The Perfect Tuna Pasta Salad

The original Pasta Salad recipe is from my Mom. She used to make this recipe in the summer, and it was a real treat for us. We changed the recipe by adding Tuna and young small peas. I grew up on a large dairy farm, and most of our summer meals consisted of Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, baked beans, and, of course, sweet corn.  Oh, and ALWAYS, one of my Mom's famous pies.  She was an amazing baker.  I have never had pie crust anywhere as good as what my Mom could make.  

Tuna Pasta Salad that is Fun and Easy!!!!

Growing up on a large dairy farm, our summer meals mainly comprised of Fried Chicken, Potato Salad, baked beans, and sweet corn, all of which were delicious, but my Mom's Pasta Salad was a real treat. This recipe was passed down to her from my grandmother, and it always tasted amazing. My Mom was an incredible baker, and everyone in our family looked forward to having her famous pies after every meal. 

Even though my Dad preferred Meat and Potatoes, we would have this fun pasta salad a couple of times each summer. This salad was a little different from the usual, as we added Tuna and peas to it. We usually used elbow macaroni as it was the only kind that was available when I grew up. However, any pasta works for this salad, including Bow tie (Farfalle).

Using the bow tie pasta always reminds me of a funny story of when we lived in Japan.  We were all dressed up for a major party, and a friend of mine was told we looked "bow tie" meaning really fancy!!!  haha.  The original salad consisted of pasta, mayonnaise or Miracle Whip, celery, onion, pickles, and peas.  Topped with hard-boiled eggs.

How we changed this Pasta Salad recipe

I have a very simple pasta salad recipe to share. All you need to do is cook the pasta and then mix together sour cream, mayo, pickle juice, and mustard. Chop up some onion and pickles. Once the pasta is cooked, let it cool and then add in all the ingredients. And voila! Your pasta salad is ready to be served.

When my mom would make this salad, she would use 2 cups of "real" mayonnaise. But we've made some adjustments to make it lighter. We now use 1 cup of light sour cream and ¾ cup of light mayonnaise. We also add pickle juice and mustard for added flavor.

Because Amy loves tuna so much, I decided to add it to the pasta salad. She loved it so much that we've been making it that way since she was 5 years old!

TIP for Tuna Pasta Salad:

When a recipe calls for mayonnaise, Use light mayonnaise and add some light sour cream to it. This will not affect the taste of the dish, and it tastes even better if you mix in French mustard. 

Using light sour cream and mayonnaise can significantly reduce the calories in the dish. 

Measure the amount of pasta for each serving, as this pasta salad is quite filling. 

Don’t forget this pasta salad is great to take for lunch as it doesn't require heating. Measure the desired amount and put it in a container.  Makes for a great easy lunch.

TIP:

Here's a simple and foolproof way to hard boil eggs perfectly every time. Start by placing the eggs in a small saucepan and covering them with cold water. Place the pan on the stove and bring the water to a boil. Once the water starts boiling, let the eggs boil for exactly seven and a half minutes (7 ½ minutes), and then drain them. Finally, run cold water over the eggs to cool them down. By following these steps, you can ensure that your eggs will always be perfectly hard-boiled.

Other Salads:

Please check out the other classic salads that we have reimagined to help cut at least a few calories:  The Best Potato Salads for the Summer   Asparagus Salad,  Chicken Salad, Egg Salad.

• Tuna Fish Sandwich - This lower-in-fat Tuna Fish Sandwich recipe has everything there is to LOVE about tuna salad. It's creamy, tangy, and savory and won't break your diet.
• Air Fryer Tuna Melt - This is a great way to enjoy a classic sandwich. Easy to make and really fun to eat. Lower in calories and full of flavor!!
• Tuna Cakes - Air Fryer Tuna Cakes are packed with flavor and are easy to make. Don't have an air fryer? Just pan fry for a fast dinner or appetizer.
• Egg Salad without Mayonnaise - Make an unbeatable egg salad sandwich without mayonnaise – learn the delicious and healthy recipe here! This is a recipe everyone loves!
• Grilled Corn and Tuna Pizza - Grilled Corn and Tuna Pizza is a spicy blend of garlic, grilled sweet corn, tuna, herbs, and cheese, making this a sweet and savory pizza.