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Cold Tuna Pasta Salad for Summer Days

August 2, 2021 27 Comments

2 Aug
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Cold tuna pasta salad Perfect for summer days’ meals! Do you remember it? Have you forgotten what a delicious dish this can be?

Tuna Pasta Salad served with cucumber slices and Rita crakers with zinnias in vlue Bell jar on the table
Tuna Pasta Salad with zinnias

I’ll be honest; I had. I’m not a big fan of tuna in general. We’re been eating so much chicken, both fresh and yes, canned these days, I guess I developed tunnel vision. But a well made tuna salad with a garden ripe tomatoes is, let me be honest here…delicious.  

Adding choppedcheese nd vegetables to large orange bowl for tuna pasta salad
Adding chopped cheese and vegetables to large orange bowl for tuna pasta salad

So is a well made tuna pasta salad. I have made tuna salad for sandwiches or luncheons. But not pasta salad. This is excellent dish to serve for a meal, lunch or dinner that is easy and quick to make. The leftovers are a good choice for to pack for a meal at work or a picnic. You only need a lidded container and forks. Toss in a cooler or backroom refrigerator to keep chilled before eating.

Lunch in Hong Kong

Tuna Pasta Salad is served on blue and white luncheon plate with Ritz crakers adn cucumber slices
Tuna Pasta Salad is served

Years ago when we lived in Hong Kong went to a friend’s for lunch. She served a tray of fresh vegetables and a big bowl of tuna pasta salad with a side of crackers. 

When you live in so many places, you can collect not only memories but also great food experiences and recipes.

She set the table with embroidered starched luncheon napkins. Hong Kong was different lifestyle for us in those days.

I don’t think I had ever had tuna salad with pasta in it!  Unless it was the baked casserole.

ingredients for planning

stir in pasta, cheese, sweet peppers, tuna and mayo in large orange bowl
Stirring Tuna Pasta Salad

Amy and Jim were the ones who reminded me of this easy, cheap yummy dish. It can be a grab what you have from the crisper drawer. In the summer we usually can grab from the garden except for celery. Then get a box of spiral pasta (or any favorite).

 Jim does not grow celery.

We use tomatoes and sweet peppers from our garden.

Basic ingredients for your grocery list are: 

1-2 4.oz cans of tuna packed in water, cherry tomatoes, celery, sweet peepers of any or all colors and large shredded or chopped sharp cheddar, mayonnaise, lemon juice, white pepper and pasta noodles. We like spiral, macaroni type noodles but not bow ties in our tuna salad. 

Onions are optional. Mayonnaise is not optional!

Tuna Pasta Salad served with cucumber slices and Rita crakers with zinnias in vlue Bell jar on the table

Tuna Pasta Salad.

Tuna salad with pasta is easy to prepare with fresh ingredients plus pasta
5 from 2 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
45 minutes mins
Total Time 45 minutes mins
Course Main Dish Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6

Equipment

  • pan, large bowl, spatula, colander,knife ,cutting board

Ingredients
  

  • 2 4oz canned tuna in water, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
  • 2-3 stalks chopped celery
  • 1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese use larger grated
  • 1 cup chopped sweet peppers optiona; use red, orange, yellow, green
  • 1 tbls chopped onion, optional
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 16 oz box of spiral pasta

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta according to instructions. Drain and chilled (Iput ice cubes and toss in pasta while on colander
  • Drain water from can and rinse and drain tuna well with fresh water. It keeps the fishy smell away.
  • Chop or slice vegetables. Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
  • Put drained chilled pasta in large bowl
  • Add prepared vegtables to bowl
  • Add shredded cheese (or cut uo into small pieces) Larger pieces oe grated cheese is better than finely shredded cheese.
  • Add mayonnaise.
  • Toss together until evenly distributed
  • Refrigerate untill chilled before serving if neeed
  • It will keep in refrigerator for several days

This is so delicious for a summer meal. It’s quick and easy to make and keeps well over several days. Do you like picnics? Perfect dish to take. Just add forks. Pack lunch for work? Can’t go wrong with this tuna pasta salad!

Hope you enjoy this tuna pasta salad. What special meal do you make for summer time meals?

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Reader Interactions

linda

Comments

  1. Kim Waldorf says

    August 5, 2021 at 2:17 pm

    I love tuna salad! It’s even better with noodles. This has made me in the mood for it! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • bushel and a pickle says

      August 5, 2021 at 2:21 pm

      You’re welcome Kim. Thanks for dropping by.

      Reply
  2. Libbie says

    August 5, 2021 at 12:42 am

    This looks yummy and I love tuna! So I’ve pinned it for this weekend!!

    Reply
    • bushel and a pickle says

      August 5, 2021 at 2:26 pm

      Thanks Libbie. Hope you enjoy it.

      Reply
  3. Stacey says

    August 4, 2021 at 4:43 pm

    This is perfect for a barbeque side! Love the idea of using cheese in the tuna salad!

    Reply
    • bushel and a pickle says

      August 5, 2021 at 2:31 pm

      Thanks! It doesn’t last long when I make it! Great for our family to grab and eat.

      Reply
  4. Cindy says

    August 4, 2021 at 4:31 pm

    5 stars
    This looks so good. Jersey tomatoes are out now too.

    Pinned

    Reply
    • bushel and a pickle says

      August 5, 2021 at 2:33 pm

      Thanks for the comment and pin! Reminds me to get some bacon. Our slicing tomatoes are ready.

      Reply
  5. Meegan says

    August 4, 2021 at 2:12 pm

    I love a fresh salad for a Summer meal or side dish. Your tuna pasta salad will be perfect for my husband’s school lunches. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  6. Cindy Rust says

    August 4, 2021 at 2:15 am

    That tuna salad sounds tasty Linda! I haven’t had cheese in tuna salad but it sounds like a great idea!

    Reply
  7. Melba says

    August 3, 2021 at 9:07 pm

    5 stars
    I love meals like this! thank you for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
  8. Kimberly Snyder says

    August 3, 2021 at 5:11 pm

    Thanks for sharing this recipe ! I like to make pasta salad for a quick lunch on the weekends! I will definitely try this recipe!

    Reply
    • bushel and a pickle says

      August 3, 2021 at 5:19 pm

      Thanks Kimberly. Hope you enjoy it!

      Reply
  9. Jayne says

    August 3, 2021 at 3:26 pm

    Looking forward to giving this a try – looks like a great recipe for a hot day!

    Reply
    • bushel and a pickle says

      August 3, 2021 at 5:20 pm

      Enjoy! Thanks for dropping by.

      Reply
  10. Anita Holland says

    August 3, 2021 at 6:49 am

    This sounds and looks really delicious, thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • bushel and a pickle says

      August 3, 2021 at 5:22 pm

      Anita, thanks for dropping by

      Reply
  11. Carol+Karl says

    August 2, 2021 at 9:14 pm

    This looks great Lynda. I used to make something really similar and you have reminded me of that. I’ll be pinning and trying this.

    Reply
    • bushel and a pickle says

      August 3, 2021 at 5:22 pm

      Always good to go back to this dishes we liked before.

      Reply
  12. Paula@SweetPea says

    August 2, 2021 at 5:19 pm

    Looking forward to trying this soon!

    Reply
    • bushel and a pickle says

      August 3, 2021 at 5:23 pm

      It is tasty. Ours is all gone, eaten up fairly quickly.

      Reply
  13. Laura L WALKER says

    August 2, 2021 at 1:11 pm

    This looks delicious. Perfect for a hot summer day. xo Laura

    Reply
    • bushel and a pickle says

      August 3, 2021 at 5:23 pm

      We thought so; it’s all gone.

      Reply
  14. Sara says

    August 2, 2021 at 12:33 pm

    There’s nothing like garden ripe tomatoes! Guess what I’ll be having for lunch today – lol!?

    Reply
    • bushel and a pickle says

      August 3, 2021 at 5:24 pm

      Ours are coming in finally.

      Reply
  15. Rosemary+Palmer says

    August 2, 2021 at 12:25 pm

    I love tuna, but have to be in the mood for it. I don’t think I’ve ever tried it in a pasta salad so that will be on my radar.

    Reply
    • bushel and a pickle says

      August 3, 2021 at 5:25 pm

      It’s good for packed lunches and picnics.

      Reply

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Welcome Friends !

Welcome! I’m Linda and I’m so glad you stopped by.
I live a rich and full life in Lancaster, Pennsylvania in a very, very old farmhouse. Bushel & a Pickle (named for my daughter’s childhood saying) is my story of life experiences, family, travels and faith.

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12 shares