Tuna Pasta Salad (Ready in 15 Min.)

This tuna pasta salad is a fresh and vibrant dish that can be enjoyed as a main or as a side for picnics, cookouts, and potlucks. Made with simple ingredients it’s so quick and easy and is made without mayonnaise.

You can never have enough pasta salad recipes! They are a great make-ahead dish for meal prep and they are so versatile. Perfect to serve next to grilled meats, other salads, and even as a meal by themselves for lunch or dinner.

This healthy tuna pasta salad is high in protein and it’s made without mayonnaise so it’s lower in fat compared with a lot of other recipes. This cold tuna pasta salad is a perfectly balanced meal – it has protein, carbs, and fresh & nutritious vegetables, as well as healthy fat from the olive oil. Another easy lunch salad is this Easy Avocado Tuna Salad.

If you enjoy easy pasta salads like this one, you might also like my Italian pasta salad, packed with Mediterranean flavors and fresh vegetables, or this pesto pasta salad, tossed with basil pesto for a fresh and vibrant twist.

How To Make Tuna Pasta Salad

It’s so quick and easy to make this delicious tuna salad with pasta! It won’t take you more than a few minutes!

Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and add to a large bowl.
Add red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, black olives, minced garlic, albacore tuna fish, and lemon zest to the bowl and mix everything.
Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve cold. Enjoy!

TIPS FROM NELI’S KITCHEN

Recipe Notes and Tips

Chop all of the ingredients into similar sized pieces so that it combines easily and is easier to eat.
Use fresh lemon juice rather than bottled. It is so much more flavorful and vibrant.
Use albacore tuna for this pasta salad recipe. It has a firmer texture and is mild in flavor.
Let the pasta salad marinate and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour before you serve it.
The pasta tuna salad does not freeze well, so don’t be tempted to try!

Serving Suggestions

Serve this with my grilled Mediterranean chicken kebabs or alongside my cowboy caviar at a picnic or cookout! And don’t forget to make some homemade lemonade – it’s so refreshing and delicious.

Can you make the tuna pasta salad ahead of time?

This tuna and pasta salad is such a great make-ahead dish, perfect if you are planning to serve it with other dishes for picnics or for a party. In fact, this dish will taste better if you let it marinate and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to an hour. It will allow the flavors to meld. Once you have mixed it, transfer to an airtight container and keep it in the fridge. Because there is no mayo in this tuna pasta recipe, leftovers will keep well for up to 4 days.

Recipe FAQs

What’s the best pasta to use for tuna pasta salad?

I like to use farfalle (bow tie) pasta in this tuna pasta salad recipe as it easily scoops up the other ingredients in each bite. Pasta shells would also work well. You can make this tuna noodle salad gluten-free by using your favorite gluten-free pasta.

Do you need to rinse the pasta in cold water after cooking it?

Because there is no mayo in this tuna pasta salad, you don’t need to cool it before adding it to the other ingredients. It’s fine if it is still warm. It is best served chilled though, so once you have made it, place it in the fridge to cool.

More Easy Salad Recipes

If you are looking for more delicious and easy potluck salads, try these all time favorites:

If you enjoyed this Tuna Pasta Salad recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.

Tuna Pasta Salad

This tuna pasta salad is a fresh and vibrant dish that can be enjoyed as a main or as a side for picnics, cookouts and potlucks. Made with simple ingredients it's so quick and easy and is made without mayonnaise. Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

8 oz Farfalle pasta, bow tie pasta, cooked according to package instructions
1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
8 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cucumber, cut lengthwise & sliced
½ red onion, finely chopped
½ cup black olives, cut in half
2 cloves garlic, minced
15 oz albacore tuna fish, drained
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
3 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
zest of 1 lemon
salt and black pepper

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package instructions, drain and add to a large bowl.
Add red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, black olives, minced garlic, albacore tuna fish, and lemon zest to the bowl and mix everything.
Drizzle olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve cold. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Recipe Tips & Notes

Chop all of the ingredients into similar sized pieces so that it combines easily and is easier to eat.
Use fresh lemon juice rather than bottled. It is so much more flavorful and vibrant.
Use albacore tuna for this pasta salad recipe. It has a firmer texture and is mild in flavor.
Let the pasta salad marinate and chill in the fridge for about 30 minutes to an hour before you serve it.
The pasta tuna salad does not freeze well, so don’t be tempted to try!

Nutrition

Calories: 339 kcal
Carbohydrates: 35 g
Protein: 23 g
Fat: 12 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 30 mg
Sodium: 458 mg
Potassium: 497 mg
Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 4 g
Vitamin A: 1111 IU
Vitamin C: 49 mg
Calcium: 47 mg
Iron: 2 mg

Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutritional values are estimates and may vary with ingredients, brands, and portion sizes. For accuracy, use your preferred nutrition calculator.