore tuna I use packed in water tuna
- 16 ounces olives
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 1 bunch green onions thinly sliced
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese the stuff in the green can works great here.
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¾ cup miracle whip
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta to al dente in well seasoned water to aldente. Drain pasta well, sprinkle with a olive oil and seasoning salt. Cool to room temperature
- Slice the olives, dice celery into a small dice and thinly slice the green onions. Drain the tuna and flake it well.
- In a large mixing bowl combine pasta, olives, celery, green onions and tuna along with the grated parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
- Add the mayonnaise and miracle whip and mix well. Cover and refrigerate.
- Stir well before serving, add additional mayo/miracle whip if needed. You want this to be super creamy.
Nutrition
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