Can you put tuna in a pasta salad?

Yes - and you should! Tuna is a great way to add some protein and extra flavor to your favorite pasta salad. It's a convenient and easy way to boost the nutrition of your meal and it will fill you up and fuel you through the day.

How do you make a simple Tuna Pasta Salad?

This easy tuna pasta salad recipe requires just a handful of simple ingredients - noodles, pickles, celery, red onion, and tuna - plus a delicious creamy dill pickle dressing that coats every nook and cranny of the pasta. It's flavorful without being too heavy.

What do you put in tuna pasta?

You can add whatever you like to this tuna pasta salad! I like to use a classic mix of pickles, celery, and red onion. However, you can add capers, diced tomatoes, green olives, green onions, or almost any kind of veggie you like!

20 Minute Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe

Name: Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 16 oz. rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions until al dente; 11 oz. (family size) packet of tuna; 1 cup sliced pickles, about 1/4″ thick; 1 cup sliced celery, about 1/4″ thick; 1/2 cup sliced red onion, about 1/8″ thick; 1/2 cup mayo; 6 tablespoons dill pickle juice; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup fresh chopped dill + more for garnish; 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; Kosher salt; fresh cracked pepper

Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe

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5 from 2 reviews

This Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe has everything that you love about classic tuna salad – pickles, onions, celery, dill – but we ditch the bread and add noodles instead! It’s cool, creamy, and LOADED with fresh flavors. The classic mayo-laden dressing of traditional tuna macaroni salads gets a glow-up with olive oil and pickle juice to create a lighter but still classically flavored dressing!

Author: Kylie
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Yield: 10 servings 1x
Category: Main Dish
Method: Stove Top
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Units Scale

16 oz. rotini pasta, cooked according to package directions until al dente
11 oz. (family size) packet of tuna
1 cup sliced pickles, about 1/4″ thick
1 cup sliced celery, about 1/4″ thick
1/2 cup sliced red onion, about 1/8″ thick

Dressing:

1/2 cup mayo
6 tablespoons dill pickle juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh chopped dill + more for garnish
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper

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Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss to coat evenly and set aside to cool.
In a small measuring cup combine mayo, pickle juice, olive oil, dill, garlic powder, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper.
Add pasta, tuna, pickles, celery, and red onion to a large bowl.
Drizzle pasta salad with dressing and toss to coat.
Garnish with fresh dill and enjoy!

measuring cup

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Notes

Salt your pasta water moderately. This is your first chance to season your pasta and it’s a very important step! If you are not salting your pasta water – please start now! Add about 2-4 tablespoons of Kosher salt after the water comes to a boil and before you add the uncooked pasta. You will be AMAZED at how much more flavorful the pasta and the entire dish is!

Toss pasta in olive oil, salt, and pepper. After straining the al dente pasta, give it a quick toss in olive oil with a couple pinches of salt and pepper. This ensures that the noodles won’t stick together and it will help the dressing find it’s way into every nook and cranny of the noodles.

Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe

Ingredients

Instructions

Equipment

Notes