Tuna pasta salad is a no-fail summer recipe you will keep coming back to again and again. With flakes of albacore tuna, al dente pasta, and a creamy, yet light dressing, this is a great recipe for summer lunches, picnics, barbecues, and even road trips!
This post was originally published March 20, 2020. It was updated on with new recipe information on March 4, 2024.
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Table of contents
What is Tuna Pasta Salad?
A combination of classic tuna salad, vegetables, and pasta, this recipe has been in my family for generations. It's hearty and satisfying, but yet still cooling and not certainly not overwhelming. All the flavors come together with a flavorful creamy dressing.
It's a favorite summertime comfort food dish the whole family will love but delicious enough to serve year-round. This easy recipe has been one of my favorites since I was a little girl!
Love pasta salads? I highly recommend you try my penne pasta salad or balsamic pasta salad next.
Why You Will Love This Tuna Macaroni Salad Recipe
- Quick and Easy to Make. This is one of my favorite recipes to make on an active summer day. It's ready in less than 30 minutes and gives you the energy to go back to fun summer activities.
- Satisfying But Light. This macaroni salad with tuna packs a big protein punch without a food coma. It's also dressed in a light-mayonnaise dressing, giving great flavor but not heft. Light and crunchy veggies add nutrition and fiber to the recipe, filling you up but not weighing you down.
- Portable. Packed in a cooler, itโs great to take on the go. Whether you are camping, going on a road trip, or taking it on a picnic, it's always a welcome and easy-to-bring addition.
- Easy to Adapt to a Crowd. Looking for a pasta salad to serve at your next barbecue or cookout? This recipe easily doubles by just multiplying the ingredients and following the directions as listed. Super easy to do and everyone will be satisfied!
Ingredients
- Pasta: Any short pasta works well. Macaroni is a classic but rotini and shells are other favorites in my family!
- Canned Tuna: Use solid white albacore tuna.
- Mayonnaise: I used olive oil or avocado mayonnaise to keep the recipe lighter, but traditional mayonnaise works, as well.
- White Vinegar: Adds a bit of tanginess to the creamy dressing.
- Sweet Pickle Relish: Adds a little zip and light sweetness to the recipe. You can also swap it for dill pickle relish or chopped pickles if you prefer.
- Dried Dill Weed: This simple pantry staple herb adds some sweet, herbal, grassy notes to macaroni tuna salad.
- Dijon Mustard: Use the smooth variety of dijon for a creamier dressing. This mustard works better than yellow mustard so try to avoid swapping it. Note that if you use the yellow mustard, it will add a bit more zip to the recipe, but the overall flavor profile will still be similar.
- Veggies: Diced sweet, yellow, white, or red onion along with chopped celery, and sweet bell pepper add crunch and flavor. You can use any color of peppers including green, red, orange, yellow peppers, or even a variety for more color.
- Frozen Green Peas: Defrosted frozen peas add a bit of sweetness that works really well. Iโm sharing with you my secret for quickly defrosting the peas below!
Substitutions and Variations
- Change the Tuna: You can use canned chicken or canned salmon instead of canned tuna for a different version of the salad.
- Tuna Pasta Salad Without Mayo: If you arenโt a fan of mayo you can substitute it with Greek yogurt though it will be slightly less creamy and the flavor is a bit different. You can also swap half the mayo for Greek yogurt as a way to reduce the fat and add more protein.
- Tuna Egg Pasta Salad: If you are a fan of egg in your tuna salad you can add 2-3 chopped eggs along with tuna when mixing everything.
- Veggies: Seeded and diced tomatoes and cucumbers or black olives also make a tasty addition to your creamy tuna pasta salad.
- Cheesy Macaroni Tuna Salad: Add cubed sharp cheddar cheese for a salty, savory flavor to your salad.
- Bacon bits: Satisfy your bacon cravings by adding crispy bacon bits to the salad. This adds a delicious smoky and salty element.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten-free pasta (rice or chickpea are both delicious) in place of the traditional wheat pasta.
How to Make Tuna Pasta Salad
Step 1: Cook your pasta in heavily salted water according to the package's directions.
Step 2: Whip up your salad dressing. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, vinegar, and seasonings. Stir in the veggies.
Step 3: Flake the tuna and fold it into the dressing.
Step 4: Drain the pasta by placing the frozen peas in a colander and pouring the hot pasta water over them to drain. This super quick pea thawing trick (courtesy of my mom) doubles as an easy way to defrost your frozen peas too!
Step 5: Cool the pasta by rinsing it with cool water in the calendar if you plan to serve the salad immediately. Be sure to drain it thoroughly.
Step 6: Gently fold the pasta into the dressing until coated. If the pasta is still warm, cover and let it cool in the refrigerator until serving. If the pasta is cool, serve!
Recipe Pro-Tips
- Cook the pasta in heavily salted water. This makes all the difference in the flavor of the pasta and adds only a negligible amount of extra sodium.
- Use good quality tuna. Solid white albacore tuna packed in water is my top pick. It's meaty and hearty but has a pure and non-fishy flavor. If you can't find albacore, I recommend chunk light tuna packed in water.
- Make the pasta salad ahead of time. For the best flavor, make pasta salad with tuna ahead of time with warm pasta. That is, don't rinse the pasta with cool water before folding it into the dressing. Once made, chill the pasta covered in the refrigerator until completely chilled. This will help the pasta best absorb the flavors of the dressing, adding extra flavor to the dish.
- Storing: Tuna pasta salad lasts in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It does not freeze well.
- Serving Warm. To make warm tuna salad pasta, don't rinse the pasta with cool water before tossing the warm pasta with the dressing. Serve immediately!
Serving Suggestions
This macaroni and tuna salad is best served cold - especially in the summer - though you can also serve it warm. It is hearty enough to serve on its own, but you can also serve it with the following sides to round out the meal:
- Fruit salad
- Crackers or Crusty white bread
- A leafy green salad with carrots, tomatoes, croutons, and cucumbers or a chopped salad like this broccoli and raisin salad.
- Vegetable crudite with curry hummus
Recipe FAQs:
If the pasta salad isn't as creamy after storing, you can rehydrate the dressing by stirring in a few tablespoons of milk. Just drizzle the milk over the pasta and gently fold until incorporated and the salad is creamy again.
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Tools Needed to Make This
More Tuna Recipes
- Italian Tuna Pasta Salad
- Instant Pot Tuna Casserole
- Tuna Stuffed Peppers (Keto + Low-Carb!)
- Cheesy Tuna Rice Casserole
- Tuna Mac & Cheese
- Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole
If you made and liked this recipe, don't forget to rate the recipe and let me know how it went for you in the comments! It always makes my day to hear from you!
Have questions about this recipe? Contact Chelsea (chelsea@maesmenu.com).
I respond to every reader email I receive!
Mackenzie Burgess says
This looks super yummy and easy! I am going to try making this with light mayonnaise soon! ๐
Mae's Menu says
Yey! Hope you love it. It's one of my favorites this time of year ๐
Lyn says
This looks like such a yummy recipe! Adding the vegetables is such a great way to boost the nutrition and get those servings of veggies in!
Gina says
We are not huge fans of peas replaced with couple of small cucumbers! Great light meal in hot summer day
Chelsea | Mae's Menu says
Oh, fantastic, Gina! I am so glad to hear that. ๐
Rachel says
Thanks for such a refreshing summer recipe! I was looking for something cold but filling to have for meals since we have some hot days coming up, and this is delicious! The sauce/dressing is a great balance of flavors. I did sub corn for peas, rice vinegar for white, and fresh dill for dried because that's what had on hand. It'll be fun changing this up with different veggies and pasta shapes. Thanks!
Mae's Menu says
Oh, that's fantastic! So glad to hear you like the recipe, Rachel!