It’s also a budget friendly recipe which makes it even more of a winner. Delicious and heart healthy!Īnd, this recipe contains chickpeas to boost up the protein and the fiber. Tuna offers healthy fats, and I’ve replaced part of the mayo with Greek yogurt to reduce the saturated fat. The combination of pasta and tuna salad is so simple but it has long been a favorite of mine. Sweet Salads – It doesn’t get much easier than fruit salad with sour cream.Yes, you can make a healthier version of a tuna pasta salad with Greek yogurt.When I need to feed a crowd, I make a double batch of chicken pasta salad with grapes. Pasta Salads – Chicken bacon ranch pasta salad is packed with flavor, and easy Italian pasta salad is perfect for potlucks.My oriental salad is always a crowd favorite. Green Salads – I’m in love with this brussel sprout salad, and this strawberry spinach salad recipe is so simple.But you can use elbow macaroni, or any small pasta you have on hand. We like rotini pasta because all the grooves hold the sauce really well.

Green, yellow, or red peppers add a lovely color as well as flavor and crunch.

If you like a bit of tang, you can add some yellow mustard, vinegar, or lemon juice to the sauce.

Cheddar or colby jack would be great, but you can experiment with other flavors of cheese. You can either chop and add them to the salad, or slice them and use them as a garnish on top.

Hard boiled eggs are a tasty addition.

To make the salad more filling, you can use two cans of tuna fish.

Instead of using dill pickles, you can use diced sweet pickles, or relish.

Be creative! You can substitute or add any ingredients to this salad that your family likes.

This salad is easily doubled or tripled if you need to feed a crowd.

It will soak up some of the dressing, so if you overcook it, you end up with mushy pasta.

Cook macaroni just till it is “al dente”, or barely tender.

Make sure you salt the water when you cook the pasta.

When you’re ready to serve, just give it a quick stir. This will allow the flavors to meld together.

CHILL – Cover the salad and let it chill for at least 30 minutes, but up to 24 hours before serving.

Pour the dressing over the top and stir until everything is well coated.

COMBINE – Add the vegetables and tuna to the pasta.

MAKE SAUCE – In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, milk, sour cream, ranch dressing mix, and dry dill.

CHOP VEGETABLES – Dice the celery and pickle slice the green onions.

Drain and rinse with cold water place in a large bowl.

COOK PASTA – Boil your pasta in salted water according to package directions until it is al dente.

That starch can bind together, and you will end up with a clump of pasta. Second, it removes some of the excess starch on the outside of the noodles. This stops it from cooking, and makes it ready for your salad sooner. When making pasta for cold dishes like macaroni salad, rinsing with cold water is helpful for two reasons.įirst, the cold water cools down the pasta.

Do I have to rinse the pasta for pasta salad?

Calories in tuna macaroni salad