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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.

Close up of tuna macaroni salad with peas and green onion in a bowl.

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 This is an affiliate link.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.

Top down view of tuna macaroni salad in a large 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.

Process shot of tuna macaroni salad ingredients in a bowl

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 125g / ½ pound of This is an affiliate link.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 This is an affiliate link.airtight container and it will keep refrigerated for up to four days.