This Pasta Salad with Tuna is the classic pasta salad I grew up with, and it remains my favorite — it sounds simple, but the combination of flavors is addictive, and once you start eating this, you won’t be able to stop!
I was so excited to do something with my new obsession, 30 SECOND MAYO, and this was the very first thing that popped into my mind. I love this stuff, it’s my summer comfort food. I make it in the morning and it just gets better as it sits all day in the fridge. At the end of a hot day it’s waiting there for me like a cool breeze.
Sometimes I share unusual or exotic recipes here on TVFGI, but other times I like to celebrate the food we actually love to eat on a daily basis. This family recipe isn’t fancy, in fact it’s downright humble, but it’s so satisfying. This is one of our favorite summer stand bys. I look forward to it every year, right up there with fresh corn and ripe tomatoes. Give me a cold glass of white wine and a plate of pasta salad with tuna and I’m in heaven.
The tuna and egg make this hearty enough for dinner, which is the key to the success of this salad for me. The homemade mayo makes it a little bit gourmet. The fresh herbs, red onion and scallions give it lots of flavor, the peppers give it crunch and the ripe tomato a burst of summery juice. For a humble pasta salad it really has a lot going on.
A great pasta salad is the birthright of every American family, what’s the secret to yours?
Other great ideas for canned tuna ~
Ingredients
- 2 cups pasta curls or elbows (measure out raw) cooked in salted water until just barely al dente
- 1 small can of your favorite tuna
- 1/2 medium red onion, minced
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1/2 large bell pepper or several colorful minis, cut in small dice
- 1 tomato, cut in small dice
- Several large spoonfuls of mayonnaise
- 2 Tbsp fresh dill, or you can use 1 tsp dried
- 1 tsp celery seed
- fresh thyme leaves
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- a squeeze of lemon
- 2 or 3 hard boiled eggs, cut in wedges
Instructions
- Mix the first 6 ingredients together with the mayo. Measure in enough mayo to make the salad moist but not overwhelmed. Add the herbs, celery seed, salt and pepper to taste. Add the dash of lemon juice and then refrigerate the salad for at least a few hours.
- When ready to serve, give the salad another toss, taste to see if you need more seasoning, or more mayo, (it will probably need something) and garnish with the sliced eggs
Make it your own ~
- Use whole wheat pasta for a nutrition boost.
- Try salmon or baby shrimp instead of the tuna.
- You can dress this with a simple vinaigrette instead of the mayo.
Don’t forget to pin this Pasta Salad with Tuna!
26 Comments
Deb
August 7, 2018 at 2:59 amMy mom made this when we were little and living at home. She didn’t add the green pepper or tomato. She added a rib or two of celery instead. Her version was quite basic, but still very delicious. It was a Friday staple during Lent. It is my ultimate comfort food, and my siblings would agree. It does get better if made ahead, and we could devour it pretty quickly!
Sue
August 7, 2018 at 6:50 amI agree Deb, it’s such a comforting food ~ and it carries so many memories with it!
Anita
April 30, 2018 at 8:33 amJust made this yesterday. Wow, really fresh and light. Just the right amount of tuna and the abundance of fresh chopped veggies makes this salad shine. Thanks for sharing!
Sue
April 30, 2018 at 8:53 amThanks Anita, this is such an old favorite of ours, it’s nice to know you enjoyed it!
Mary
January 29, 2018 at 7:22 amThis looks great, I was looking for a simple but tasty tuna salad and this is definitely what I was looking for! Thanks for the recipe :)
Sue
January 29, 2018 at 7:52 amI’m so glad, Mary, we treasure this recipe in our house ~ it’s simple but so satisfying :)
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
January 25, 2018 at 2:41 pmLovely salad, Sue. I’m glad you tweeted it again! It looks like something I could make a big bowl of and then eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
Sue
January 25, 2018 at 4:51 pmI always feel like I’m ‘tweeting’ into thin air Jean, so glad you noticed ;)
Kitty
August 14, 2016 at 3:50 pmWe are having unusually hot weather here in the Pacific Northwest this summer. This pasta salad totally fills the bill for dinner. Made it this morning. Impatiently waiting for it to chill. The salad, a cob of fresh corn, and garlic naan will make a perfect dinner on a hot Sunday evening. Thanks!
Sue
August 14, 2016 at 4:43 pmSo funny you should say that, Kitty — this recipe originated with my mom, and I grew up eating it, always with corn on the cob! I still serve it that way even today, although I’ve never tried it with garlic naan, that sounds good :)
Veronica @ Big Blue House
June 18, 2015 at 7:46 pmWhat a perfect combination of flavours. There’s not many things better than a nice refreshing pasta salad on a hot summer’s day. And I bet it tastes even better the next day!
Sue
June 18, 2015 at 8:05 pmSooooo much better the next day!
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Cookwizme
June 25, 2013 at 8:47 amHi! I love your salad! We are making a “Summer Salad” contest, if you like, partecipate, we’d love to have great bloggers like you in! =) https://cookwiz.me/contest
Dina
June 21, 2013 at 4:08 pmthis is the perfect summer pasta salad.
belleau kitchen
June 20, 2013 at 6:38 amthis is salad perfection isn’t it… I always make a pasta salad in the summer, it’s such a satisfying meal. It also makes a very good packed lunch and picnic food… love the inclusion of the egg too. Lovely stuff x
Chris Scheuer
June 19, 2013 at 8:21 pmI could eat my weight in pasta salads like this, not so good for the girlish figure though :) Looks wonderful!
Vicki Bensinger
June 20, 2013 at 3:19 amI love salads like this. Very light and satisfying on a hot summers day.
Eileen
June 19, 2013 at 5:28 pmThis salad looks like the best possible dinner for those days when it’s too hot to even think about eating a warm meal. Also a great reason to stach some hard-boiled eggs in the fridge for the week! OM NOM.
Regine Karpel
June 19, 2013 at 4:06 pmYum!
I want some!
http://www.rsrue.blogspot.com
shannon weber
June 19, 2013 at 3:56 pmso lovely: and you know, pasta salads are just the absolute best lunch sometimes in the summer. i’m bookmarking this because i feel like my family will want this during our florida vacation coming up here soon.
Sue/the view from great island
June 19, 2013 at 7:27 pmThanks Shannon, you know, I even love this for breakfast (I feel like I’m always saying that but in this case it’s so true.)