Perfect for weekly meal prep or your next gathering.
This creamy Tuna Pasta Salad is hearty, refreshing and filled with protein and fresh veggies. It’s the perfect balance making it great for easy lunches, meal prep, or a simple side dish for gatherings.
High Protein Tuna Pasta Salad
Pasta salad turned high protein!
We’re not just tossing in tuna for a protein boost (though it definitely packs a punch). The secret? Dressing made with half Greek yogurt for extra protein and tang, and a swap to protein-packed pasta. Trust me, you can fool your taste testers. I highly recommend Barilla Protein pasta, you really can’t tell a difference.
You can add more tuna if you’d like but you may need to increase the greek yogurt & light mayo.
Ingredients
This recipe is simple and straightforward, you likely have the veggies on hand already.
Let’s break it down:
- protein pasta – my favorite is the Barilla+, trust me you can barely tell!
- celery – and the leaves as a pretty garnish
- carrot
- pepperoncini peppers – plus the juice from the jar, adds some much needed zing
- tuna – use your favorite kind, I use unflavored for this recipe
- light mayonnaise – you can use regular as well
- greek yogurt – only plain here, make sure you don’t grab vanilla off the shelf, they all look so similar
- red onion
- celery salt
- kosher salt – I use Diamond Crystal in all my recipes
- black pepper
How to Make Tuna Pasta Salad
Pasta salads are great because they’re typically so easy to throw together and this one is no exception. Boil your pasta, chop your veggies, measure a few ingredients, and toss together!
- Cook the Pasta: Boil the pasta, drain, and store in the fridge while you prep the rest of your ingredients.
- Prep the Veggies: Dice the celery, carrots, red onion, and pepperoncini peppers.
- Make the Sauce: Whisk together the light mayo, greek yogurt, pepperoncini juice, celery salt, salt, an black pepper.
- Combine: Combine the cooled pasta, chopped veggies, tuna, and dressing, tossing to fully coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours and serve!
How to Make Tuna Pasta Salad Ahead of Time
This tuna pasta salad actually has the best flavor on the second day when it’s had a bit of time to meld in the fridge. If you find the pasta soaking up some of the moisture, you can always add a dollop of mayonnaise and stir it in.
I have made this ahead to serve at gatherings and it works out great. Keep your celery leaves on the side to garnish when you serve.
How to Store Tuna Pasta Salad
For freshness and best flavor, store in an airtight container and eat within 3-4 days.
I like to mix everything in a bowl with a lid so I can just top it and store!
Watch Me Make Tuna Pasta Salad
Equipment I Use to Make Tuna Pasta Salad
- Glass Mixing Bowls – with lids!
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do if the pasta absorbs some of the dressing?
Add an extra dollop of light mayo until you get your desired consistency, pasta naturally tends to absorb most dressings once stored in the fridge.
Can I add more tuna?
Absolutely, but you may need to increase the greek yogurt and light mayo.
What can I serve with Tuna Pasta Salad?
This recipe is fantastic for lunch/meal prep – it’s filling enough on its own. For dinner, I like to serve it as a side dish to freshen up a meal. It goes great alongside your classic grill foods – kebabs, ribs, burgers.
Can I replace the mayo with all greek yogurt?
Yes, just keep in mind the tangy flavor greek yogurt adds. Mayo helps mute the flavor and add creaminess.
Print
Tuna Pasta Salad
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Description
Creamy tuna pasta salad filled with fresh, crunchy vegetables and packed with protein.
Ingredients
- 8 oz elbow pasta, or short cut pasta of choice
- ¾ cup celery, diced (about 2 stalks), plus celery leaves for garnish
- ½ cup carrots, diced (about 1 large carrot)
- ½ cup chopped pepperoncini peppers
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- 5 oz tuna in water (not oil)
- ½ cup light mayonnaise
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons pepperonicini juice from the jar
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water and cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain and transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl. Refrigerate until fully cooled.
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Meanwhile, dice the vegetables: ¾ cup celery (reserving the leaves for garnish), ½ cup carrots, ½ cup pepperoncini peppers, and ½ cup red onion.
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Once the pasta has cooled, add the diced vegetables and 5 oz of drained tuna to the bowl. Gently toss to combine.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together ½ cup light mayonnaise, ½ cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons pepperoncini juice, ½ teaspoon celery salt, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to taste.
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Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and stir until fully coated.
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Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop. Garnish with celery leaves and serve!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Mains
- Method: Stovetop
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