6/09/2011

Twisted Tuna Pasta Salad


Can one have too many summer pasta salad recipes?  They are perfect for my household because I can make a large batch for dinner, have leftovers for work, and some more to pack for picnics at the park or beach.   Good, portable food in my house is a plus!

This is a classic deli pasta salad that feeds a crowd.  The first time I made this, the five of us had a portion, some went back for another bite, and there still was over half left.  I serve pasta salads with veggies and fresh fruit on the side so we don't mound our plates with just the pasta, therefore I increased the serving size to 8 adult servings.  I made quite a few changes to the original, reducing the tuna and a few veggies, but adding chopped hard-boiled eggs (I love eggs) and fresh flavors like parsley and lemon.  I also reduced the amount of sugar, but added a bit more mayonnaise to make for a tasty dressing.  It is a delicious pasta salad that we all enjoy.



Printable Recipe



Twisted Tuna Pasta Salad
serves 8 as a main course


1 pound fusilli or rotini pasta
3 (4.5 ounce) cans tuna packed in water, drained
1 medium rib celery, finely diced
1/2 cup finely diced red onion
12 ounces frozen peas, thawed and drained
3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste


Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook according to the package directions.  Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again thoroughly.


In a large bowl, combine the pasta, tuna, celery, onion, peas, and chopped eggs; toss to combine.  In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and parsley.  Gradually stir in the buttermilk until combined.  Add the salt and sugar and stir until combined.  Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss well to coat.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.  Enjoy!  


Source: Adapted from The Marshall Field's Cookbook

2 comments:

  1. What a nice looking simple summer salad. Thanks for sharing!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is one of my favorite go-to summer salads! Delish!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for visiting my blog! I love hearing from family, friends, and bloggers, so please leave a comment. Happy cooking!