Light but so tasty, this tuna salad is a perfect weeknight meal.
When I’m in the mood for an old-school, comfort food, I often turn to Tuna Noodle Casserole. I loved it as a kid, and I still find myself wanting that warm, creamy mushroom-soup sauce covering the macaroni, the salty chunks of tuna and the little green peas. Though I have to say that after eating a couple of bowls (because I never eat just one bowl), its heaviness starts to weigh on me (yeah, pun intended) and that made me a little sad: I didn’t want to give up this dish I love, but I also didn’t want to lament eating it.
Enter Tuna Pasta Salad. Hooray! This dish satisfies all of my cravings yet still feels fresh and light. It’s like regular tuna salad, which I love, with celery and onion and mayo, but includes noodles–in the form of little pasta shells–and peas. And the addition of Greek yogurt makes it really creamy and gives it a tangy zing. And I’ve discovered that I prefer this mix of ingredients cold over the old hot-dish version; plus, I can make a big batch and store it in my fridge so that all I have to do when I’m ready to eat it, is put it in a bowl (ok, sometimes I eat it right out of the container!).
This is such an easy dish to make–plus, it’s full of protein and it tastes delicious. I love the way the crunchy vegetables contrast with the soft Albacore tuna, and how every mouthful brings some peas. The pasta makes it feel substantial yet the dressing, which finds its way inside every one of those little shells, still keeps the dish light.
One of the great things about having a batch of Tuna Pasta Salad in your fridge is that it can solve that weeknight “what am I going to make for dinner tonight?” dilemma. Just serve it with some salad greens tossed in Easy Tahini Dressing and dinner dilemma is done! And if you are nostalgic about childhood dishes like I am and love some crunch, you can top this tuna pasta salad with a handful of crushed up corn flakes–after all, that was the topping for the OG tuna casserole, back in the day…
About Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt, made from cow’s milk, is strained to remove the whey and so has a thicker consistency than regular yogurt. And while all yogurt contains important nutrients, Greek yogurt has earned its place on the list of super foods because it is high in protein, low in sugar, and has probiotic powers, meaning it supports good digestion and gut health.
We love the Greek yogurt in this Tuna Pasta Salad for its health benefits, for sure, but also for everything else it brings to the party. It is thick and creamy and blends beautifully with the mayonnaise to create a dressing that coats the pasta perfectly; it also has a sharp and tangy flavor that adds a depth and a vibrancy to this salad.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces small shell pasta or your favorite bite-size pasta
- 7 ounces canned albacore white tuna in water drained
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- Dried dill weed to taste (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
How to Make Tuna Pasta Salad
Step 1: Boil the pasta according to the package instructions until it’s al dente. Once cooked, drain and set aside to cool.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped celery, red onion, peas, cooled pasta, and drained tuna.
Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and Greek yogurt until smooth.
Step 4: Gently fold half of the dressing into the pasta mixture until everything is well coated. Season with salt, pepper, and dried dill to your liking.
Step 5: Cover the pasta salad and the remaining dressing and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Before serving, stir in the remaining dressing to refresh the salad.
FAQs & Tips
The Tuna Pasta Salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. We don’t recommend freezing this salad because the fat from the mayo and yogurt can separate during the freezing process and change the salad’s texture (and not in a good way!)
Tuna packed in water has less calories than the varieties packed in oil; that said, olive oil is a healthy ingredient and will bring more flavor to your salad, so the best choice depends on your needs (and taste!)
Definitely! If your family likes salmon, flake some canned salmon into this salad instead of the tuna. Cooked cubed or shredded chicken also works well here. If you are vegetarian or vegan, just replace the tuna with the chopped up vegetables of your choice (try carrots and red peppers for a really vibrant version!)
Serving Suggestions
Served cold, this Tuna Pasta Salad goes really well with other kinds of salads, such as Grilled Corn Salad or Citrus Mint Fruit Salad, and a side of good bread (we love it with Honey Wheat Sunflower Bread). And if you want to keep the creamy theme going through the meal, you won’t believe how delicious this Bake Brie with Buttered Almonds (and some crispy crackers) is with Tuna Pasta Salad!
But…here’s my absolute favorite thing to do with Tuna Pasta Salad: my own version of the classic French Salad Nicoise. Grab a big platter: put the Tuna Pasta Salad at one end and then add rows of these things: Green Beans, chopped up Hard Boiled Eggs, some olives, and instead of the usual chopped tomatoes, I like to use this Tomato, Basil and Blue Cheese Salad. Bon Appetit!
Tuna Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces small shell pasta or your favorite bite-size pasta
- 7 ounces canned albacore white tuna in water drained
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 1/4 cup red onion chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- Dried dill weed to taste (optional)
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil the pasta according to the package instructions until it's al dente. Once cooked, drain and set aside to cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped celery, red onion, peas, cooled pasta, and drained tuna.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and Greek yogurt until smooth.
- Gently fold half of the dressing into the pasta mixture until everything is well coated. Season with salt, pepper, and dried dill to your liking.
- Cover the pasta salad and the remaining dressing and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Before serving, stir in the remaining dressing to refresh the salad.
