Bushel & a Pickle

Cold Tuna Pasta Salad for Summer Days

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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.

2.95 from 137 votes
Tuna salad with pasta is easy to prepare with fresh ingredients plus pasta
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
45 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Dish Salad
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method

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

Equipment

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

Method
 

  1. Cook pasta according to instructions. Drain and chilled (Iput ice cubes and toss in pasta while on colander
  2. Drain water from can and rinse and drain tuna well with fresh water. It keeps the fishy smell away.
  3. Chop or slice vegetables. Cut cherry tomatoes in half.
  4. Put drained chilled pasta in large bowl
  5. Add prepared vegtables to bowl
  6. Add shredded cheese (or cut uo into small pieces) Larger pieces oe grated cheese is better than finely shredded cheese.
  7. Add mayonnaise.
  8. Toss together until evenly distributed
  9. Refrigerate untill chilled before serving if neeed
  10. 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?

This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you.

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Reader Interactions

linda

Comments

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  143. 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

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