Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe
A refreshing and flavorful Tuna Pasta Salad combining al dente macaroni, chunks of tuna, crisp celery, red onion, hard-boiled eggs, and sweet peas, all tossed in a tangy, creamy dressing made with mayonnaise, mustard, sweet relish, and spices. Perfect as a make-ahead salad for summer gatherings or as a satisfying side dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 25 minutes (including chilling time)
- Yield: Approximately 13 cups (about 13 servings of 1 cup each) 1x
- Category: Salad, Side Dish
- Method: Boiling (Pasta) and No-Cook for assembly
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Salt
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Salad
- ¾ lb. macaroni
- 3 (5 oz.) cans tuna packed in water, drained well
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced
- ¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- ¼ cup sweet relish
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon celery salt
- ¾ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Optional Garnishes
- Pinch paprika
- Diced green onions
Instructions
- Prepare the Dressing: In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, yellow mustard, sweet relish, lemon juice, white vinegar, celery salt, garlic salt, salt, pepper, and optional cayenne. Mix well and refrigerate to chill while preparing other ingredients.
- Cook the Macaroni: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook until just al dente, about 7 minutes, or according to package instructions. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water until cold to stop cooking. Drain well, and to remove excess water, spread the pasta on a clean dry dish towel.
- Prepare the Eggs: Cut the hard-boiled eggs into pieces of your desired size, reserving some to garnish on top if desired.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the drained macaroni, chilled dressing, tuna, diced celery, red onion, peas, and chopped eggs. Gently fold using a silicone spatula until evenly combined.
- Garnish and Chill: Transfer the mixed salad to a clean serving dish. Garnish with diced green onions and a pinch of paprika if desired. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to meld and the pasta to absorb the dressing.
- Serve: Stir gently before serving. Enjoy this flavorful tuna pasta salad as a side or main dish during warm-weather meals or picnics.
Notes
- Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs: Submerge eggs in 2 inches of cool water in a pot, bring gradually to a boil, cover and remove from heat, let sit 12 minutes, then cool under running water before peeling.
- Drain tuna very well to prevent the salad from becoming watery.
- Older eggs peel easier; if using fresh eggs, adding ½ teaspoon baking soda to the boiling water helps peeling.
- Chopped bacon can be used as an additional garnish for extra flavor and crunch.
- This salad can be made a day ahead. Store covered in the fridge and garnish just before serving. Stir to recombine after chilling.
Keywords: Tuna pasta salad, macaroni salad, make-ahead salad, summer salad, tuna recipe, easy pasta salad, cold pasta salad, picnic salad, American salad
Find it online: https://liamjayne.com/tuna-pasta-salad-recipe/
