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Easy & Classic Creamy Tuna Pasta Salad

A mound of creamy tuna pasta salad made with rotini pasta, tuna chunks, red onion, and fresh parsley garnish.
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This easy tuna pasta salad recipe is creamy, flavorful, and perfect for quick dinners or make-ahead lunches. It uses simple ingredients for a satisfying cold tuna salad.

Ingredients

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  • 1 pound short pasta (like elbow macaroni or rotini)
  • 2 (5 ounce) cans tuna, packed in water, drained well
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish or chopped dill pickles
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise (use Greek yogurt for a lighter version)
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse immediately with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down. Drain thoroughly.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, drained tuna, chopped celery, red onion, and pickle relish or chopped dill pickles.
  3. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice until smooth. This creates your creamy tuna pasta salad dressing.
  4. Pour the dressing over the pasta and tuna mixture. Add the chopped fresh parsley.
  5. Gently fold all ingredients together until everything is evenly coated.
  6. Season with salt and black pepper to your preference.
  7. Cover the bowl and chill the tuna pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour before serving. Chilling allows the flavors to blend.

Notes

  • For a high protein tuna pasta salad, substitute half of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt.
  • You can prepare this cold tuna salad up to 2 days ahead for meal prep; the flavor improves overnight.
  • If you prefer a lighter tuna pasta salad dressing, use light mayonnaise or a mix of mayonnaise and plain yogurt.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://fooddexterity.com/tuna-pasta-salad-recipe-easy-creamy/