Tuna pasta salad

An easy tuna pasta salad for the lunch box 

Made from seven simple ingredients and ready to eat in 25 minutes, this salad with pasta and tuna is a delicious and hearty lunch box meal for school or work. 

While it can easily be prepared in advance to eat on the go, this cold tuna pasta salad is also a great option to make when the weather gets warmer. Try it as a no-fuss midweek meal or to serve at a summer barbecue for a budget-friendly dish. 

Set yourself and your family up for a great day with these delicious, nutritious and clever easy lunchbox recipes ideas that will win over even the fussiest eaters. 

Essential ingredients you need to make a tuna pasta salad recipe

You won’t need to search too hard to find the ingredients you need to prepare this easy tuna salad. The bulk of the dish is made from pantry staples you may already have, including canned tuna, dried pasta, mayonnaise and a few fresh ingredients. 

Choosing canned tuna is an excellent budget-friendly option for a simple tuna pasta salad recipe. It has a long shelf-life, making it convenient to keep on hand, it’s affordable, and it comes in several flavours if you want to spice it up. While this recipe heroes tuna, you can choose to use different proteins, such as canned salmon, rotisserie chicken or even deli cuts like ham or salami. 

For the pasta component used in this canned tuna salad, we have used macaroni as its short shape makes it easier to eat and the centre hole allows the salad dressing to seep into every bite. Other options you can use are fusilli like in this chicken pesto pasta recipe,  or farfalle in a lemon and lamb pasta dish. 

Tips for preparing a mayonnaise tuna pasta salad with kids

With little cooking involved, preparing an easy tuna macaroni salad is a great way of getting the kids involved. Depending on how old your little ones are, they could help by carefully chopping the celery, spring onions and tomatoes. Younger kids can assist in making the dressing and tossing everything together.

Simple recipes like this easy pasta salad with tuna can help foster a healthy relationship with food and teach kids important culinary skills. Other recipes you can prepare with your kids are zucchini and corn fritters, vegetable nuggets and a healthy zucchini slice. 

Dish it up: tuna and pasta salad serving ideas 

If you’re serving this pasta salad with tuna for dinner or when you’re asked to bring a plate, present it simply in a large bowl with a set of large spoons so everyone can help themselves. Pair it with southern-style cheeseburgers, smoky BBQ chicken or lamb stuffed capsicums when you’re entertaining a crowd. 

For a packed lunch, store this speedy tuna pasta salad in an airtight container with the mayo dressing in a separate airtight container. Pop it in the fridge as soon as you get to work, or pack an ice brick with school lunches to keep it nice and cold. School lunch boxes can be accompanied by fresh fruit, a crunchy snack like pretzels, and hommus with cucumber or celery sticks.