Lemony Tuna Pasta Salad (Printable Version)

Bright and refreshing pasta salad with canned tuna, zesty lemon, fresh herbs, and sweet peas. Quick, easy, and perfect for any occasion.

# Components:

→ 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 tuna in olive oil, 5 oz each, drained and flaked
05 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
08 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
09 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
11 - 1/2 tsp sea salt

→ Optional Additions

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

# Method Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. During the final 2 minutes of cooking, add frozen peas to the boiling water. Drain pasta and peas through a colander, then rinse under cold water until cooled completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine drained tuna, diced red onion, fresh parsley, fresh dill, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice.
03 - Add cooled pasta and peas to the bowl containing the tuna mixture. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with salt and black pepper, and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Fold in capers and cherry tomatoes if using. Taste the salad and adjust seasonings with additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed.
05 - Serve immediately while fresh, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Garnish with fresh herbs before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes bright and clean, nothing about it feels heavy or dull even though it's filling.
  • You can make it ahead and it actually gets better after sitting in the fridge for a few hours.
  • It comes together in under half an hour using mostly pantry staples.
  • The lemon and herbs make canned tuna taste like something you'd order at a cafe.
02 -
  • Rinse the pasta and peas under cold water immediately after draining or they'll keep cooking and turn mushy.
  • Don't skip the lemon zest, it has all the aromatic oils that make this dish smell incredible.
  • If you're making it ahead, hold back a little lemon juice and olive oil to stir in before serving so it tastes freshly dressed.
03 -
  • Use pasta shapes with ridges or twists so the dressing and tuna get trapped in every bite instead of pooling at the bottom.
  • Zest the lemon before you juice it, it's impossible to zest a juiced lemon and the zest is too important to skip.
  • Taste the salad after it's been in the fridge, cold mutes flavors so you might need to add more salt or lemon before serving.
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