Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad
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Tuna mayo pasta 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 salad to turn it into a complete meal.
You can take a container with you to work or uni/collage and you’ll have a filling, delicious meal ready to eat.
Table of Contents
Why you’ll love this recipe
Tuna pasta salad is the perfect lunch or dinner meal. You don’t have to warm it up before eating, so it’s the perfect portable lunch.
This tuna pasta salad recipe 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.
This tuna pasta mayo dish is budget-friendly and quick to make. You can have the week’s meals ready in about 20 minutes! Other pasta salad recipes you should try; Tricolore Salad and Healthy Tortellini Pasta Salad.
Ingredients
Canned Tuna
Canned tuna is the primary protein source for this tuna mayo pasta recipe. Alternatively, you can use canned chicken or salmon if you prefer the flavour.
Conchiglie Pasta Shells
I love using conchiglie pasta shells for this mayonnaise tuna pasta salad. You can use any pasta noodles to create this recipe, like elbows.
Dill
Fresh dill adds a delightful grassy, citrus flavour to the tuna pasta mayo recipe. Dried dill will also work in a pinch, though fresh dill is best.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is great for adding brightness to tuna pasta salad. Lime juice will also work, though it will alter the taste slightly.
Courgettes
Adding courgettes is an easy way to sneak extra veg into the dish without changing the flavour. You can also use other veggies, such as cooked frozen peas, to boost the nutrients.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
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).
Tips and Tricks
- For a lower calorie dressing use Greek Yogurt with lemon juice and some seasoning.
- 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.
- Use wholegrain pasta which will keep you full for longer and has more fibre.
Other pasta recipes you might like to try: Pasta with Peas (Pasta e Piselli), Pink Sauce Pasta (Tiktok Pasta) and Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta
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, balanced diet.
Other canned tuna recipes you should try; Spicy Tuna with Crispy Rice (Budget Recipe) and Creamy Tuna Pasta Bake
Cold tuna pasta salad can last in the fridge for up to five days, before you will need to toss it. Ensure you store the recipe in an airtight container, as it will help the salad stay good for longer.
When creating this 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.
Adaptations
Vegetarian:
For a vegetarian version, swap out the canned tuna for canned chickpeas. Ensure you drain the liquid before including the chickpeas in the tuna pasta salad. You can also switch out the mayonnaise for Greek yogurt to add extra protein.
Vegan:
To make this recipe vegan, use canned chickpeas instead of canned tuna. Then, you can use a vegan mayonnaise, instead of standard mayonnaise, which uses eggs.
Storage
Can you reheat this recipe?
As you eat tuna pasta cold, there’s no need to reheat the recipe. Reheating the recipe will cause the mayonnaise to separate, creating an unappealing dish. The tomatoes may also become mushy while reheating.
Instead, separate the servings of tuna salad into airtight containers and serve cold.
Can you freeze this recipe?
No, since mayonnaise has a large oil content, it separates easily. If you freeze this recipe, you’ll notice a difference in flavour and texture once it defrosts. There is no solution for fixing the consistency and taste.
However, if you keep the mayonnaise out of your leftover tuna salad, keep the tomatoes and celery in a separate container and you can freeze the tuna pasta in an airtight container.
After defrosting, you can add the mayonnaise to create the typical creamy pasta salad consistency and add the salad ingredients.
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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