Lemony Tuna Pasta Salad (Printable)

Bright and refreshing pasta salad with canned tuna, zesty lemon, fresh herbs, and sweet peas.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta such as fusilli, penne, or bowties
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Salad

03 - 1 cup frozen peas
04 - 2 cans (5 oz each) tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked
05 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
08 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
09 - 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste

→ Optional Additions

12 - 1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
13 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

# How To Make:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente. In the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the peas to the boiling water. Drain pasta and peas, then rinse under cold water to cool quickly.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained tuna, red onion, parsley, dill, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
03 - Add the cooled pasta and peas to the bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss gently to combine.
04 - Stir in capers and cherry tomatoes if using. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon juice, salt, or pepper if desired.
05 - Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days. Garnish with extra herbs before serving.

# Top Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes with mostly pantry ingredients
  • The lemon and herbs make it taste freshly made even after days in the fridge
  • You can customize the addins based on what you have on hand
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water stops the cooking process and prevents it from becoming mushy
  • The salad needs at least 15 minutes to let the flavors meld, but tastes even better the next day
  • Tuna packed in olive oil means you can use slightly less added olive oil in the dressing
03 -
  • Zest your lemon before juicing it so much easier to handle
  • If you only have water packed tuna, increase the olive oil to 4 tablespoons
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