Mediterranean Pasta Salad

This Mediterranean pasta salad recipe is bursting with fresh flavor! Mix up a batch as an easy side dish or…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This Mediterranean pasta salad recipe is bursting with fresh flavor! Mix up a batch as an easy side dish or quick lunch.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Here’s a colorful, fresh recipe that’s ideal for summer or anytime: Mediterranean pasta salad recipe! This instantly became a favorite summer side dish with its zingy, bright flavors. Imagine: cool cucumber, juicy tomatoes and peppery arugula, mixed with chewy pasta and salty pops of feta cheese. Hearty sundried tomato gives it an even more irresistible quality to each bite. We served it at a cookout where it got rave reviews, and leftovers are equally as tasty as a lunch idea! This one quickly jumped to the top of our favorite pasta salad recipes.

Ingredients in Mediterranean pasta salad

The concept of pasta salad is an American invention. The first macaroni salad recipe was published in 1914, and it’s spawned loads of variations since then! Mediterranean pasta salad is a thoroughly American concept starring flavors inspired by the region: tomatoes, cucumber, and feta cheese. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this Mediterranean pasta salad recipe:

  • Fusilli (spirals) or other short-cut pasta
  • Cucumber
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Sundried tomatoes
  • Artichoke hearts
  • Red onion
  • Baby arugula
  • Feta cheese
  • Mediterranean dressing: lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, olive oil

The basic idea is simple: boil the pasta, chop the veggies, then toss with a simple Mediterranean-style dressing. It takes about 30 minutes to whip up, and it’s well worth the time.

Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Use any type of short cut pasta

This Mediterranean pasta salad works with any type of short-cut pasta noodle. We like it best with spirals, but it’s just as good with bowties or penne. Whatever the case, make sure to cook the pasta to al dente (see below). Here are a few other pasta shape ideas for mixing it up with this pasta salad:

  • Spirals (fusilli)
  • Bowties (farfalle)
  • Penne
  • Shells (conchiglie)
  • Orecchiette
  • Gemelli
  • Gigli
Mediterranean Pasta Salad recipe

Tips for cooking pasta to al dente

Al dente means “to the bite” in Italian: pasta that’s tender with a firm center. It’s extremely important to cook the pasta to al dente for a pasta salad: overcooked pasta turns out rubbery, soft and unappetizing. (Interestingly, it also has less nutrients and makes you less full.) Here are some tips on how to cook pasta to al dente:

  • Set your timer a few minutes before the package instructions indicate. The timing on many pasta packages indicates to cook the pasta too long. Start taste testing the pasta a few minutes before the package says to.
  • Taste test and look for small white fleck at the core. Catch it right when there’s a small white fleck at the core, or just when it disappears: then immediately drain the pasta. For pasta salad, we like to rinse the pasta in cool water until it cools down enough to make into the salad.

Make ahead and storage for Mediterranean pasta salad

This Mediterranean pasta salad recipe tastes best the day it is made, as as flavor-packed side dish. But you can also make it in advance and refrigerate until serving, or keep it refrigerated as a lunch idea to munch on throughout the week. Here are a few tips for storage:

  • Mediterranean pasta salad lasts for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. It’s ideal for making ahead or healthy lunches throughout the week.
  • Refresh the flavors before serving. Bring the salad to room temperature. Then stir in a drizzle of olive oil and a bit more crumbled feta cheese. You may or may not need an extra pinch of salt.
Mediterranean Pasta Salad

More pasta salad recipes

Love pasta salads? Us too. Try these fun pasta salad ideas:

This Mediterranean pasta salad recipe is…

Vegetarian. For vegan or plant-based, omit the feta cheese and add a bit more salt.

Print
Mediterranean Pasta Salad

Mediterranean Pasta Salad


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 5 to 6

Description

This Mediterranean pasta salad recipe is bursting with fresh flavor! Mix up a batch as an easy side dish or quick lunch.


Ingredients

  • 8 ounces fusilli pasta
  • 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced into half moons (2 cups)
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • ¼ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/2 can artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
  • 1 handful thinly sliced red onion
  • 2 cups baby arugula (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice, plus zest of 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 garlic clove, grated (or ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 cup feta cheese crumbles (omit for vegan and add more salt)

Instructions

  1. Start a large pot of well-salted water to boil. Boil the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and run cool water over it until it’s room temperature.
  2. Meanwhile, slice the cucumber and tomatoes, chop the sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts, and slice the onion.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together the lemon zest, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, garlic, Italian seasoning, and kosher salt. Then whisk in the olive oil.
  4. Once the pasta is done, add it to the large bowl of dressing and toss with the chopped vegetables. Add the feta cheese and fresh ground black pepper and stir to combine. 
  5. Taste and add more salt to taste if necessary. Serve immediately. Stores up to 5 days refrigerated (leftovers taste great; allow to come to room temperature and add a swirl more olive oil or a bit more salt as necessary).
  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Pasta Salad
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Mediterranean pasta salad

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Pesto Pasta Salad

This creamy pesto pasta salad recipe is easy and bursting with flavor! It’s the perfect easy summer side dish. What’s…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This creamy pesto pasta salad recipe is easy and bursting with flavor! It’s the perfect easy summer side dish.

Pesto Pasta Salad

What’s more a quintessential summer dish than a great pasta salad? Try this Pesto Pasta Salad recipe, which celebrates everything seasonal in summer! It features chewy bowties with pops of fresh cherry tomatoes, tangy artichokes and peppery baby arugula. Make a batch of fresh basil pesto or grab some at the store, then mix it up in to a creamy dressing to cover everything. This one was so irresistible, we couldn’t stop exclaiming how good it was after stuffing in each bite (and our 5 year old gobbled it up!).

Ingredients in this pesto pasta salad recipe

This pesto pasta salad recipe is simpler than most pasta salads because the ingredient list is short and sweet. The most important thing here? A high quality pesto. It’s best with homemade, but you can use purchased as well (see below for more). Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Bowties (farfalle) or other short-cut pasta
  • Canned artichoke hearts
  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Sliced pepperoncini
  • Baby arugula
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese
  • Basil pesto
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • Mayonnaise
  • Salt
Pesto Pasta Salad

For the pesto: homemade vs storebought

This pesto pasta salad tastes the best when you make it with homemade basil pesto, with fresh summer basil! Of course, we know that’s not always possible. Here’s the thing about pesto: purchased pesto varies greatly between brands. Many purchased brands taste intensely acidic or have an odd aftertaste. Here’s what to know:

  • Homemade pesto has the best flavor! Basil Pesto is best homemade. You can also try Arugula Pesto or Kale Pesto.
  • Purchased pesto brands vary greatly in flavor: some are very acidic. We’ve experimented with lots of different brands: and they all have a different salt and acid level.
  • Squeeze packs of fresh pesto are now on the market, and some have better flavor than jars. Experiment to find one you love!

Notes on the pasta salad dressing

This pesto pasta salad has a deliciously creamy pasta salad dressing that you’ll adore, featuring both Greek yogurt, mayonnaise and pesto. We made this one creamy because we find that pesto on it own can become sticky and dry. Mixing it with a little yogurt and mayo helps it to coat the pasta better. Don’t want to use Greek yogurt? You can substitute sour cream instead.

Pesto

Use any type of short cut pasta

This pesto pasta salad works with any type of short cut pasta you have on hand! We like bowties for this one because of the look and the way that it distributes with the other ingredients. Here are some other types of short cut pasta that work well:

  • Bowties (farfalle): our favorite!
  • Spirals (fusilli)
  • Penne
  • Shells (medium-sized)
  • Orecchiette
  • Gemelli
  • Gigli

Make ahead and storage for pesto pasta salad

This pesto pasta salad is a great salad for a picnic or a barbecue! It tastes best immediately after making, but it does store well. If you make in advance and refrigerate, you may want to refresh the flavors before serving since pasta salad can lose some flavor while storing. Here’s what to know:

  • Pesto pasta salad lasts for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. It’s great for cookouts or healthy lunches throughout the week.
  • After refrigeration, make sure to refresh the flavors. Bring the salad to room temperature. Taste and see if you need to add a pinch of extra salt. If the pasta salad seems dry, add a dollop of sour cream, mayo or pesto to revive the creamy texture.
Pesto Pasta Salad Recipe

More pasta salad recipes

There’s nothing like a great pasta salad for a summer event, be it a barbecue, cookout or picnic! Here are a few more pasta salad recipes we love:

This pesto pasta salad recipe is…

Vegetarian.

Print
Pesto Pasta Salad

Pesto Pasta Salad


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 12 minutes
  • Cook Time: 8 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 5 to 6

Description

This creamy pesto pasta salad recipe is easy and bursting with flavor! It’s the perfect easy summer side dish.


Ingredients

  • 8 ounces short cut pasta (we used farfalle)
  • 14 ounce can (8.5 ounce dry weight) quartered artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
  • ⅓ cup sliced pepperoncini
  • 2 cups baby arugula
  • ¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
  • ⅓ cup basil pesto (homemade or purchased, or kale pesto or arugula pesto)
  • ¼ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as desired

Instructions

  1. Start a large pot of well-salted water to boil. Boil the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta and run cool water over it until it’s room temperature, then shake off any extra water.
  2. Prepare the vegetables: roughly chop the artichokes and slice the tomatoes.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the pesto, Greek yogurt, mayonnaise and kosher salt. Add the drained pasta, vegetables and Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Taste and add another ¼ teaspoon salt depending on the saltiness of the pesto. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 3 days. (Allow to come to room temperature and if desired, add a pinch more salt. If the pasta salad seems dry, add a dollop of sour cream, mayo or pesto to revive the creamy texture.).
  • Category: Side dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Keywords: Pesto pasta salad, pesto pasta salad recipe, pasta salad with pesto

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Pickle Pasta Salad Will Be This Summer’s Potluck Hit

On the cusp of potluck season, with another year of mostly outdoor gatherings on the horizon, a recent viral TikTok video seems like a strong candidate for this summer’s trendiest dish: pickle pasta salad. The only thing cooler than this easy pantry re…

On the cusp of potluck season, with another year of mostly outdoor gatherings on the horizon, a recent viral TikTok video seems like a strong candidate for this summer’s trendiest dish: pickle pasta salad. The only thing cooler than this easy pantry recipe might just be that in the five days since the video on how to make it posted, it earned about two and a half million views, and even got a comment from Lizzo, whose music plays over the directions.

It's not necessarily a groundbreaking dish—after all, midwestern moms have been stirring pickles into creamy pasta and serving it for picnics and football games for ages. But the timing just hit the crowd hard: Everybody is clearly ready to start thinking about dishes that signify the sunshine season is here, and the simplicity of the recipe helps make it that much more enticing.

Read More >>

Have Noodles, Onions & Butter? Make This.

A Big Little Recipe has the smallest-possible ingredient list and big everything else: flavor, creativity, wow factor. That means five ingredients or fewer—not including water, salt, black pepper, and certain fats (like oil and butter), since we’re gue…

A Big Little Recipe has the smallest-possible ingredient list and big everything else: flavor, creativity, wow factor. That means five ingredients or fewer—not including water, salt, black pepper, and certain fats (like oil and butter), since we're guessing you have those covered. Inspired by the column, the Big Little Recipes cookbook is available now. Like, right now.


An onion knows when it’s in danger. That’s why when you cut it with a knife, or blitz it with a food processor, or pulverize it with a grater, it fights back. It wields sulfur, absorbed from the soil, as a weapon, as its own knife or food processor or grater, sharp enough to make you weep.

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Summertime Grilled Corn and Crab Pasta Salad.

This grilled corn and crab pasta salad recipe is summer in a dish! Crisp, refreshing and perfect for the warm summer weather. It can be a BBQ party dish, a part of your dinner tonight or even lunch today! Delish! I’m dubbing this the year of pasta salad!  Today we’re making this incredible, summery, full-of-sunshine […]

The post Summertime Grilled Corn and Crab Pasta Salad. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

This grilled corn and crab pasta salad recipe is summer in a dish! Crisp, refreshing and perfect for the warm summer weather. It can be a BBQ party dish, a part of your dinner tonight or even lunch today! Delish!

I’m dubbing this the year of pasta salad! 

grilled corn and crab pasta salad

Today we’re making this incredible, summery, full-of-sunshine lump crab and corn pasta salad that is so fantastic, you won’t even be able to stand it. It can be your next BBQ side dish, a bowl you take to a party or even part of your dinner tonight!

red peppers, scallions and fresh herbs

Gosh I LOVE SUMMER FOOD.

I mean, why is this tangy delish bowl of noodles so wonderful?! This is the epitome of the season right here.

grilled corn and crab pasta salad

So, crab pasta salad! 

I have lots of delicious recipes for it on the blog, but the stand outs this year have been the spring asparagus pasta salad and the grilled chicken caprese pasta salad! Both so amazing and wonderful as a side dish, party dish or heck, even dinner. 

pouring dressing on grilled corn and crab pasta salad

And that’s where we’re going with this one too. I LOVE how versatile a pasta salad is and this is no different. It’s super flavorful and satisfying, you can make it ahead of time and it keeps great in the fridge. In fact, half the time it may even taste better the next day. Because FLAVOR. 

pouring dressing on grilled corn and crab pasta salad

This dish is just so, so refreshing. It’s SO summery. It has some texture and crisp which is key for me. It tastes amazing with an icy glass of white wine too!

I like to use the best high-quality lump crab that I can find. It’s so buttery and has tons of flavor. It also flakes nicely and really disperses through the pasta salad well, so you get the flavor in each bite!

P.S. if you’re not into crab, you could throw in some shrimp. If you’re really feeling fancy, you could even do lobster! The question is how extra do you want to be today… 

grilled corn and crab pasta salad

The other key components to this pasta salad? 

Grilled corn on the cob of course. We basically eat it every single day in the summer once it comes into season here. We only get it good for, like, five weeks or so.

Sliced red pepper strips are also part of this – they are crisp and crunchy and give the bite that everyone loves. 

Then of course we have scallions, fresh herbs and the most delish vinaigrette!  (more…)

The post Summertime Grilled Corn and Crab Pasta Salad. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Got Broccoli? Don’t Toss The Stalks.

A Big Little Recipe has the smallest-possible ingredient list and big everything else: flavor, creativity, wow factor. That means five ingredients or fewer—not including water, salt, black pepper, and certain fats (like oil and butter), since we’re gue…

A Big Little Recipe has the smallest-possible ingredient list and big everything else: flavor, creativity, wow factor. That means five ingredients or fewer—not including water, salt, black pepper, and certain fats (like oil and butter), since we're guessing you have those covered. Psst, did you hear we’re coming out with a cookbook? We’re coming out with a cookbook!


Raise your hand if you’ve ever thrown away a broccoli stalk. Go on. No one’s looking.

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Easy Tortellini Salad

This tortellini salad is full of zingy flavor: a delicious pasta salad for picnics and cookouts! Leftovers last for days,…

A Couple Cooks – Recipes worth repeating.

This tortellini salad is full of zingy flavor: a delicious pasta salad for picnics and cookouts! Leftovers last for days, so it’s also an easy lunch idea.

Tortellini salad

Here’s a pasta salad recipe that’s ultra versatile for picnics, barbecues, and an easy lunch idea: this Tortellini Salad! The tang of the artichoke, chewy pillowy pasta, zippy tomatoes, and peppery basil come together into a symphony of flavor! Even better, it stores up to 4 days in the fridge, making it a perfect easy lunch. We’ve made this more times than we can count already: and it’s irresistibly delicious every time.

The pasta to buy for tortellini salad…tortelloni!

Here’s an important tip for making tortellini salad. Make it with tortelloni pasta! What’s tortelloni vs tortellini?

  • Tortelloni is a pasta shape that is larger than tortellini, and it’s got a filled center versus a hole in the middle. Because it’s larger, it’s easier to taste the filling. Tortelloni is easy to find the refrigerated section at your local grocery.
  • How to tell the difference quickly? Tortellini has a hole in the middle, tortelloni has a solid center that encloses the filling. Of course, this really makes it a tortelloni salad. But it’s the tastiest pasta for the job!
  • Don’t make this pasta salad with frozen or dried tortellini. It’s just not as good! Trust us, we’ve tried it.
Tortellini pasta salad

Ingredients for tortellini salad

Got your pasta? It’s easy to throw together this tortellini salad once you’ve got the right type. Here’s what else you’ll need:

  • Cherry tomatoes
  • Spinach
  • Artichokes
  • Fresh basil: optional, but we highly recommend it! It’s especially easy in summer if you have a basil plant
  • Parmesan cheese
  • Homemade vinaigrette (or purchased dressing)

Use homemade dressing, or shortcut with purchased

This tortellini salad is very easy to throw together: boil the pasta, chop the veggies, then make the dressing! We created a homemade vinaigrette dressing for this salad that makes it beautifully fresh and delicious. Here’s what to note about it:

  • The homemade dressing is best flavor-wise. All you need is oil, vinegar, and a few spices. Dried dill makes for an intriguing flavor without overpowering.
  • In a rush, use ¾ cup purchased Italian or vinaigrette dressing. It makes it even easier to throw together.
Tortellini salad

Stores as leftovers for up to 4 days!

This tortellini salad works great as a pasta salad for summer picnics and barbecues, but we also designed it to work for lunches! This one is a fantastic make-ahead pasta salad that lasts for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. We had to work a bit to engineer that flavor to perfection. Here are a few notes for leftover storage:

  • Using neutral oil plus olive oil makes store well! Olive oil tends to clump up when it’s cold. How to make olive oil not solidify in dressings in the refrigerator? Add a neutral oil! Using equal parts organic vegetable oil or grapeseed oil makes a vinaigrette that doesn’t solidify. But if you prefer to use all olive oil, feel free! Just beware the salad dressing may clump up (just bring it to room temp before eating).
  • You may need to add a few pinches of salt. Some foods become more bland when refrigerated, which is the case with this pasta salad. Taste and add a few pinches salt before serving, if necessary.
Tortellini salad

More pasta salad recipes

There are lots of great pasta salad recipes for summer or lunches! Once you’ve tried this tortellini salad, here are a few more summer salads to try:

This tortellini salad recipe is…

Vegetarian. For gluten-free, use gluten-free tortellini. For vegan, use vegan tortellini and skip the Parmesan cheese (add a bit more salt as needed).

Print
Tortellini salad

Easy Tortellini Salad


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 5 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 6 to 8 side dish servings
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This tortellini salad is full of zingy flavor: delicious for picnics and cookouts! Leftovers last for days, so it’s ideal as an easy lunch.


Ingredients

  • 18 ounces refrigerated cheese tortelloni*
  • 2 ½ ounces (2 cups) baby spinach or chopped spinach
  • 1 handful fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped (optional but recommended)
  • 14 ounce can (8.5 ounce dry weight) quartered artichokes, roughly chopped
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
  • ¼ cup white wine vinegar***
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon each dried dill and garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • Fresh ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • ¼ cup neutral oil (like organic vegetable or grapeseed**)
  • ¾ cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Instructions

  1. Start a large pot of well-salted water to boil. Boil the pasta until al dente according to the package instructions (usually around 2 minutes). Drain the pasta and run it cool water over it until it’s warm. 
  2. Meanwhile while the pasta cooks, chop the spinach, basil and artichoke hearts, and slice the tomatoes. In a large bowl, whisk together the vinegar, sugar, dried dill, garlic powder, kosher salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Then whisk in the olive oil and neutral oil
  3. Once the pasta is done, add it to the large bowl of dressing and toss with the chopped vegetables. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir to combine. Taste and add salt or more cheese to taste. Serve at room temperature or cold. Stores up to 4 days refrigerated (leftovers taste great and work well for lunches!).

Notes

*Tortelloni is large tortellini that you can find in the refrigerated section. It’s best for this salad because standard tortellini is too small. 

**Using neutral oil in this pasta salad helps leftovers keep in the fridge: if you use only olive oil, it clumps up after about 1 day of storage. If you’re not planning to have leftovers, you can use 100% olive oil if you prefer. 

***In a rush? Substitute ¾ cup Italian dressing or your purchased vinaigrette dressing of choice for the homemade dressing. 

  • Category: Salad
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: Tortellini salad

A Couple Cooks - Recipes worth repeating.

Classic Tuna Pasta Salad

This tuna pasta salad recipe is creamy and satisfying! It’s a protein-packed quick and easy dinner or make ahead lunch. There’s a magical meal fix out there, and we’re here for it. It’s a can of tuna. That sounds a little 1960’s, right? But there’s a reason why canned tuna was so popular in previous decades. It’s a cheap protein that’s super shelf stable. And you can transform it into seriously tasty meals: like this nostalgic Tuna Pasta Salad! It’s creamy but not too rich, with a splash of white wine vinegar and a sprinkle of dried dill. It’s a seriously simple pantry meal that gives us cozy nostalgic vibes…and it works as a make-ahead lunch too. Here’s more about it! Ingredients in tuna pasta salad This tuna pasta salad is a retro style recipe with a modern spin! We tried to take all that’s good about tuna pasta salad of the past, without the gloppy, overly rich mayonnaise. This recipe uses about half the mayo than the 1970’s version, so it’s just creamy enough. Here’s what you’ll need: Tuna, packed in water Pasta: short noodles of any type Frozen peas Mayonnaise Red onion Green onion (or substitute onion powder) […]

A Couple Cooks – Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes

This tuna pasta salad recipe is creamy and satisfying! It’s a protein-packed quick and easy dinner or make ahead lunch.

Tuna pasta salad

There’s a magical meal fix out there, and we’re here for it. It’s a can of tuna. That sounds a little 1960’s, right? But there’s a reason why canned tuna was so popular in previous decades. It’s a cheap protein that’s super shelf stable. And you can transform it into seriously tasty meals: like this nostalgic Tuna Pasta Salad! It’s creamy but not too rich, with a splash of white wine vinegar and a sprinkle of dried dill. It’s a seriously simple pantry meal that gives us cozy nostalgic vibes…and it works as a make-ahead lunch too. Here’s more about it!

Ingredients in tuna pasta salad

This tuna pasta salad is a retro style recipe with a modern spin! We tried to take all that’s good about tuna pasta salad of the past, without the gloppy, overly rich mayonnaise. This recipe uses about half the mayo than the 1970’s version, so it’s just creamy enough. Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Tuna, packed in water
  • Pasta: short noodles of any type
  • Frozen peas
  • Mayonnaise
  • Red onion
  • Green onion (or substitute onion powder)
  • Mayonnaise
  • White wine vinegar
  • Dried dill
  • Feta cheese, optional

It’s so easy to make this recipe: literally just boil the pasta and mix together the pasta salad ingredients. It’s mind-blowingly simple and uses mostly pantry ingredients! The only refrigerated ingredient is the green onion, which is optional. A few notes on storage, though…

Tuna pasta salad

Make it even creamier, if desired

Love a super creamy tuna pasta salad? The amount of mayo we’ve used here is about 1/2 the amount of a traditional super creamy pasta salad. You can add one of two things to this pasta salad to get an even creamier texture:

  • Add 1/4 cup Greek yogurt. We love using Greek yogurt in combination with mayo to get extra creamy sauces with less calories (like our Ranch Dressing). Do this if you’re going to eat it right away. But if you’re planning on leftovers, don’t use the Greek yogurt! The texture gets gummy in the fridge (see below).
  • Add 1/4 cup sour cream. Sour cream has a nice rich texture that doesn’t get quite as gummy as Greek yogurt in the fridge. The downside? it’s got a few more calories. If you’re going for a splurge, it makes for a nice creamy texture.

Eat immediately, or use as a make ahead lunch

This tuna pasta salad is best immediately, in our opinion! We usually eat it for dinner with some sides (see below). If you’d like, you can make it ahead for lunches throughout the week! Here’s what to know:

  • Refresh the texture and flavor before serving. This pasta salad can become drier in the refrigerator. We suggest swirling in a little mayo or sour cream before eating, and refresh with a few pinches of salt if you like. The added sour cream option above is nice if you’re wanting creaminess to hold up over several days.
  • Allow it to come to room temperature before serving. This one is best at room temp; it’s not designed as a cold pasta salad.
Tuna pasta salad recipe

Make tuna pasta salad into a meal!

This tuna pasta salad is the perfect pantry meal: with a few simple items, you’ve got dinner! It’s especially perfect for snow days or evenings where you just don’t have the energy to think. Here are a few ways you can accessorize it for lunch or dinner:

More tuna recipes

Tuna to the rescue! Canned tuna is great for throw-together pantry meals. Here are a few more of our canned tuna faves:

Tuna pasta salad

This tuna pasta salad recipe is…

Pescatarian. For gluten-free, use gluten free or legume pasta.

Print
Tuna pasta salad

Classic Tuna Pasta Salad


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (7 votes, average: 4.71 out of 5)

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 4

Description

This tuna pasta salad recipe is creamy and satisfying! It’s a protein-packed quick and easy dinner or make ahead lunch.


Ingredients

  • 8 ounces pasta: shells or bowties (farfalle)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 3 green onions (or 1/4 teaspoon onion powder)
  • 1/4 cup minced red onion
  • 2 5-ounce cans tuna
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise*
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Optional: 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta (and peas): Start a pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until it is just al dente. Start tasting a few minutes before the package recommends: you want it to be tender but still a little firm on the inside; usually around 7 to 8 minutes. In the last 1 minute, add the peas. Drain the pasta and peas, then rinse with cold water. 
  2. Prep the remaining ingredients: Meanwhile, thinly slice the green onions. Mince the red onion. Drain the tuna and flake it with a fork. Place them in a large bowl with the mayonnaise, white vinegar, dill, and kosher salt
  3. Mix: Once the pasta and peas are cooked, add them to the bowl and mix. Taste and adjust flavors if desired, adding black pepper as necessary. Serve immediately. Store leftovers refrigerated for up to 3 days: before eating, allow to come to room temperature. You may want to add a swirl of mayo or sour cream and a pinch of salt to refresh the texture and flavor. 

Notes

*Make a super creamy pasta salad by adding 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream. Only use Greek yogurt if you’re not planning to save leftovers; the texture can become gummy in the refrigerator. For saving over several days, sour cream is the best option. 

  • Category: Main dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: Salad

Keywords: Tuna pasta salad, Tuna pasta salad recipe

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