Tuna macaroni salad is a great twist on the classic macaroni salad. This perfect summertime cold salad is great for BBQ, picnic, and potluck! It’s so easy to make, throw together delicious macaroni, savory tuna chunks, peas, celery, red onion, and boiled egg with creamy, zesty sauce to bind it all together.
You would also love deviled egg pasta salad.
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Macaroni salad with tuna
Classic macaroni salad gets a wonderful delicious twist with savory tuna mixed in it. When it comes to pasta salad I love them all, be it simple and light Greek pasta salad or orzo pasta salad, or the most perfect summer bruschetta chicken pasta salad – they are all delicious, easy to make, and come together in 30 minutes or less!
A real quick macaroni tuna salad is made with simple ingredients. The only consuming thing is bringing a pot of water to boil to cook the pasta. While pasta cooks, whisk together the sauce and get the rest of the ingredients ready. Once pasta is cooked al-dente, simply throw together all the ingredients, and mix to combine.
Sour cream is used along with mayonnaise to make the sauce, sour cream cuts down the creamy richness and fresh lemon juice adds zesty flavors. Savory tuna chunks along with macaroni make it a crave-able dish!
Why you’ll love this salad
- Balanced perfectly. Adding sour cream cuts down the mayo and adds creaminess to the dish. It doesn’t taste all mayo-y. Lemon juice adds zesty flavor and smoked paprika cuts some of the richness with savory flavor.
- Savory. With all the creaminess going on in the salad, you might think it’s heavy. It’s not. Macaroni tuna salad has wonderful savory flavors from tuna chunks, eggs, peas, and red onion.
- Customizable. You can easily customize the salad with any extra “special ingredient” you prefer.
- Best summer salad. It’s a perfect summertime salad that is served cold. It’s great for BBQ, picnic, and potluck!
- Quick and easy to make. While pasta cooks, whisk together the sauce and get the rest of the ingredients ready. Once pasta is cooked al-dente, simply throw together all the ingredients, and mix.
Ingredients needed
Here’s what you’ll need-
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 3 (5 ounce) can tuna chunks packed in water, drained well
- 3 hard boiled eggs
- 1 red onion, diced
- 4 ribs celery, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ cup pickle relish
- 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika (optional)
- Elbow macaroni – using elbow macaroni pasta is classic, you can use other small pasta like farfalle, rotini or penne.
- Tuna – make sure to drain tuna well before using in salad. The brine in tuna will thin down the creamy sauce, hence loose some of it’s flavors.
- Eggs – hard boiled eggs and macaroni is such a classic combo.
- Red onion – can be replaced with shallots if you don’t want overpowering flavors from red onion.
- Celery – adds fresh crunch to every bite. You can add more or less of celery depending on your preference.
- Mayonnaise – use store bought or homemade. Full fat mayonnaise adds rich creaminess to salad.
- Sour cream – mixing sour cream with mayonnaise cuts the mayo taste, balances the cream sauce.
- Pickle relish – sweet pickle relish or any other kind you have can be used. You can also use dill relish or dill weed, which ever you prefer.
- Lemon juice – use only freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Salt & pepper – season salt and pepper to your taste.
- Smoked paprika – You can mix smoked paprika into the salad for extra earthy savory flavor or simply sprinkle it on top just before serving.
Ingredients additions and substitutions
Tuna macaroni salad is versatile and easy to customize. You can add in any extra special ingredient you have.
Swap tuna with other meat like grilled chicken, leftover turkey, or even pork chops. Elbow macaroni can be replaced with any small pasta variety like orzo pasta, farfalle, penne, or rotini.
Use yogurt in place of mayonnaise to make a lighter version of tuna macaroni pasta salad.
Pineapple chunks are known to be one of my favorite additions for this salad.
How to make tuna macaroni salad
Cook the pasta – bring a large pot of water to boil. Once the water starts boiling salt it well. Cook elbow macaroni in salted boiling water until al-dente. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water well until pasta is cooled.
Tip: don’t skip rinsing pasta in cold water, to cool it. The hot pasta will stick together.
Whisk the sauce – while the pasta is cooking, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, pickle relish, salt, and pepper until You can stir in smoked paprika into the sauce. Or if you don’t want to add the spice, you can sprinkle paprika on top just before serving.
Finish salad – rinse frozen peas until hot water. Drain well. Add al-dente macaroni, thawed peas, red onion, celery, hard-boiled eggs, tuna chunks into a bowl. Pour sauce on top. Mix with gentle hands until well combined.
Chill and serve – tuna macaroni salad tastes great after it has chilled for a few hours in the refrigerator. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Useful tips
- Always cook pasta slightly under.
- Don’t skip rinsing pasta in cold water until it’s cooled completely. The hot pasta will stick together.
- Sour cream is optional. Adding sour cream cuts down the mayo and adds creaminess to the dish. It doesn’t taste all mayo-y.
- Thaw peas in hot water and drain well. Drain canned tuna well before use in salad.
- Tuna macaroni salad tastes great after it has chilled for a few hours in the refrigerator.
FAQS
You can use other small pasta like farfalle, rotini or penne.
Canned tuna store in water is best. Canned tuna in oil will alter the taste of the salad.
To lighten your pasta salad, use Greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise.
Yes, tuna macaroni salad is a great make ahead salad. If you are planning to make ahead, keep the sauce separately and store it in refrigerator. Mix the sauce just before ready to serve.
This perfect summer time cold salad is great for BBQ, picnic and potluck! It can be served as a side dish alongside grilled chicken, grill prawns or simply serve it as a meal on it’s own.
As this salad contains mayo and canned tuna, it can’t be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Always store the salad in refrigerator.
This salad tastes great chilled.
Store tuna macaroni salad in air tight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
I wouldn’t recommend freezing it. Unlike all creamy salads this salad too won’t hold well if frozen. Refrigerate it within 2 to 3 days once you make. Beyond that I won’t recommend you consume it.
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📋Tuna Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 3 5 ounces can tuna chunks packed in water, drained well
- 3 hard-boiled eggs
- 1 red onion diced
- 4 ribs celery diced
- 1 cup frozen peas thawed
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ cup pickle relish
- 1 ½ tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika optional
Instructions
- Cook the pasta – bring a large pot of water to boil. Once the water starts boiling salt it well. Cook elbow macaroni in salted boiling water until al-dente. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water well until pasta is cooled.Tip: don’t skip rinsing pasta in cold water, to cool it. The hot pasta will stick together.
- Whisk the sauce – while the pasta is cooking, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, pickle relish, salt, and pepper until
- Finish salad – rinse frozen peas until hot water. Drain well.
- Add al-dente macaroni, thawed peas, red onion, celery, hard-boiled eggs, tuna chunks into a bowl.
- Pour sauce on top. Mix with gentle hands until well combined.
- Chill and serve – tuna macaroni salad tastes great after it has chilled for a few hours in the refrigerator. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- Always cook pasta slightly under.
- Don’t skip rinsing pasta in cold water until it’s cooled completely. The hot pasta will stick together.
- Sour cream is optional. Adding sour cream cuts down the mayo and adds creaminess to the dish. It doesn’t taste all mayo-y.
- Thaw peas in hot water and drain well. Drain canned tuna well before use in salad.
- Tuna macaroni salad tastes great after it has chilled for a few hours in the refrigerator.
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