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4.78 from 9 votes

Creamy Tuna Pasta Salad

This creamy tuna pasta salad recipe is perfect for summer gatherings, potlucks, BBQs, or picnics. It's fast and easy to make! 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: creamy tuna pasta salad
Servings: 6
Author: Natasha Bull

Ingredients

  • 2.5 cups uncooked macaroni
  • 1 (6 ounce) can tuna drained
  • 2 tablespoons red onion chopped
  • 1 cup little tomatoes halved
  • 2 sticks celery chopped small
  • 1 mini cucumber (or 1/4 English cucumber) chopped
  • 1/2 red bell pepper chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped

Dressing:

  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon fresh dill see note
  • Salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Boil a large, salted pot of water for the macaroni. Cook it al dente according to package directions.
  • Meanwhile, get everything else ready. I like to make the dressing first. Combine all the dressing ingredients until smooth and set it aside. Prep the other ingredients and add them to a large bowl. 
  • Once the pasta is done, rinse it under cold water and let it drain thoroughly. Toss with the dressing and other ingredients. Season with salt & pepper as needed (I found this recipe needed quite a bit of salt - it's a lot of pasta). You can serve this pasta salad right away or let it chill (covered) first for the flavors to meld more. 

Notes

  • Fresh dill is best, but you could swap with 1 teaspoon of dried.
  • If you use a different shape pasta than macaroni, I suggest making 3 cups (e.g. if you use bows). 
  • I didn't put long for prep because you can prep while the pasta is cooking, so I just count it in there.
  • As with any pasta salad, feel free to add more/less of any ingredient to make it perfect for your tastes.

Nutrition

Calories: 396kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 258mg | Potassium: 327mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 801IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg