Classic Tuna Pasta Salad

Tuna Pasta Salad is an essential summertime dish. Perfect for get-togethers, or a quick lunch, it’s easy to make and so flavorful. Make this classic, wholesome dish ahead if you like, and easily size it up for a crowd, too!

Classic, Creamy Pasta Salad with Tuna!

Are you looking for the perfect tuna pasta salad recipe? When done right, tuna pasta salad is a perfectly chilled and refreshing summer dish. I like to bring this to potlucks and covered dish dinners. It goes with just about everything and is always so good!

My easy recipe uses solid white albacore tuna, plenty of crisp, crunchy celery and bell pepper, oodles of tender pasta, and a tangy, ranch-like dressing that you’ll love.

This Tuna Pasta Salad Is…

The Ingredients You’ll Need

• Pasta: I like to use rotini or fusilli pasta but any shape will work Elbows and shells are also a popular choice.
• Tuna: I like to use albacore tuna flaked with a fork.
• Boiled Eggs: Hard-boiled eggs are a must in my book Dice ‘em up and throw ‘em in Or if you don’t really care for them feel free to leave them out (I always make my favorite easy peel Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs.)
• Veggies: Celery red bell pepper peas and thinly sliced green onion add a balanced veggie flavor that’s savory sweet fresh and has just a little bite.
• Mayonnaise: Tuna and mayo are a match made in heaven Use a bit of your favorite mayonnaise as the base for the creamy dressing.
• Sour Cream: To lighten the dressing and keep it from being to mayonnaise-y you’ll be using an equal amount of sour cream or Greek yogurt if you prefer.
• Dried Herbs: Dill and basil or you can substitute herbs of your choice I highly recommend dill and basil though they both play well with tuna and not all herbs do.
• Salt and Pepper: For seasoning the tuna pasta salad along with additional salt for the pasta water.

How to Make Tuna Pasta Salad

Make the Pasta:

First you’ll need to boil the pasta for your tuna pasta salad Bring a large pot of water to a boil salt it well and then cook the pasta according to the package directions Once it’s ready drain it and rinse it under cold water Place the drained rinsed pasta into a large mixing bowl.

Flake and Add the Tuna:

Open the tuna and break it apart into small pieces with a fork Add the tuna to the bowl of pasta.

Add the Remaining Ingredients:

Next add your diced hard-boiled eggs bell pepper celery green onion and peas Stir the pasta salad a bit to distribute the ingredients.

Make the Dressing:

Mix together the mayonnaise sour cream dill basil salt and pepper.

Add the Dressing to the Pasta:

Pour your dressing on top of the pasta salad and stir again to coat everything well.

Enjoy:

Taste the salad and adjust the salt if needed You can then serve your tuna pasta salad at room temperature or chilled.

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Should You Rinse Pasta When Making Pasta Salad?

Actually yes A lot of pasta experts are pretty strict about rinsing pasta and for good reason If you are serving hot pasta with hot pasta sauce rinsing the pasta is a waste of time and worse it will cool the pasta down and remove the starch For hot sauces you want the starch It helps the sauce coat the noodles.

But when you are making pasta salad rinsing the pasta is very helpful For one thing it stops the cooking process and helps the pasta stay un-mushy Rinsing also helps keep the pasta from turning gummy or mushy which is perfect for pasta salad So rinse it well under cool water and you’re good to go.

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More Helpful Tips for Success

What else should you know about making tuna pasta salad Glad you asked I have a whole bunch of tips to share for making this recipe the best it can be Here we go:

• Pasta Options While I usually go with ordinary wheat pasta you could substitute whole-wheat quinoa lentil black bean or any other type of specialty pasta you prefer Just cook it according to the package directions (Keep in mind that different pastas have different textures and storage instructions)
• Tuna Options Solid white albacore is my favorite but you could use other types of tuna here as well I do not recommend tuna packed in oil though as it can make the salad too oily Make sure to purchase the large 340 gram can or substitute several small cans
• Veggies Feel free to throw in extra vegetables whatever you like Carrot matchsticks blanched and cut green beans thoroughly-washed broccoli florets thinly sliced radish use what you love
• Add Cheese For a cheesy variation add some cheddar cheese You can add shredded cheddar cheese or cubed cheddar cheese both are amazing
• Make Ahead If you’re making this ahead of time store the dressing separately and toss the salad in the dressing right before serving That will keep the salad from becoming dry

What to Serve with Tuna Pasta Salad

While this tuna pasta salad is great as an all-in-one lunch or light dinner it also works really well for a side dish or potluck dish In that case you might wonder what to serve along with it The answer Anything Barbecue or cookout recipes are a favorite like these:

• Burgers Tuna pasta salad often appears at cookouts as I mentioned before alongside the hamburgers and hot dogs For a different take on regular hamburgers try these Greek Turkey Burgers So zesty and light
• Pulled Pork Another barbecue favorite BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders These savory sandwiches are a crowd-pleasing favorite that you really have to make at least once each summer
• Corn No matter your main dish you’ve got to have great sides The pasta salad is one of them of course but if you need another reach for Grilled Corn No one can resist a fresh ear of grilled corn served with melting butter

How to Store the Leftovers

Leftover tuna pasta salad can be stored in your refrigerator for up to three days Make sure to store it properly which means tightly covered ideally in airtight containers or food storage bags but you could also use a big bowl with plastic wrap over the top Serve it right from the refrigerator for a chilled refreshing meal or snack.

Does Tuna Pasta Salad Freeze Well?

Sometimes pasta salads are freezer-friendly and technically you can freeze this one if you want to However it is a little bit fussy so I don’t really recommend it For one thing you don’t really want to freeze the fresh raw veggies or the eggs they can turn mushy after thawing out So you would need to chop those just before serving and add them to the thawed pasta salad afterward For another thing the creamy dressing will need to be made fresh just before serving too It tends to separate if frozen and thawed which is not what you want.

However if you do decide to freeze your tuna pasta salad these would be the steps.

• Make the Pasta and Tuna Boil the pasta and rinse it as directed Add the tuna to the pasta and stir it through.
• Freeze the Pasta and Tuna Cool the tuna-pasta mixture and then package it in freezer containers or bags.
• Thaw the Pasta and Tuna The day or morning before you’re ready to serve take the frozen packages out of the freezer and place them in the refrigerator to thaw.
• Prepare the Dressing and Veggies Before serving prep the veggies and mix the dressing.
• Finish the Salad and Serve Add the veggies and dressing to the pasta salad stir it through and enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Should I rinse pasta when making pasta salad?

Yes, rinsing pasta under cold water stops the cooking process and removes excess starch, keeping the pasta firm and preventing it from becoming mushy in cold salads.

→ What type of tuna is best for this salad?

Solid white albacore tuna works best for its mild flavor and flaky texture. Avoid tuna packed in oil as it can make the salad too oily.

→ Can I substitute the pasta with other types?

Absolutely! Rotini or fusilli are great, but you can also use whole wheat, quinoa, lentil, or any other pasta you prefer. Just cook according to package instructions.

→ How should I store leftover salad?

Store leftovers tightly covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Serve chilled for best flavor and texture.

→ Can this salad be frozen?

Freezing is not recommended due to texture changes in fresh veggies and dressing separation. If freezing, store pasta and tuna separately and add fresh veggies and dressing after thawing.