When it gets too warm for tuna pasta bake but you don’t want to give up your fave comfort food, tuna macaroni salad is your summer saviour. It’s a cool customer that is quick to put together with all the heartiness of its winter cousin. Delicious, convenient, affordable, versatile and good for you. Summer is sorted.
If a macaroni salad isn’t your thing but you love summer picnics and barbecues, take a look at our Classic Potato Salad.
Creamy macaroni tuna salad
If you’ve made my Tuna Noodle Casserole, you’ll notice some similarities between the two tuna pasta recipes. I’ve lovingly taken two iconic American classics and given them a sophisticated Vikalinka twist. If you love one, I know you’ll love the other.
So, what’s the same? Most obviously, tuna and pasta! And then the tell-tale calling card; both dishes are blessed with Dijon mustard, capers and tarragon. In both they offer a slightly sour balance to the abundant soft and creaminess.
What’s more, both of these carb and protein-based recipes are meals in themselves. Meaning there’s no need to fret over what to serve with them. They’re a balanced meal in one bowl.
What ingredients to add
Pasta is a dream ingredient, whether served steaming and saucy or cool with crunchy vegetables. In this recipe, I’ve gone for the tang-tastic! My love for dill and salty capers and a heavy handful of herbs is well-documented. So, it’s no surprise that diced dill pickles, plump capers and two types of herb feature in this tuna pasta salad.
I’ve also included boiled eggs. Not only is this another protein packer, but the yolks up the creaminess. For greenery, I’ve used celery and green peas. However, you can use whatever you have in your salad drawer.
I know a briny bombshell of tuna and capers isn’t for everyone, so Green Goddess pasta salad is a milder Mediterranean vibe of olives, cherry tomatoes and baby mozzarella. Or for a vegetarian pasta salad alternative, Pasta Salad with Basil Vinaigrette is a sharply dressed lemony dish with a luscious olive oil instead of mayo.
Recipe tips and notes
- While pasta and tuna are the bricks and mortar, it’s the other ingredients that furnish the dish. How will you decorate yours?
- Mine is a mouth-watering mouthful with plenty of dill pickles and capers. Their acidity brings a tangy contrast to the pasta and mayo and works in tandem with the salty tuna fish. A lip-smacking must!
- I also add dried tarragon to my mayonnaise-based dressing. It has a subtle liquorice-like flavour that adds an edge to the creamy mayo and upgrades this old potluck staple. If you can get your hands on it, fresh tarragon is even better.
- Feel free to customise the rest of the ingredients to your own taste. Keep what you fancy and add what you need using up. That is part of the beauty of tuna pasta salad- endless possibilities.
- Proportions are important. I’ve only used ½ a pound of macaroni here to allow the crunch and bite of the other ingredients to shine through.
Storage and leftovers
One of the many praise-worthy characteristics of this pasta salad is that it can be made ahead of time. You can prep the entire salad, dressing and all, and store it in the fridge until needed. Seal it well in an airtight container and it will keep refrigerated for up to four days.
Other salad recipes to try:
- Healthy Tuna Salad Recipe (Italian Style)
- Traditional Salad Nicoise (with Tuna)
- German Potato Salad with Bacon and Chive Vinaigrette
- Israeli Salad with Lemon Garlic Tahini Dressing
Tuna Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- ½ lbs macaroni
- ½ cup/2 celery sticks diced
- 3-4 eggs diced
- 200g/7 oz canned albacore tuna
- ½ cup/3 dill pickles diced
- 160g/1 cup green peas fresh or frozen and thawed
- 3 green onions
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
- 4 tbsp capers (optional)
- 175g/3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tsp dried tarragon
- 1 tbsp Dijon
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Sprinkle with paprika
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni according the package instructions, drain and set aside to cool. Boil the eggs and cool in ice cold water, then peel. Defrost the frozen peas by pouring cold water over then, let stand for 5 minutes, then drain.
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Drain the canned tuna and flake it with a fork. Dice the celery and pickles, chop the boiled eggs and slice the green onions and chop the parsley.
- Prepare the salad dressing by mixing the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and dried tarragon, set aside till needed.
- In a large salad bowl combine the cooled macaroni, diced celery and pickles, chopped eggs and parsley, green peas, sliced green onions, and drained capers. Add the salad dressing and toss gently to combine. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours for the flavours to meld. Before serving sprinkle with paprika for a pop of colour and flavour.
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