Pasta salad with tuna

I came to make this pasta salad with tuna after, a few years ago, I walked into the house starving and didn’t feel like anything complicated. In the fridge – the usual: a bit of mayonnaise, some parsley, and a couple of cans of tuna lost in the pantry, who knows for how long. It didn’t turn out great the first time (I added too much mayonnaise, and it became heavy and a bit dry), but after a couple of tries, I found the proportion that works for me. It’s the kind of recipe I whip up quickly and it’s good anytime, not just on fasting days with fish. I’ve had unannounced guests and couldn’t find anything else at home, so it became my “savior of the evening.”

It takes about 25-30 minutes, everything included. With these quantities, you get about 4 good servings (it’s enough for a hungry family). In terms of difficulty, it’s about knowing how to boil some pasta and not cut your fingers while chopping onions – so anyone can do it, I’d say.

I usually use:

- 400 g short pasta – bow ties, spirals, or shells, whatever I have on hand. The pasta is the base, of course; it adds volume and holds up well in the salad. Spaghetti or tagliatelle don’t work because nothing sticks to them.
- 3 cans of tuna (160 g each, drained) – I prefer tuna in oil, it has more flavor, but the one in water works too. It brings the whole idea of a “fish salad,” providing protein and satiety.
- One red onion – if I don’t have it, I use yellow onion, but the red one is sweeter and doesn’t “hit” as hard. It adds crunch and a slightly spicy taste.
- A good bunch of fresh parsley (about a handful) – I don’t like it without parsley, but it’s not a must for everyone. It adds freshness.
- 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise – sometimes I make homemade mayonnaise, other times I use store-bought. I don’t overdo it, otherwise, it gets too heavy. It binds everything together.
- The juice from half a lemon – it adds acidity, balancing the rich taste of the tuna and mayonnaise.
- Salt and pepper to taste – salt brings out the flavor, and pepper adds that subtle “something.”

Step by step, I do it like this:

1. I boil the pasta in salted water for about 9-10 minutes (or as indicated on the package). They should be neither too soft nor too hard – al dente, but not rigid. Important: after draining, I rinse them with cold water so they don’t stick together and to stop the cooking. You can’t leave them warm for salads.
2. While the pasta cools, I take care of the rest: I cut the onion in half, then into thin slices, as thin as I can. I chop the parsley finely. I drain the tuna very well; otherwise, it gets too “watery” in the end.
3. In a large bowl (if it’s small, there’s no room to mix, and it’s annoying), I toss in the cooled pasta, the flaked tuna, the onion, the parsley, the mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and half the lemon juice. I mix with a large spoon, not with my hands, because I don’t like getting messy for no reason.
4. I taste to see if it needs more salt, pepper, or lemon. Everyone has their own taste here – sometimes I add more lemon if I feel the mayonnaise flavor has become too dominant.
5. The salad should be left to chill for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors “marry.” If I’m in a hurry, I eat it right away, but it’s not as good.

I make it often because it doesn’t require much effort and has no pretensions. It’s ready quickly, filling without being heavy. It’s good for lunch, dinner, and can be packed for work or a picnic without losing its flavor. And, most importantly, it’s the kind of recipe you can adapt with whatever you have on hand – you don’t have to cry if you’re missing an ingredient.

Tips and variations, as I’ve learned from mistakes or from others:

Useful tips:

- Don’t rinse pasta for other dishes with sauce, only for salads. If you don’t rinse them well, the salad sticks together and becomes mushy.
- Tuna in oil is tastier, but it must be drained very well; otherwise, everything “floats” in oil and it’s not pleasant.
- Many people add too much mayonnaise, making it too “heavy.” Just add enough to bind everything, not to swim in it.
- Red onion is milder in flavor; if you don’t like raw onion, you can soak it in salted water and vinegar for a few minutes first.
- The salad is better after it has chilled for a bit, so don’t rush to eat it immediately.

Substitutions and adaptations:

- If you want a lighter version, use Greek yogurt or sour cream instead of mayonnaise (or half mayonnaise, half yogurt).
- For gluten intolerance, use gluten-free pasta – you can find it in any larger supermarket.
- You can use tuna in water if you want it lighter (but add a tablespoon of olive oil to avoid it being too dry).
- Instead of parsley, a bit of dill works too (not for everyone, but it’s okay for me every once in a while).
- If you don’t have lemon, a splash of white wine vinegar works for acidity.

Recipe variations:

- I add corn to the salad if I want something sweeter and colorful.
- It also works with sliced olives, about a handful, if you have them. They provide contrast and a slightly salty taste.
- For those who want more protein, add a boiled egg cut into cubes – but that’s not for fasting, obviously.
- Some people add capers or small diced pickles for a tangy taste.
- I once tried it with arugula and cherry tomatoes – it completely changes the flavor, but it’s not bad at all, especially in summer.

Serving ideas:

- It goes very well with toasted bread (that’s how I prefer it), but it’s also good plain, straight from the bowl.
- It pairs nicely with a green salad for those who want something fresher.
- If you have guests, you can serve the salad in small bowls or on cucumber slices as a “photo-worthy” appetizer.
- As for drinks, I enjoy a glass of cold water with lemon, or maybe a semi-dry white wine if it’s a dinner.

Frequently asked questions:

1. Can I make the salad with whole grain or legume pasta?
Yes, it works perfectly. Whole grain pasta makes it more filling and has a lower glycemic index. Lentil or chickpea pasta changes the flavor, but it still turns out good; it doesn’t “pull” together as quickly.

2. Can I skip the mayonnaise altogether?
Yes, but then I recommend using Greek yogurt or a combination of yogurt and a little olive oil; otherwise, it’s too dry. Without anything creamy, it’s hard to bind.

3. Can it be made vegan?
Sure, just remove the tuna and regular mayonnaise and use plant-based tuna or canned chickpeas/peas plus vegan mayonnaise or plant-based yogurt.

4. What can I use instead of raw onion?
If you don’t like onion, try green onion, bell pepper, or even a bit of finely chopped garlic, but not too much as it overpowers the tuna’s flavor.

5. What do I do if I boiled too much pasta?
If you boiled too much, just use what you need, keep the rest in the fridge in cold water, and you can use it in soup or another salad the next day.

Nutritional values (for one serving, approximately):

One serving has about 450-500 calories (if you use regular pasta, tuna in oil, and mayonnaise). The protein mainly comes from the tuna – about 20-22g per serving, carbohydrates about 45-50g (from pasta), and fats about 18-20g (more if you overdo the mayonnaise). If you choose the lighter version (whole grain pasta, yogurt instead of mayonnaise, tuna in water), you can reduce the calories by about 100 per serving without losing much flavor. It’s a fairly balanced salad – you have carbohydrates, good protein, some fats, but it’s not overly greasy if you don’t overdo the mayonnaise. I consider it suitable for an evening meal because it doesn’t leave you feeling empty, but you also don’t feel heavy.

How to store and reheat:

The salad keeps well in the fridge, covered, for about 2 days. The pasta doesn’t get too mushy if you rinsed them well at the start and drained all the liquid from the tuna. If you leave it longer, the ingredients start to “friend up” too much, and it becomes slightly soft, but it doesn’t spoil quickly (if you used store-bought mayonnaise and kept everything cold). I don’t recommend reheating it – it doesn’t make sense because it’s not the kind of salad that’s good warm. You eat it directly cold or at room temperature; it’s no problem. If you notice it’s dried out a bit on the surface after a day, add a splash of lemon or a tablespoon of yogurt/mayonnaise, and it will come back to life.

That’s about it with this salad – quick, handy, and if you give it a chance to chill for at least half an hour, it seems even better. I’ve come to make it almost reflexively every time I don’t know what else to cook and don’t want to complicate things.

We boil the pasta for about 8 to 10 minutes (or according to the instructions on the package, less if we want them al dente), then we remove the pot from the heat, cover it with a lid for 1 minute, and then rinse them under cold water. Pasta for salads is always rinsed with cold water, while pasta prepared with sauce or meat is not rinsed. We place the pasta in a large bowl, chop the fresh parsley and onion, add the crushed tuna, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper (a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper), and mix. At the end, we taste, and if desired, we can add lemon juice; generally, the mayonnaise is tangy, but it depends on everyone's taste; I always add lemon juice. If you want and have it at home, you can add olives, as they go very well with fish, and even corn or red beans. I made it simpler. It is served cold with great appetite!

 Ingredients: 1 package of spiral pasta (bowties or shells) 3 cans of tuna in oil (or water) 1 red onion a good handful of fresh parsley 3 tablespoons of mayonnaise pepper salt juice from half a lemon

 Tags:  tuna salad pasta salad