Tuna Pasta Salad – WellPlated.com

If “gentle,” “vibrant,” and “I would like a second serving to, please!” don’t come to thoughts if you consider canned tuna, it’s since you haven’t made this pleasant Tuna Pasta Salad but. It’s the proper mix of recent veggies, tuna, pasta, and a creamy, herby Greek yogurt dressing.

Why You’ll Love This Chilly Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe

• Truly Scrumptious Tuna Pasta Salad. I’ve had sufficient bland, goopy, and ho-hum piles of mayo-slicked pastas at potlucks to final me the remainder of this life and into the subsequent. Nevertheless, I’ll cheer for this Mediterranean tuna pasta salad (and this Shrimp Pasta Salad) to be part of each summer time cookout. It’s full of veggies and recent herbs, all tossed in a lemony Greek yogurt dressing.
• Versatile. This tuna pasta salad is a good make-ahead pasta salad for events and cookouts, however it’s additionally a pleasant selection for gentle dinners and meal-prep lunches.
• Straightforward and Funds-Pleasant. In case you are nonetheless hesitant about canned tuna, please give this recipe (and this reader favourite Chickpea Tuna Salad) a strive. Paired with daring, citrusy, and briny components, canned tuna can truly style good. It’s budget-friendly, quick, and a lot simpler than cooking your personal tuna!

How you can Make Tuna Pasta Salad

The Elements

• Pasta. Use shapes that seize the dressing (like shells or penne). You may simply make this recipe gluten-free by swapping the entire wheat pasta for a gluten-free pasta.
• Tuna. I desire to make use of wild-caught albacore tuna, because it has a firmer texture and milder taste. You can too use recent tuna on this recipe. Cook dinner and flake it, then use it on this recipe as directed. (For one more seafood-based salad with recent fish, don’t miss Salmon Salad.)
• Pink Onion. Provides a nice chew to the salad.
• Tomatoes, 2 Methods. A mixture of cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes creates the best Mediterranean-inspired mixture. The juicy cherry tomatoes burst with sweetness, and the sun-dried tomatoes add wealthy, concentrated taste.
• Pink Bell Pepper. For a crisp, recent component.
• Capers. Whereas elective, I extremely suggest including capers to your tuna salad. They convey simply the correct quantity of salty, briny taste to the opposite tuna pasta salad components.
• Contemporary Parsley. What’s a Mediterranean tuna salad with out recent herbs? You need to use recent parsley, basil, or dill.
• Greek Yogurt Dressing. This salad makes use of a lightweight and vibrant Greek yogurt dressing with lemon, honey, mustard, and spices. No mayo right here!

The Instructions

1. Make the Pasta. Cook dinner the pasta in a big pot, then drain and rinse.

2. Prep the Dressing. Whisk the creamy dressing components collectively.

3. Mix the Add-Ins. Add the tomatoes, onion, bell pepper, capers, and parsley to a big bowl.

4. Add the Pasta and Dressing. Stir within the cooked pasta and dressing.

5. End. Flake the tuna into the bowl, tossing to mix. Refrigerate for not less than 1 hour. ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

This creamy tuna pasta salad recipe is versatile:

• Add Veggies. Stir in different recent veggies, similar to finely chopped broccoli or cauliflower, or diced celery.
• Add Eggs. I don’t put eggs in tuna salad, however you possibly can add diced hard-boiled eggs when you like.
• Add Peas. It is a tuna pasta salad with out peas, as I felt they distracted from the opposite Mediterranean parts. That mentioned, be at liberty to take a be aware from this Italian Farro Salad and toss frozen peas in when you like.

What to Serve with Tuna Pasta Salad

Pasta Salad Dos and Don’ts

• DO Rinse the Pasta. Chilly water will cease the pasta’s cooking so it stays good and al dente. It additionally removes among the starch, so the pasta noodles don’t clump collectively.
• DON’T Overcook the Pasta. Nobody likes mushy pasta!
• DON’T Overdo the Dressing. For those who add an excessive amount of dressing, your pasta salad shall be gloopy. You may at all times add extra dressing, however when you placed on an excessive amount of, you’ll be able to’t return.
• DO Let the Pasta Salad Relaxation. When you can serve it immediately, pasta salad tastes even higher after being refrigerated for not less than an hour to permit the flavors to marry.
• DO Style for Seasoning. If the pasta has been refrigerated, give it a stir and style to verify it doesn’t want an additional pinch of salt.
• DON’T Go away Your Pasta Salad Out Too Lengthy. 2 hours is the utmost period of time your pasta salad ought to sit out, much less if it’s within the solar.