Tuna pasta salad is quick and good and good for you, packed with tuna and tomatoes and tossed with other good things! The perfect summer supper.
The lazy hazy days are finally here, and I am beside myself with happiness at all the fresh local veggies that are popping up at my local farm market. I’m tossing them into every single thing I can think of, including and most especially supper, and one of my favorites is this quick and easy tuna pasta salad, which has loads of one of my personal favorites, sweet and sunny cherry tomatoes. A handful of those babies, some fresh lemon, a little pasta and the best jarred or canned tuna you can get your mitts on, and you are all set for a light and lovely summer supper!
[clickToTweet tweet=”Tuna pasta salad is the perfect summer supper. Here’s your recipe!” quote=”Tuna pasta salad is the perfect summer supper. Here’s your recipe!”]I’m very serious about the tuna…this is not the time to buy the on-sale kind. The tuna is one of the shining stars of this pasta salad, so splurge on the good stuff. I like the kind in the glass jar, but there are several canned versions that are nice and tasty too.
And, DO get the kind packed in oil. It’s going to give your pasta a gorgeous splash of flavor. As for the pasta part, you can use any old short pasta that you want, but I like orecchiette. They are like little teeny pasta bowls, just perfect for holding the bits and pieces of wonderfulness in this salad.
This dish is as simple as cooking up the pasta, and then mixing it up with the tuna, the tomatoes and a handful of other ingredients. Yup, toss it all together, and all that’s left to do is dish it out and eat it up. It’s also a very flexible recipe – feel free to throw in some fresh herbs, different veggies and so on. Don’t have a lemon but do have a lime? That works too.
And if you get hooked on pasta salad after you try this one, here are some other scrumptious ones from some of my buddies:
Heirloom Tomato Pasta Salad from Eats Well With Others
Pesto Pasta Salad from Add A Pinch
Chicken Pasta Salad with Salsa Hummus Dressing from The Lean Green Bean
Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad from Recipe Girl
Hello, pasta salad season!
PrintTuna Pasta Salad
Tuna pasta salad is quick and good and good for you, packed with tuna and tomatoes and tossed with other good things! The perfect summer supper.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 6 ounces short pasta, cooked and drained (I like orecchiette but any short pasta will do)
- 1 six ounce jar or can of good quality tuna
- Juice and zest from one lemon
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons capers
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Pull the tuna apart with your fingers until it is separated into small pieces.
- Toss all ingredients together, saving a little of the lemon zest for garnish.
- Divide among plates, garnish with remaining zest and serve. I told you it was easy!
Keywords: dairy-free tuna pasta salad recipe, kid friendly tuna salad with noodles
M says
Nana always put tuna in her Mac salad……
It must be hereditary! :)
Natalie @ Obsessive Cooking Disorder says
Beautiful. I never knew that kind of pasta was called orecchiette. I must confess canned tuna was not my cup of tea during elementary but it has grown on me for sure! Nice photos!
Natalie, if you can find the imported tuna packed in olive oil it makes ALL the difference. Happy tuna!
Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch says
Now this is some good looking tuna salad!
Thanks Robyn! I never met a tuna salad I didn’t like. xo
grace says
two things my fiance loves are tuna and pasta salad, but i’ve never made this for him! great idea!
Hope he loves this one! All his favorite things!
Lindsay @ The Lean Green Bean says
thanks for the link love!!
Of course! :)