Tuna Macaroni Salad

This Tuna Macaroni Salad is a budget-friendly and straightforward meal option that is ready in only 40 minutes. Easily made and with ingredients you may already have, it's a great recipe choice for beginner cooks. Meal prep it for workday lunches, make it for weeknight dinners, or bring it to a potluck as a dish-to-pass.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Total Time40

Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: macaroni salad with tuna fish recipe, tuna mac salad, tuna macaroni salad

Servings: servings

Calories: 642kcal

Author: Sara Nelson

Ingredients

16 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni noodles
3 5-ounce cans tuna drained and flaked
2 hard-boiled eggs peeled and smashed with a fork
1 cup mayonnaise (or a combination of mayo, Greek yogurt, and/or sour cream)
1 cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
3 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard, yellow mustard, or stone-ground mustard
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper

Optional Garnishes:

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Freshly-cracked black pepper
Paprika

Instructions

Cook Macaroni: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook macaroni according to package instructions until al dente (this typically takes about 8-10 minutes). Once cooked, transfer macaroni to a colander to drain, then rinse under cold water to cool it down quickly.
Mix Salad Ingredients: To a large mixing bowl, add drained and flaked tuna, hard-boiled eggs, mayo, celery, red onion, sweet pickle relish, mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix until combined.
Combine Macaroni and Tuna Mixture: Add cooled macaroni to the tuna mixture and mix again.
Chill: Cover bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and chill salad in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes.
Serve: Before serving, give salad a final stir, taste, and add more salt and pepper as needed. Optionally, garnish with chopped fresh parsley, pepper, and paprika, then serve.

Video

Notes

To Make In Advance: Prepare the salad as instructed except for garnishes, cover with a lid or foil, and store in the fridge. Add garnishes right before serving.

Refrigerator Storage: Keep any leftover salad in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Nutrition