Deliciously creamy Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad with macaroni, plenty of tuna, and peas lightened up Greek yogurt! A quick, easy and satisfying lunch or side dish.
Ring the alarm, tuna in macaroni salad is a thing! This easy pasta salad with tuna is a splendid lunch when you want to grab something quick and healthy from the fridge and call it a day. Kinda like my delish Healthy Tuna Salad or Tuna and Chickpea Salad, ya dig?
How to make healthy tuna pasta salad
The ingredient list may look lengthy, but don't be intimidated! The dressing comes together super quickly.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, chop veggies.
- Whisk together yogurt, mayo, pickles, lemon juice, Dijon, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
- Add tuna, celery, onion, and peas to bowl with noodles.
- Add dressing and toss well to combine. Dig in!
Key ingredients and tips
- Tuna: Just like in my beloved Tuna Noodle Casserole, I like to use sustainably caught albacore tuna in water. I opt for Wild Planet or Safe Catch from Costco.
- Pasta: I like elbows here, but any small or medium noodles like shells or rotini will work. Whole grain, gluten free or chickpea pasta are other good options!
- Greek yogurt: Tuna pasta salad with mayo is a thing, but have you ever tried using yogurt? So tangy! You definitely want whole milk, full fat yogurt here for the most similar flavor and texture. If you only have nonfat yogurt, I would do ⅓ cup yogurt and a heaping ⅓ cup mayo, adding more if needed.
- Mayo: A bit of mayo lends that classic flavor. I like avocado oil mayo! For the record, I tried this with all Greek yogurt and no mayo and the flavor just wasn't there. I don't recommend omitting it!
- Celery and onion: I love these veggies for flavor and texture. If you're not big on celery, you can use equal amounts bell pepper or cucumber.
- Peas: A little pop of color, sweetness, and veggie love.
- Pickle: I love the salty brininess pickles add. You could also try relish, chopped capers or sauerkraut.
- Dijon and lemon juice: More bright acidity to round out all the flavors.
What makes this healthy?
As a dietitian, I love quick and easy lunches that pack a nutrition punch! This one's a super satisfying meal in a bowl with the trifecta of protein, healthy fat and carbs. No need to reach for a snack thirty minutes after lunch!
Tuna is also an accessible and affordable lean source of protein. Pair that with Greek yogurt and you've got quite the filling mid-day meal, am I right? Adding peas, celery and onion means a welcome veggie boost!
Which pasta is best?
Small or medium pasta like macaroni or shells are my fave. You can also rock penne, rotini...whatever shape floats your boat. You can try whole grain or gluten free. Chickpea pasta adds an extra protein punch!
Can I use all Greek yogurt?
Nope! I tried it this way and it didn't have enough flavor. The combo of mostly whole milk Greek yogurt plus a bit of mayo is key for the right texture and flavor.
You can add more mayo and less Greek yogurt, just not the other way around!
How to store
This salad lasts up to three days in the refrigerator. Store it in an air-tight container or in a bowl tightly covered.
More healthy salads
Click here for the step-by-step web story instructions for this recipe!
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Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Deliciously creamy Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad with macaroni, plenty of tuna, and peas lightened up Greek yogurt! A quick, easy and satisfying lunch or side dish.
Ingredients
- 8oz elbow macaroni, shells, bow-tie, or rotini (2 cups dry, can use whole wheat, gluten free, etc)
- 2-5oz cans tuna, drained
- ⅓ cup chopped celery (1 large or 2 small stalks)
- ⅓ cup chopped onion
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
For the dressing:
- ½ cup full fat plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup chopped dill pickle
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 ½ tsp dried dill, to taste
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, to taste + ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package directions.
- Drain pasta and place in a large mixing bowl to cool.
- Make dressing by whisking together yogurt, mayo, pickles, Djion, lemon juice, dill, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
- Add onion, celery, and peas to bowl with pasta. Flake tuna into mixing bowl with a fork.
- Add dressing. Use a wooden spoon to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning (I add ¼ tsp more salt). The flavors will meld and get better as it sits in the fridge.
Notes
You may notice the photos include capers rather than pickles; I prefer the version with pickles!
Kara says
Delicious! I didn’t have any mayo, but a drizzle of evoo did the trick. Reminiscent of my childhood, but definitely a healthier and tastier upgrade.
★★★★★
Amanda says
This is so good! My whole family agrees! We really enjoyed it and it’s so easy to make. Thanks for sharing this recipe!
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Easy recipes are the best!
Jerry says
The dill pickle made this! I've loved having this for workweek lunches. So easy.
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Amazing, thanks!!