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Creamy Tuna Macaroni Salad with bright veggies and a mayo dressing
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Tuna Macaroni Salad

Making appearances at potlucks, picnics, and even the dinner table, this tuna macaroni salad is a real delight. Elbow macaroni, bright diced veggies, and savory tuna, all tossed with a silky mayo-based dressing, give this dish a lot to love. 
Course Appetizer, dinner, Lunch, Main, Salad
Cuisine American
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 646kcal
Author Imma

Equipment

  • Small mixing bowl 
  • Whisk 
  • large mixing bowl 

Ingredients

  • ½ pound (226g)  macaroni, cooked and drained 
  • ¾-1 cup mayonnaise 
  • 1 small lemon, juiced (about 2 tablespoons) or swap with vinegar
  • 3-4 tablespoons (45-60g) sweet pickle relish
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) mustard  
  • 1 10-ounce can tuna in water, drained 
  • 1 cup (100g) celery, sliced
  • 1-2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped   
  • ½ cup (60-65g) red bell pepper, chopped
  • ⅓ cup (50g) onion, diced
  • 1 cup (150g) peas, thawed if frozen
  • salt and pepper to taste  
  • 2 tablespoons (8g) parsley (optional for garnishing) 

Instructions

  • Cook macaroni per package instructions. Drain and rinse well. Let cool while working on the sauce. After cooling, refrigerate until ready to use.
  • In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice or vinegar, sweet pickle relish, and mustard. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use. 
  • When ready to assemble, remove the macaroni from the fridge.  
  • Mix the macaroni, tuna, celery, eggs, red bell pepper, peas, and onion in a large bowl. 
  • Add the prepared mayonnaise sauce to the bowl and mix thoroughly. 
  • Adjust salt and pepper to taste. And then add parsley for garnishing.
  • Serve or store in a tightly sealed container for 4-5 days. If the salad seems dry, add a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise to moisten.

Notes

  • Swap macaroni with other sturdy pasta like fusilli, rotini, and the like.
  • If the salad seems dry when you take it out of the fridge, add a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise to moisten it.
  • Cook the pasta al dente. You want the elbows to have a bit of bite left in them.
  • Canned tuna can be salty, so add salt sparingly and always do a taste test before adding more.
  • If using tuna canned in oil, reduce the amount of mayo in the dressing by a ¼ cup.
  • Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used. 

Nutrition

Serving: 240g | Calories: 646kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 20g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 1111mg | Potassium: 733mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2354IU | Vitamin C: 89mg | Calcium: 93mg | Iron: 4mg