Creamy pasta salad with tuna, broccoli, red and green onions! This quick and easy tuna pasta salad recipe is ready in 20 minutes with simple ingredients. A great side or meal for barbecue or picnic. Great for the family!
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This scrumptious tuna pasta salad features sea shell pasta, canned tuna, broccoli, red and green onions with mayonnaise and salt and pepper!
It's so creamy, delicious and packed with fibre thanks to the broccoli! I love making this easy pasta salad as it requires minimal ingredients and the cooking process is simple.
My tuna pasta salad works well as a complete meal or side dish for lunch or dinner. It would be great as meal prep, picnic food or at a barbecue since it can be served cold or at room temperature and doesn't require reheating.
It's also a fantastic way to add some seafood and vegetables to your diet making it perfect for picky-eaters!
I was inspired to make this pasta salad as I often ate it at my office cafeteria. Do you know what took it to the next level? Garlic chili sauce! You can find a homemade version of my own garlic chili sauce here. But feel free to use any hot sauce you enjoy.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Sea Shell Pasta: medium size or regular size or substitute with macaroni pasta, farfalle pasta or penne rigate.
- Canned tuna: feel free to use any type of canned tuna you enjoy. I like using canned tuna in oil for that extra smooth taste but canned tuna in water works well too!
- Broccoli florets: or substitute with frozen broccoli that has been thawed. If you're not a fan of broccoli, substitute with chopped celery ribs or carrots.
- Red onion: or substitute with regular onion but soak it in some cold water to remove that sharp taste and strain the onions.
- Green onion
- Regular Mayonnaise: or substitute with Kewpie mayo.
- Salt
- Black pepper
Expert Tips
- Finely dice and chop the onions so you're not eating huge chunks of onion.
- Cut broccoli florets into small pieces if they're too large.
- Over cook the pasta a bit. I find softer pasta to taste better than al-dente.
- Strain out as much excess water from the cooked pasta in order not to dilute the dressing.
- Do not rinse the pasta with cold water. The heat helps the pasta absorb the dressing.
- Let the pasta salad chill in the fridge for best results before enjoying.
Instructions
- In a large pot filled with enough water, bring it to a boil. Add about 2 teaspoon of salt to the boiling water. Boil your pasta according to package instructions and add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time. We want the pasta to be a little bit softer than Al-dente. Trust me on this.
- Open the canned tuna and strain out the liquids. Transfer tuna to a large mixing bowl and combine with raw broccoli florets, red and green onions, and mayonnaise. Mix well.
- Strain cooked pasta in a colander and rinse with cold running water until pasta is cold. Shake off as much excess water as possible.
- Add cooked pasta to the large mixing bowl and mix with a spatula until pasta is combined with other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Optional: Chill for 30-60 minutes in the fridge to let the flavors soak in or enjoy immediately.
Storage
- Leftover tuna pasta salad will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the fridge. No need to reheat.
- Freezer-friendly? I don't recommend freezing cooked tuna pasta salad as the noodles and the broccoli will become soggy.
Pairing Suggestions
Tuna pasta salad serve well with many dishes like:
- grilled meats like steak, chicken wings or meat skewers
- fried chicken
- burgers or hotdogs
- fresh salad or vegetables
- sandwiches like egg salad sandwiches
- fruit salad
FAQ
Tuna pasta salad can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. There's no need to reheat.
Yes, feel free to substitute the tuna with another protein like cooked salmon, cooked shrimp, cooked shredded chicken breast or tofu.
Yes, feel free to add freshly chopped dill to this tuna pasta salad if you wish.
Other recipes you may enjoy
📖 Recipe
Quick & Easy Creamy Tuna Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8.8 oz pasta seashell, macaroni or penne rigate all work
- 5.29 oz canned tuna
- 2 cups broccoli florets
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup red onion finely diced
- 2 green onion finely chopped
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot filled with enough water, bring it to a boil. Add about 2 teaspoon of salt to the boiling water. Boil your pasta according to package instructions and add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time. We want the pasta to be a little bit softer than Al-dente. Trust me on this.
- Open the canned tuna and strain out the liquids. Transfer tuna to a large mixing bowl and combine with raw broccoli florets, red and green onions, and mayonnaise. Mix well.
- Strain cooked pasta in a colander and rinse with cold running water until pasta is cold. Shake off as much excess water as possible.
- Add cooked pasta to the large mixing bowl and mix with a spatula until pasta is combined with other ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Optional: Chill for 30-60 minutes in the fridge to let the flavors soak in or enjoy immediately.
Molly
This tuna pasta salad was such so easy to make and so yummy! Thanks for sharing this recipe!