Description
A delicious tuna pasta salad that is perfect for summer gatherings or quick meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound rotini pasta (or small-shaped pasta such as small shells, macaroni, wheels, bowtie, etc.)
- 5 ounces water-packed tuna, drained (from one 5-ounce can or two 2 packets)
- 1/2 cup peas (I use frozen that I thaw and drain well; or fresh peas are fine)
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
- 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup sour cream (thick Greek yogurt may be substituted)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 1 to 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons seasoning salt (such as Lawry’s or a mixture of onion powder and garlic powder)
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill (or 1 teaspoon fresh dill, finely minced)
- Salt (as desired to taste)
- Freshly ground black pepper (as desired to taste)
- Minced fresh parsley (or thinly sliced green onions) (optional for garnishing, to taste)
Instructions
- Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions. Rinse pasta under cold water when done boiling to stop the cooking process. Drain well and add pasta to a large bowl. Tip – Add a tablespoon or so of olive oil to the pasta cooking water while it’s boiling to help prevent sticking.
- Add the tuna, peas, pickle relish, and stir to combine. Set aside momentarily.
- To a medium bowl, add all the mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, seasoning salt, dill, and whisk to combine.
- Add the dressing to the pasta bowl and stir and toss to combine and coat evenly. Tip – If for some reason it’s at all dry, or you want it extra creamy, feel free to add another tablespoon or two of mayo and/or sour cream, as desired. All brands of pasta/tuna will absorb the dressing a bit differently so you can tweak this as desired.
- Taste and as desired, add salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Tip – If the pasta salad tastes at all boring or dull, it likely needs more salt, so don’t be afraid to add it. The same goes for pepper, but salt is more critical.
- You can serve it immediately, but I prefer to chill it covered for at least 30 minutes, and serve it chilled. Optionally garnish as desired before serving.
Notes
- Feel free to adjust the ingredients based on your taste preferences.
- This salad is best served chilled, making it great for picnics.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixed
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 800mg
- Fat: 30g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 30mg