Make an easy, protein packed summer dish with this tuna macaroni salad recipe.
Make this macaroni salad with tuna, two kinds of pickles, celery, onions, elbow macaroni and a creamy Dijon dill dressing.
We have partnered with Chicken of the Sea to bring you this recipe.
This Tuna Macaroni Salad Will Be a Summer Favorite Because…
- This recipe turns a traditional macaroni salad from a side into a protein-packed lunch.
- The dressing provides the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors.
- This recipe packs lots of fresh, crunchy, dilly flavor.
- It’s delicious and nutritious as an entree salad.
Ingredients for Tuna Macaroni Salad
Tuna: You can use either light or solid white tuna. Light tuna has smaller, flakier pieces, while solid white albacore has larger chunks and a milder flavor. Always choose tuna packed in water and drain it well.
Pasta: I love this with macaroni noodles but you can use other small sized pasta shapes that have ridges or are tubular so the dressing can cling to it. Try shells, ditalini, or mini penne.
Dressing: Mayonnaise and sour cream create the base for this recipe. You can replace sour cream with plain Greek yogurt if you’d like. Dijon and pickle juice add flavor, you can replace the pickle juice with fresh lemon juice if you’d like.
Pickles: I love a combination of both sweet and dill pickles in this recipe, but you can use just one or the other.
Celery & Onion: Crisp celery, white or red onion, and bell peppers add texture, crunch, and flavor. For a milder onion flavor, try thinly sliced green onion.
Variations
- Light mayo and reduced fat products do work in this recipe but the dressing won’t be as thick.
- Whole wheat, gluten-free, or plant-based pasta choices will work equally well in this recipe.
- Sliced radishes, chopped sundried tomatoes, peas, small diced cheddar cheese, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and bacon bits are great additions to a macaroni salad. Use sweet pickle relish or a dill pickle relish.
How to Make Tuna Macaroni Salad
Fresh and creamy tuna macaroni salad is an easy picnic and potluck favorite!
- Cook elbows per package directions. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients (recipe below).
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and toss with dressing.
- Refrigerate to chill for at least an hour before serving.
Garnish with sliced pickles or chopped fresh parsley or dill.
Storing Leftovers
- You can make tuna macaroni salad up to a day ahead to allow the flavors to blend.
- This macaroni salad can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Pasta salads do not thaw well, so freezing them is not recommended.
More Tuna Favorites
Did you make this Tuna Macaroni Salad? Leave a rating and comment below!
Tuna Macaroni Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni or small pasta
- 2 cans tuna 5 oz each, drained
- ¾ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced sweet pickles
- ½ cup chopped dill pickles
- ⅓ cup red bell pepper diced, optional
- ¼ cup minced white onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
Dressing
- ¾ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sweet relish
- 2 tablespoons pickle juice sweet or dill
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
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In a large pot, cook pasta al dente according to package directions. Rinse under cold water to stop the pasta cooking and drain well.
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In a small bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, relish, pickle juice, dijon mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Mix well and set aside.
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To a large bowl, add cold pasta, tuna, celery, sweet pickles, dill pickles, red pepper, onion and dill. Top with dressing and gently toss to combine.
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Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Video
Notes
- Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Stir gently prior to serving.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Lunch, Salad, Seafood, Side Dish
Cuisine American
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Excellent pasta salad, particularly if you are a pickle lover. I added some very small chunks of old cheddar. Something else that I love!
great recipe
Thank you! I am glad you enjoyed it.
Holly, Hi. re the dressing where you list sweet relish. In a response to someone who asked for clarification, you said dill pickle relish. So just looking for clarity as I wouldn’t consider dill relish as sweet. maybe it would be good with either? Thank you – I plan to make for the upcoming long weekend.
You can use either sweet pickle relish or a dill pickle relish. I’ve made it with both and both are great. If using dill pickle relish, it’s a bit more tangy.
Very good
Absolutely love, love this recipe!!!!!
I am so happy to hear you loved this recipe Patty!
The term “Macaroni” by itself is a very broad term. Most folks use the term ‘macaroni’ when referring to pasta, but they then go on to identify which ‘macaroni’ they’re referring to…. i.e. “Elbow Macaroni”. It’s good that you posted a photo, so that everyone could see that you used “Elbow” macaroni, and were not left wondering which ‘macaroni’ you actually used. I’m sure that your box of pasta calls it ‘Elbows’, or something to that effect on the front, not just ‘Macaroni’…. since there are many ‘macaronis’ available..
Hi Angelina, for this recipe we preferred to use elbow macaroni but it is delicious with whatever your preferred pasta is!
Give me a break Angelina….You are a very argumentative person and are obviously full of yourself since you have the audacity to berate the recipe author, Holly, not once, but twice. Most people associate macaroni with the only pasta that has macaroni in its name, “Elbows”. Young, inexperienced, whoever…can easily look at the included picture or just ask a question…not berate the author. The absolute gall of some people! SMH
Realistically any smaller pasta ie: shells – fusilli would work here. No need to be quite that specific! I used GF shells and it was delicious.
Very tasty, but the pasta is called “ELBOW Macaroni”, NOT Macaroni Noodles. ‘Macaroni’ is a very broad term, which encompasses several different kinds of pasta shapes. I’m just sayin’……. If you look at the box of pasta which you used, I’m sure it will say “Elbows”! Let’s not confuse young & inexperienced cooks, who perhaps wouldn’t’ know which pasta you’re actually using.
The package on the two brands I generally purchase actually do say “macaroni” and not elbows although hopefully the images with the elbow macaroni will help act as a guide. Any medium/short pasta works perfectly in this recipe. Enjoy!
Hi Holly,
Saw your tuna pickle salad recipe and pinned it. It looks amazing! I do have one question? The dressing calls for relish. There are both sweet pickle relish and dill pickle relish. Which one is in your dressing? I don’t want to mess it up, I know it will make a huge difference in the flavor. Thanks! Can’t wait to make this!
Hi Pam, I used dill relish!
BRING ON THE PICKLES! This pasta salad looks killer! I fell in love all over again with tuna just a few months ago when I started nursing again. It’s such an easy way to get in some protein for lunch!
I agree Karen! I love it for lunch on a salad!
You are the pickle queen! I love pickles and love how creative you get with them!
LOL Thanks Averie… I love how much flavor and crunch they add to dishes like this! :)