Description
A creamy pasta salad featuring cooked elbow macaroni, flaked tuna, chopped hard‑boiled eggs, crunchy veggies and pickles, all tossed in a tangy mayonnaise‑based dressing—perfect as a side dish or a light main meal.
Ingredients
- 450 g (1 lb) elbow macaroni pasta, cooked and cooled
- 2 cans (≈140 g each) tuna in water, drained well
- 3 hard‑boiled eggs, chopped
- 1 medium shallot (or small red onion), finely diced
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- ½ cup (≈75 g) chopped dill pickles or sweet pickle relish
- 1 cup (≈240 g) mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice (or white vinegar)
- 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard (optional)
- ½ tsp celery seed (optional) or substitute ½ rib diced celery
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- Fresh dill or capers for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water, and let cool completely.
- In a large bowl, combine the drained tuna, chopped eggs, diced shallot or onion, peas, and chopped pickles or relish.
- In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice or vinegar, Dijon mustard (if using), celery seed (or diced celery), salt and pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta‑tuna‑veggie mixture and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (ideally a few hours or overnight) to allow flavours to meld.
- Before serving, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with fresh dill or capers if desired.
Notes
- Swap part or all of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt for a lighter version.
- Use gluten‑free pasta shapes like rotini or shells if preferred.
- Add extra vegetables such as diced bell pepper, shredded carrot, cucumber or corn for more colour and crunch.
- Use tuna packed in olive oil (drained) for a richer flavour; if using tuna in water, ensure it is well drained. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
- Chill the salad ahead of time—many chefs recommend at least 30 minutes to allow the pasta and dressing to meld. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
- Prep Time: 15‑20 minutes
- Cook Time: ≈10 minutes (for pasta)
- Category: Salad/Side Dish
- Method: Boil & Mix
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: ≈1 cup
- Calories: ≈350
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: ≈600mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 16g
- Cholesterol: 70mg
