A friend gave me this recipe back in college and I have now been making it every summer for 26 years! It is SO good! It is the perfect summertime lunch in my honest opinion. I love having a bowl of something like this ready to go. Most weeks I make this or another something like it to keep in the fridge and ready to grab for lunch. It is also easy to pack up take on the go.
If you are dealing with extreme heat then cooking pasta is not ideal. I suggest doing this part in the evening or early in the morning when you can have your windows open. I’m especially talking to all of you who do not have A/C. We didn’t have A/C for any of my childhood and most of my adulthood! It depends on where you live and how common it is. I used to make this salad on late Sunday night so that I would have a yummy lunch through the week without having to cook anything during the day.
Cook any salad pasta you like. I prefer mini shells or macaroni. I recommend using a smaller pasta as opposed to something bigger like a rotini. While the pasta is cooking, chop and prep the veggies. Celery is my favorite in this salad. The crunch is important to me. So many people do not like celery! If you don’t like it then replace it with a crunchy cucumber or extra bell pepper. The texture is important.
Once the past is cooked, drain it and rinse it with cold water. Drain it well, and then pour it into a large bowl. Add in the chopped veggies that you like in a tuna salad.
Now we will make a creamy lemon herbed dressing that I think you will love! Whisk together the mayonnaise, herbs, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Add a drained can of albacore or tuna to the pasta. Use a fork to flake the tuna into pieces. Drizzle the dressing over the pasta and veggies and then stir altogether till the dressing is evenly coated over everything.
Cover it tight and chill for at least an hour in the refrigerator. Stir well before serving. Keep it stored in the refrigerator.
Check out these other awesome “nice to have in the fridge for a quick lunch” recipes!
- Pesto & Mozzarella Pasta Salad
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
- Asian Noodle Salad
- Best Chicken Salad EVER
- Thai Chicken Salad
Tuna Pasta Salad
A great tuna salad that doesn't need bread because it's on pasta. Great to keep in the fridge for quick lunches and easily packed up for on the go.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. cooked pasta, mini shells, macaroni or pasta for salad
- 6 oz. can tuna or albacore in water, drained
- 1 cup fresh or frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1 cup cucumber, mostly peeled and diced optional
- 1 sweet bell pepper, diced
- ½ sweet onion, chopped
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise NOT Miracle Whip because EW!
- 3 Tbsp lemon juice bottled or fresh is fine
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme or ½ tsp dried
- ½-1 tsp salt to taste
- ¼-½ tsp black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook and drain the pasta according to the package. Do a taste test before draining to make sure it is fully cooked and not too chewy.
- Chop, dice and prep your other ingredients while the pasta is cooking.
- Whisk all the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl add the cooked pasta, tuna and veggies. Drizzle the dressing over the top and stir till well combined.
- Cover tight and chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- Stir really well before serving. Keep refrigerated.