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.
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How to make old fashioned Tuna Pasta Salad:
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.

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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.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sweet onion, or red onion
- 1 cup uncooked pasta (any shape)
- 1 can solid white albacore tuna, 5 oz can (drained)
- 1 Tablespoon oil
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon regular mustard
- 1/3 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.
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.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Amount Per Serving: Calories: 977Saturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 1395mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 3gSugar: 5gProtein: 31g
Elizabeth
Friday 14th of August 2020
May I substitute more mayo if I do not have sour cream ?
Zona
Friday 14th of August 2020
Hi Elizabeth, yes that should be fine. Thanks for your question :)
Diane Nelson
Monday 1st of June 2020
Hubby loves this
Zona
Monday 1st of June 2020
Awesome! He is not alone, we love it too :)