This tuna pasta salad is a creamy pasta salad recipe made with celery, sweet pickles, peas and canned tuna. It’s a delicious summer side dish or meal prep lunch!
Tuna in a pasta salad? Trust me, it works! One bite of this creamy tuna pasta salad and everyone will be asking for the recipe!
This tuna pasta salad is a mash up of my favorite Macaroni Salad and Tuna Salad recipes, and wow do they work well together! Canned tuna adds a protein boost to a classic macaroni pasta salad, turning it into a dish that’s a perfect BBQ side and also hearty enough to stand on its own for lunch.
Everything you love about a great tuna salad and macaroni salad, you’ll find in this tuna pasta salad recipe. The creamy dressing, celery, red onion and pickles pair perfectly with the tuna and noodles. I love to make this with small shell pasta, but any short pasta shape (think elbow macaroni or ditalini) works well. Easy to make and super yummy, you’ll be glad to have this tuna pasta salad in your recipe rotation!
Why You’ll Love this Tuna Pasta Salad
- The best flavor combo. The combination of the sweet pickles, sharp red onion, crisp celery, tuna, peas and noodles, all tossed in the creamy, tangy dressing, is just so good!
- Make-ahead friendly. This salad tastes even better on the second day, after the flavors have had a chance to mingle together. I love that I can make it ahead for a party or for meal prep lunches.
- Easy recipe! This recipe comes together really quickly, and the ingredient list is relatively short. I like to serve it alongside Oven Baked Ribs or Grilled Pork Chops.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s a look at the ingredients for this tuna pasta salad, along with substitution options.
- Small Shell Pasta: Elbow macaroni also works well here.
- Frozen Peas: Because tuna and peas go so well together (see also my Tuna Casserole).
- Red Bell Pepper and Celery: For crunch and color.
- Red Onion: It’s sweet-sharp bite goes perfectly here.
- Sweet Pickles: I love the tangy, sweet flavor and crunch they bring to this pasta salad.
- Canned Tuna: Look for tuna packed in water, not oil. My favorite tuna is skipjack wild tuna, which is a chunk light tuna.
Find the printable recipe with ingredient amounts below.
Tuna Pasta Salad Dressing
The dressing for this salad comes together so quickly! To make it you’ll need mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. It’s creamy, tangy and slightly sweet – the perfect dressing for a tuna pasta salad!
How to Make Tuna Pasta Salad
Plus, my best tips for making this salad!
Cook pasta and peas. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water according to the package directions for al dente. Add the frozen peas during the last minute of cook time. Transfer the pasta and peas to a colander, rinse with cold water and drain well. Set them aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the salad ingredients. Or, spread the cooked pasta and peas out on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to cool them more quickly.
Make dressing. Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients until well combined.
Put it all together. In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta and peas, red bell pepper, celery, red onion, pickles and tuna. Pour on the dressing and stir gently until everything is well combined.
Chill, then serve. Cover and chill the tuna pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. It will keep for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
Recipe Variations
I love playing around with recipes to change up the flavors! Here are some tasty additions and substitutions that you can make to this easy recipe:
- Add chopped hard boiled eggs.
- Swap the tuna for salmon or shrimp. Bake a salmon fillet and then flake it into smaller pieces, or use canned salmon. To cook shrimp, try my Air Fryer Shrimp or Grilled Shrimp recipes.
- Add a tablespoon or two of sweet pickle juice from the jar of sweet pickles to the dressing.
- Add fresh herbs like chopped fresh dill or parsley.
- Swap the mayo for plain Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier dressing. I do this in my Red Potato Salad and Healthy Broccoli Salad recipes.
Try These Pasta Salads Next:
- Greek Pasta Salad – Feta, olives and a tangy dressing… need I say more?
- Southwest Pasta Salad – With black beans, corn, tomatoes and a chili-lime dressing, it’s full of zesty flavors!
- Pesto Pasta Salad – Anything with pesto is a win in my book!
- Orzo Salad – With Mediterranean flavors and orzo pasta, I make this often in the summer!
Made this recipe? I’d truly appreciate if you leave a comment and star rating below! Your review will help others who want to try this recipe. Thank you! 💛
Tuna Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 10 ounces small shell pasta, or elbow macaroni pasta
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 ribs celery, finely chopped
- ⅓ cup finely chopped red onion
- ⅓ cup chopped sweet pickles
- 2 cans (5 ounces each) tuna packed in water, drained
Macaroni Salad Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions for al dente, adding the frozen peas during the last 1 minute of the cook time. Transfer the pasta and peas to a colander, rinse with cold water and drain well. Set aside to cool while you prepare the rest of the salad ingredients (see note).
- To make the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, sugar, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
- When the pasta and peas are completely cooled, transfer them to a large bowl and add red bell pepper, celery, red onion, pickles and tuna. Pour on the dressing and stir gently until everything is well combined.
- Cover and chill salad in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. It will keep for up to 3 days when stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Tuna pasta salad tastes even better on the second day, so it is a perfect make ahead side dish.
- To cool the pasta more quickly, you can spread it out on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet or in a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Add chopped hard boiled eggs.
- Swap the tuna for salmon or shrimp. Bake a salmon fillet and then flake it into smaller pieces, or use canned salmon. To cook shrimp, try my Air Fryer Shrimp or Grilled Shrimp recipes.
- Add a tablespoon or two of sweet pickle juice from the jar of sweet pickles to the dressing.
- Add fresh herbs like chopped fresh dill or parsley.
- Swap the mayo for plain Greek yogurt for a lighter, tangier dressing.
