Description
A classic Tuna Pasta Salad featuring tender macaroni, flaky tuna, crunchy celery, and a creamy, tangy dressing made with mayonnaise, mustard, and sweet relish, perfect for a refreshing and satisfying meal or side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- ¾ lb. macaroni
Tuna and Vegetables
- 3 (5 oz.) cans tuna packed in water, drained well
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- ¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
- Diced green onions (for garnish)
- 4 hard-boiled eggs (cut into pieces, reserve some to garnish)
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup yellow mustard
- ¼ cup sweet relish
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon celery salt
- ¾ teaspoon garlic salt
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne (optional)
- Pinch paprika (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: Combine mayonnaise, yellow mustard, sweet relish, lemon juice, white vinegar, celery salt, garlic salt, salt, pepper, and optional cayenne pepper in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until smooth and refrigerate to chill while preparing the rest of the salad.
- Cook the macaroni: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni until just al dente, approximately 7 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain the pasta and rinse with cold water until completely cooled to stop cooking. Drain well, laying the macaroni on a dry dish towel to absorb excess water.
- Prepare the eggs: Peel and cut the hard-boiled eggs into pieces of desired size, reserving some pieces for garnishing on top of the salad later.
- Combine ingredients: In a large bowl, add the cooled macaroni, tuna, diced celery, red onion, thawed peas, chopped eggs, and chilled dressing. Using a silicone spatula, gently stir the mixture until all ingredients are evenly combined without breaking up the tuna too much.
- Garnish and refrigerate: Transfer the salad to a clean serving dish. Garnish with diced green onions and a pinch of paprika for color and added flavor. Cover the salad and refrigerate for a minimum of 4 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the pasta to absorb the dressing and flavors to meld.
- Serve chilled: After chilling, give the salad a gentle stir and serve cold as a delicious, refreshing main or side dish.
Notes
- Hard-boiled eggs can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for up to one week.
- Make sure to drain and cool the pasta thoroughly to prevent the salad from becoming mushy.
- The salad benefits from resting overnight in the refrigerator but can be served after 4 hours if needed.
- You can adjust seasoning such as salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.
- For a lighter version, consider using low-fat mayonnaise.
- Add fresh herbs like dill or parsley for an aromatic twist.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: tuna pasta salad, macaroni salad, tuna salad, easy salad, picnic salad, make-ahead salad
