Tuna Pasta Salad (Easy & Healthy)
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This tuna pasta salad is one of my favourite recipes since it’s packed full of lean protein, veg and has a healthy dose of carbs. You don’t need to add anything to this pasta tuna salad to turn it into a complete meal. You can take a container with you to work or uni/college and you’ll have a filling, delicious meal ready to eat, much like these Easy Burger Bowls.
Why you’ll love this recipe
I think tuna pasta salad with mayo is the perfect lunch or dinner meal. You don’t have to warm it up before eating, so it’s the perfect portable lunch.
- Quick: Few things are as budget-friendly and quick to make as my cold tuna pasta. You can have the week’s meals ready in about 20 minutes!
- Meal prep champion: This recipe for tuna pasta salad is ideal for meal prep for one person. Though, you can also double the recipe and have lunches (or dinners) ready for you and your partner for the week. For another easy meal-prep meal, check out my Baked Ravioli Casserole Recipe.
- Ultimate value: Tuna and pasta salad offers maximum nutrition and flavour for minimal cost, making it the best cheap lunch available. If you’re looking for another great budget meal, this is right up there with my Creamy Leftover Ham Pasta.
Other pasta salad recipes you should try: Tuna Pesto Pasta, Orzo Pasta Salad, and Healthy Tortellini Pasta Salad.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
To create this incredible tuna pasta salad recipe, you only need three key ingredients and a few simple seasonings.
- Canned tuna: Canned tuna is the primary protein source for this cold tuna pasta salad. But you can use canned chicken or salmon if you prefer the flavour. For more tuna recipes, try Easy Tuna Fishcakes with Potato.
- Conchiglie pasta shells: I love using conchiglie pasta shells for my tuna salad pasta. You can use any pasta noodles to create this recipe, like elbows, but shells hold the dressing best.
- Lemon juice: Lemon juice is great for adding brightness to this tuna pasta salad. Lime juice will also work, though it will alter the taste slightly. Make my Easy Chicken Piccata for another bright, acidic dish.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations / Adaptations
Whether you are watching your diet or just craving a new flavour, this is easily adapted.
- Low-carb option: Swap the traditional pasta for cooked cauliflower florets or zoodles (courgette noodles) to make a much lower-carb version. This dramatically changes the texture but keeps the great creamy flavour.
- Gluten-free swap: Simply use your favourite gluten-free pasta instead of the standard shells for a quick dietary change. It makes no difference to the flavour of tuna pasta salad. If you’re gluten free, you will love these Cottage Cheese Egg Bites.
- Mediterranean flavour boost: Add chopped olives, capers, and a pinch of dried oregano to the mix for a Mediterranean twist. This is a great, budget-friendly way to make your pasta salad tuna stand out from the crowd, which also works in my Tender Cast Iron Chicken Breast.
How to make this Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe
1. Combine the drained tuna with the mayonnaise, celery, most of the dill and the lemon juice into a large bowl (Image 1).
2. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper and mix together (Image 2).
3. Add the Conchiglie to heavily salted boiling water, timer set according to the packet time (Image 3).
4. Prepare all the salad ingredients including the red onion, grated courgette, cherry tomatoes and green olives and add to a large bowl (Image 4).
5. Once the pasta is fully cooked (we want to fully cook/even over cook it a little as once it’s cold, it firms up more), rinse the pasta in cold water until cool. Then combine the pasta with the tuna mayo mixture with the salad added. Stir to coat all of the ingredients and add more lemon juice, salt and pepper if necessary (Image 5).
Other canned tuna recipes you should try: Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice (Budget Recipe), Easy Tomato Tuna Pasta Bake, and Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake.
Tips and Tricks
- For a lower calorie dressing, use Greek Yogurt with lemon juice and some seasoning. This keeps the creamy texture of the tuna pasta salad without the extra fat.
- Use canned tuna in brine as this will be a healthier option than using vegetable oil and contain less calories.
- Add other vegetables including mixed peppers, cucumber and grated carrots to increase nutrients and fibre. Tuna pasta salad ingredients can be swapped around easily.
- Use wholegrain pasta which will keep you full for longer and has more fibre. For another high-fibre meal, check out this Vegetarian Mixed Bean Chilli.
Meal Prep Tips for Tuna Pasta Salad
This healthy tuna pasta salad is brilliant for budget-friendly meal prep. It’s super cheap, filling, and stays fresh for days, making it perfect for work lunches or grab-and-go dinners. Because it’s a cold tuna pasta recipe, you don’t need to reheat it, which is ideal for busy weeks when you want something healthy and ready to eat straight from the fridge. Just store servings in airtight containers and you’re good to go!
You could even switch up the flavours through the week to keep things interesting. Try adding roasted peppers for a Mediterranean feel, or mix in sesame oil and chopped spring onions for a lighter Asian twist. Each version uses the same creamy base and lean protein while keeping prep time minimal.
Prepping a few containers at once saves money, reduces food waste, and also means you always have a creamy tuna pasta salad waiting for you. It’s honestly one of my favourite budget hacks.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving this tuna pasta cold as a meal on its own, but it’s versatile enough to serve as a side for a BBQ or picnic. You could serve tuna pasta salad with fresh bread, grilled vegetables, or light proteins.
Try it with:
Leftover Storage and Reheat Instructions
For best results when making a batch of this pasta salad with tuna, follow these simple storage rules.
Refrigerator: Separate the servings into airtight containers and serve cold. Tuna pasta salad can last in the fridge for up to five days before you will need to toss it.
Freezer: Since mayonnaise has a large oil content, it separates easily and you’ll notice a difference in flavour and texture once it defrosts. However, if you keep the mayonnaise out of your leftover tuna salad and keep the tomatoes and celery in a separate container, you can freeze the tuna pasta in an airtight container.
Reheat: As you eat tuna pasta cold, there’s no need to reheat the recipe at all!
FAQs
Overall, canned tuna is good for you. It’s a great source of protein that comes at an affordable cost. It’s low in calories and fat yet is jam-packed with nutrients. Each serving of tuna has omega-3s and other various vitamins and minerals, like vitamin D and selenium. These nutrients are part of a healthy tuna pasta salad and a balanced diet.
Cold tuna pasta salad can last in the fridge for up to five days, just make sure you store the recipe in an airtight container. When making the recipe, ensure you make only the amount of servings you’ll eat in a week. You can split the recipe in half, if five servings are too many.
The best way to make a tuna salad with pasta without using mayonnaise is to substitute it with plain Greek yogurt mixed with a squeeze of lemon juice, a little mustard, and seasoning. This maintains a rich texture while keeping the fat content low.
Yes, absolutely. While canned tuna is budget-friendly, you can easily swap it for canned chicken, canned salmon, or even chopped hard-boiled eggs for an equally delicious and affordable protein boost.
Other pasta recipes you might like to try: Delicious Marry Me Shrimp Pasta, Pasta with Peas (Pasta e Piselli), Pink Sauce Pasta (Tiktok Pasta) and Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta.
Explore More Recipes
If you tried this Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad recipe, it would be mean so much to me if you could leave a review & a star rating to let me know how you found it! I love hearing about your experiences – it motivates me to keep creating more and more recipes for you guys 💛 Let’s get cooking! – Mimi x
Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 435 g (3 cans) tuna (3x£0.55)=(£1.65)
- 500 g conchiglie pasta shells (£0.80)
- 1 bunch of fresh dill, roughly chopped (£0.50)
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced (£0.15)
- ½ lemon, juiced (£0.30)
- 2 courgettes, grated (£0.80)
- 3 celery stalks, finely diced (£0.50)
- 250 g cherry tomatoes, quartered (£0.50)
- 80 g green olives, thinly sliced £0.80/4)=(0.20)
Cupboard Essentials
- 4-6 tbsp mayonnaise £0.95/4=(£0.24)
- Salt & Pepper
Method
- Add the conchiglie to heavily salted boiling water, timer set according to the packet time.
- Meanwhile, combine the drained tuna with the mayonnaise, celery, most of the dill and the lemon juice. Season with salt and a generous amount of pepper.
- Once the pasta is fully cooked (we want to fully cook/even over cook it a little as once it’s cold, it firms up more), rinse the pasta in cold water until cool.
- Combine the pasta with the tuna mayo mix and add the red onion, grated courgette, cherry tomatoes and green olives into a large bowl. Stir to coat all of the ingredients. Add more lemon juice, salt and pepper if necessary.
Notes
- Use Greek yogurt with lemon juice and seasoning for a lower calorie dressing.
- Choose canned tuna in brine instead of vegetable oil for a healthier and lower calorie option.
- Add mixed peppers, cucumber, and grated carrots to increase nutrients and fiber. Use whole-grain pasta for added fiber and satiety.
Nutrition
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