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Tuna Macaroni Salad

This Classic Tuna Macaroni Salad Recipe is easy, delicious, and quick, ready in just 15 minutes. Perfectly cooked pasta or macaroni is tossed with solid white albacore tuna, sweet onion, peas, and a creamy mayo and sour cream dressing. 

This small batch recipe makes a great side dish or main dish. Throw it in your summer picnic basket for two or serve this pasta salad at your next intimate barbecue.

I highly recommend using canned solid white albacore tuna in this recipe. Regular canned tuna is way mushier. Solid white albacore will cost a tiny bit more but it’s worth it because the meat stays chunky and holds together much better.

a graphic of Classic Tuna Macaroni Salad Recipe small batch pasta salad for Two in a white bowl.
Tuna Pasta Salad with Mayo

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How to make old fashioned Tuna Pasta Salad

Dice the onion and set aside.

diced sweet onions on a cutting board.

Cook the pasta in a saucepan according to the package directions. Click for a saucepan.

shell pasta boiling in a pan with wooden spoon.

Empty the pasta into a colander to drain, rinse well with cold water, and then drain again.

Place the pasta into a medium bowl.

Add the oil and tuna to the cooked noodles. Toss to coat.

shell pasta and chunk tuna in a bowl with orange spatula.
Tuna and Pasta

Stir in the mayo, sour cream, salt, pepper and mustard.

mayo mixture mixed into shell pasta and tuna in a bowl.

Fold in the onion and frozen peas. The peas will thaw within minutes. Do not thaw or cook them ahead of time.

old fashioned tuna macaroni pasta salad mixed in a bowl.
Easy Tuna Macaroni Salad

Place into the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve.

a bowl of Classic Tuna Macaroni Salad with pasta, onion, and peas.
Tuna Noodle Salad with Peas

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Classic Tuna Macaroni Salad

Classic Tuna Macaroni Salad

This Classic Tuna Macaroni Salad Recipe is easy, delicious, and quick, ready in just 15 minutes. Perfectly cooked pasta or macaroni is tossed with albacore chunk white tuna, sweet onion, peas, and a creamy mayo and sour cream dressing.
4.59 from 43 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Side Dishes
Cuisine American
Servings 4
Calories 479 kcal

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup sweet onion, or red onion
  • 1 cup uncooked pasta (any shape)
  • 1 can solid white albacore tuna, 5 oz can (drained)
  • 1 Tablespoon cooking oil (like canola or vegetable oil)
  • cup mayonnaise
  • 1 Tablespoon sour cream
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
  • teaspoon regular mustard
  • cup frozen peas (do not thaw)

Instructions
 

  • Dice the onion and set aside.
  • Cook the pasta in a sauce pan according to the package directions. Click for a sauce pan.
  • Empty the pasta into a colander to drain, rinse well with cold water, and then drain again.
  • Place the pasta into a medium bowl.
  • Add the oil and tuna to the cooked noodles. Toss to coat.
  • Stir in the mayo, sour cream, salt, pepper and mustard.
  • Fold in the onion and frozen peas. The peas will thaw within minutes. Do not thaw or cook them ahead of time.
  • Place into the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

  • I highly recommend using canned solid white albacore tuna in this recipe. Regular canned tuna is way mushier. Solid white albacore will cost a tiny bit more but it’s worth it because the meat stays chunky and holds together much better.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 479kcalCarbohydrates: 29gProtein: 14gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 18gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 668mgPotassium: 216mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 143IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 24mgIron: 1mg
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Hi and welcome. I’m Zona and I have a passion for recipes. I share recipes, tips, tricks, and resources to help you cook for two. Eat, drink, and enjoy!

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a bowl filled with Tuna Macaroni Salad.
Cold Tuna Salad with Pasta
4.59 from 43 votes (41 ratings without comment)
Recipe Rating




Amy

Monday 1st of July 2024

Absolutely amazing!!! Do not deviate from exact recipe! Its the best!!!🩵🧜🏻‍♀️

Vicki

Monday 1st of July 2024

what kind of oil?

Zona House

Monday 1st of July 2024

Hi Vicki, any kind of cooking oil will work, like canola or vegetable oil.

Rosie

Saturday 8th of June 2024

Oh, dear God in heaven! This is the most DELICIOUS tuna pasta salad! The stuff all of my most wonderful childhood memories are made of!! Thank you so much! Followed the recipe exactly (something i rarely do) and I'm so glad i exercised the restraint! Lol! I thought to myself, "... how could an ⅛ of a teaspoon of mustard have any possible affect on the flavor! Wow! Was i wrong because it's a marriage of ingredients that is pure perfection! Can't thank you enough! Just recently lost a dear loved one and I've been leaning hard into the comfort foods of my past. I've made many a pasta salad in my 60 years, but nothing as perfectly lovely as yours. Next time, I'll double the recipe because this will be gone by tomorrow! You've really brought a nostalgic smile to my heart! ♥︎ Bless you!!

Zona House

Sunday 9th of June 2024

Hi Rosie, I'm so glad you loved it! Thank you for the lovely comment :)

Linda Lovett

Wednesday 3rd of April 2024

Can leftovers tuna macaroni salad be frozen?

Zona House

Wednesday 3rd of April 2024

Hi Linda, Tuna salad doesn't freeze well. While it's possible, it's not recommended to freeze it because the mayo may change its consistency when defrosted.

Marilyn

Tuesday 9th of May 2023

Excellent! Added celery & pickles, hot sauce & a little pickle juice. Love it!!!!