Ditch the mayo and serve this Tuna Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette at your next backyard barbecue or picnic. A lightened-up classic is always a surefire winner!
Tuna pasta salad is a classic potluck option for summer backyard barbecues. And I never lose my love for it!
When I was a kid, I was a sucker for my mum’s pasta salad, made with salmon, capers and a mayo dressing. Salmon or tuna still fit the bill, but these days I’m partial to an easy vinaigrette dressing, such as the lemon one in this recipe. If you’ve tried my Primavera Pasta Salad with Shrimp, you know that the dressing is simple to make and has just the right amount of tang.
Thanks to my mum’s influence I’ve always added capers to salmon or tuna salad, as well as tuna pasta salad recipes. There’s something about that briny flavor that makes all of the other flavors pop. If you’re not a caper fan, try roasted peppers and pepperoncini, like in my Healthy Tuna Salad recipe.
Put this salad together up to a day in advance and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it. I recommend adding in the basil at the last minute to stop it from browning.
WHAT YOU NEED FOR THIS TUNA PASTA SALAD RECIPE:
These are the main components of this recipe (affiliate links included):
- Pasta: Rotini (corkscrew shape) works well for tuna pasta salad because the ridges capture the tuna, dressing and cheese, making it more likely that you’ll get a taste of each in every bite. Farfalle (bowtie shape) is another good option. If you prefer a tuna macaroni salad, then use macaroni noodles instead. I typically use whole wheat pasta for extra fiber, but regular semolina pasta works well, too.
- Tuna: Use your favorite canned tuna. I opt for tuna packed in water because the calorie and fat gram counts are lower. However, if you are a die-hard lover of oil-packed tuna (there are some great ones from Italy), then feel free to use that.
- Veggies: I used a combination of celery (love the crunch!), grape tomatoes (or cherry tomatoes) and green onions. Red, yellow or orange bell pepper would good, too.
- Cheese: Feta cheese adds the perfect amount of salt and tang, and pairs well with the lemon vinaigrette. If opting for a dairy-free pasta salad, leave out the cheese, but be sure to taste the salad and add additional salt if needed.
- Herbs: Fresh basil and parsley add summertime freshness.
- Capers: Not everyone loves the briny taste of capers, but I can’t get enough of it! Feel free to adjust the amount of capers to suit your taste buds.
- Dressing: An easy lemon vinaigrette keeps this pasta salad light. All you need is fresh lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, agave nectar or honey, oregano and salt.
How to make pasta salad:
Pasta salad is a breeze to put together and there are so many options to switch up the flavor profile.
- For the pasta: Cook according to the package directions in well-salted water. Once al dente (tender, but still firm), drain, then rinse with cold water until cool.
- Choose a protein: For a vegetarian pasta salad, chickpeas, white beans or black beans work well. For meat and seafood lovers, the opt for chicken, shrimp, tuna or salmon.
- Up your veggie quotient: Bell peppers, tomatoes, corn, spinach, green beans, snap peas, avocado…and so on, and so on. If it would be good in a green salad, it would be even better in pasta salad!
- Dressing: While I grew up on mayo-based pasta salads, I now prefer vinaigrette dressings. Lemon juice or white wine vinegar work well for Mediterranean-inspired salads, while lime juice punches up the flavor of a southwestern salad.
- Herbs: Turn to fresh herbs for extra flavor. Parsley, cilantro, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, tarragon – to name a few.
- Extra flavor: Cheese, such as feta, queso fresco or bocconcini (mini mozzarella balls) are all popular options. For an extra touch of salt, capers and olives are easy solutions.
How to make a lemon vinaigrette:
- All vinaigrettes have a balance of acid and oil (see my post on How to Make a Vinaigrette for more tips).
- For the acid, fresh lemon juice fills that role in a lemon vinaigrette. I beg of you to use fresh lemon juice rather than the bottled stuff. Since the lemon juice is a main ingredient of the vinaigrette, using the fresh stuff makes all the difference in the world.
- Oil: While a light olive oil can be used for sautéing, a good, fruity extra virgin olive oil is the way to go for a vinaigrette. A little goes a long way.
- Sweet: To balance the acidity of the lemon juice, just a drizzle of agave nectar or honey balances the flavor.
- Don’t forget to add salt! The amount in the recipe is a recommendation. Feel free to adjust according to your taste buds.
Other BBQ or picnic salad recipes:
Thai Chicken Salad
Healthy BLT Slaw
Quinoa Chickpea Salad
Three Bean Salad
Tuna Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
- 12 ounces whole wheat rotini pasta
- 8 ounces canned tuna (in water) drained
- 3 stalks celery cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1 1/2 cups halved grape tomatoes
- 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- 1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
- 8 leaves basil thinly sliced
- Kosher salt to taste
The dressing:
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 1/4 teaspoon agave nectar or honey
- 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil over high heat. Salt well. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until cooled down.
- Transfer the cooled pasta to a large bowl. Add the tuna, celery, tomatoes, green onions, feta cheese, parsley, capers and basil. Stir to combine.
- Pour in the dressing. Stir again until completely combined. Taste and season with additional salt, if desired. Serve or refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve.
The dressing:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, agave nectar, oregano and salt.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published on May 20, 2019 and updated on April 6, 2021.
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Sarah S Daniel
So delicious! This is now one of my favorite meals!
Dara
That’s so great to hear, Sarah!