Cold Tuna Salad Pasta is the ultimate no-fuss meal that’s perfect for hot days, picnics, or quick lunches. It combines the creaminess of a traditional tuna salad with the satisfying bite of pasta, creating a dish that’s light, refreshing, and full of flavor. Whether you’re packing it for a lunchbox, serving it as a side dish, or enjoying it as a light dinner, this recipe is a true crowd-pleaser.
At its core, Cold Tuna Salad Pasta is all about simplicity. You start with al dente pasta, which is the perfect base for absorbing all the flavors. Add in canned tuna, which provides a savory, protein-packed element, and then toss everything together with crunchy vegetables like celery, onion, and bell peppers for texture and freshness.
The dressing is where the magic happens. A classic combination of mayonnaise, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a touch of mustard or olive oil creates a creamy yet tangy coating that binds everything together. If you prefer a lighter version, you can substitute Greek yogurt for mayonnaise for a tangier and healthier twist.
Feel free to get creative with your additions. Some might add hard-boiled eggs for extra protein, capers for a briny punch, or even fresh herbs like parsley or dill for brightness. The beauty of Cold Tuna Salad Pasta is its versatility, it’s easy to make it your own.
This dish can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge for several hours or even a day, allowing the flavors to meld and intensify. Serve it chilled, and you’ve got a meal that’s not only satisfying but also incredibly easy to prepare.
Whether it’s a quick weeknight meal or a potluck favorite, Cold Tuna Salad Pasta is a delicious, effortless option that’s perfect for any occasion.
This recipe is made by Lori A. Terkeurst.
Ingredients
- 1 can tuna
- Cheese shredded or cubed
- Miracle Whip
- Green onions sliced
- dill fresh or dried
- pasta of your choice – I like shells
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to directions on box.
- Drain in colander and rinse with cold water.
- This is a cold salad for a hot day, so you can even add some ice cubes to speed the cooling.
- Add tuna(drained) and mix well.
- Add green onions and cheese of your choice.
- Add Miracle Whip and then dill to your choice of flavor.
- Cool in refrigerator until time for dinner.
- I like to garnish with quartered Compari tomatoes and sliced hard boiled eggs.
- Great on a day that feels too hot to eat! I like to serve with lemonade or iced ginger ale. Enjoy!
- Keep leftovers in frig and add additional Miracle Whip to taste (if there are any leftovers!) Bon Appetit!
Tuna salad? I don’t like fish. But this looks nice.
I get it! Fish isn’t for everyone, but maybe you can try it without the tuna? Just the pasta and veggies sound good too!
Yuk! Can’t imagine eating that stuff. But I guess you can always change the tuna for chicken or something else?
Super easy, but I’m not a fan of Miracle Whip—tasted too sweet to me. Next time I’ll swap for regular mayo or Greek yogurt.
Totally fair—Miracle Whip can be pretty sweet. Greek yogurt or mayo both sound like great swaps; I’ll try that next time.
This tuna salad is so refreshing! Perfect for the summer days.
Not gonna lie, I’m skeptical about Miracle Whip in tuna salad, but the recipe is simple enough to try. Mine turned out creamy and not too sweet.
Super easy and very filling. I added hard-boiled eggs like suggested and it turned out way better than my usual tuna sandwich.
meh.
Lori, why do you add ice cubes? Sounds weird and not necessary.
I think the ice cubes are a good idea! It makes sense to chill the salad faster on a hot day. Plus, who doesn’t love cold food when it’s blazing outside?
I don’t usually like pasta salads with fish, but this surprised me. Rinsing with cold water is key. Next time I’ll chop the tuna smaller.
This sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try it on a hot day.
I forgot to refrigerate it long enough and ate it kinda warm… it was fine but not the vibe. If you follow the cooling step it probably shines.
Be honest, Miracle Whip + cheese + tuna feels like a dare lol. I tried it anyway and now I’m mad I waited so long. Weirdly addicting.
Simple. Tasty.
Simple and honestly sounds perfect for a hot day—cold pasta + tuna + Miracle Whip is a combo I can get behind. I might toss in some diced celery too, but great idea with the ice cubes!
Is Miracle Whip really necessary? I feel like mayo or Greek yogurt would taste better… also cheese and tuna together seems a little weird, no offense. But hey if it works for you!
This seems kind of bland to me. Tuna + cheese + dill is okay, but I’d add celery or pickles for more crunch and tang.
Bro, compari tomatoes? and lemonade? Sounds like a weird Pinterest salad. I mean… it probably tastes fine, but I’d swap dill for something else.
lol I get what you mean—Combining cold tuna + herbs can sound like a weird Pinterest move 😅 But the Compari tomatoes + dill actually cut the richness. I’ve tried it and it’s pretty refreshing, especially with lemonade.
Idk, Miracle Whip with dill sounds kinda gross to me. Why not use mayo and skip the herb? Also those Compari tomatoes… never heard of it. Could be a typo? I’d rather add lemon juice than lemonade.
I don’t get it. Why would you put ice cubes in a salad? That sounds weird.
I followed everything and it still tasted “flat” to me. Maybe I should’ve used fresh dill instead of dried. The tuna was fine, but I wanted more zing.
Honestly, tuna + cheese + pasta feels weird. I tried it anyway and it was edible, but I wouldn’t make it again unless I was desperate.
Totally get the “weird” combo feeling, but I think the Miracle Whip + cheese kind of brings it together. I’m with you on not making it every week though—only when it’s hot and I need something quick.
I added ice cubes like the recipe says and it cooled fast, but I swear the pasta got a bit weirdly firm. Maybe I used too much ice? Tasted good though.
I tried it but I’m not sold. The Miracle Whip flavor + dill was too strong for me, and the tuna felt a little dry even though I drained it.
Easy peasy to make! I added some cherry tomatoes and it was really good.
“Bon Appetit” but please, can we talk about the tuna? I drained mine really well or it got watery. Otherwise pretty good.
I made it exactly like the recipe, but added celery for some crunch. It was yum!
This is a solid pantry meal. I added extra green onions and a little black pepper. Would make again for sure.
So simple! I never thought of adding dill to tuna salad. Gonna make it again!
I don’t understand the dill part. Why would you put that in tuna salad? It’s just fish!
This is exactly the kind of quick cold meal I need on hot days. The ice-cubes tip for cooling the pasta is genius—definitely doing that next time!
Right?! The ice cubes really do make it faster—no lukewarm pasta nonsense. 😄 I always rinse with cold water too, and then chill it just enough to be refreshing.
This was super simple to make and perfect for a hot day! I added some celery for crunch. Yum!
Sounds delicious! I usually don’t like tuna but this might change my mind. Thanks for the tip on adding celery!
Ugh, tuna salad is gross. Miracle Whip? Really? Just use mayo like a normal person. 🤢
Shell pasta is a solid choice. I added a little pepper and it felt more “restaurant” somehow. Would recommend.
I tried it and it tastes like my aunt’s tuna salad… which is a compliment, but also now I feel judged because mine wasn’t as good.
Okay so I rinsed the pasta like it says (thank you), and adding a couple ice cubes was genius. My kids asked for seconds, so yeah…
My kids said it tastes like tuna mac, so that’s a win. I didn’t have compari tomatoes (or whatever brand), so I used regular cherry tomatoes and it worked.
I’m not sure about adding ice cubes—won’t that water it down? I guess you’re supposed to use it briefly while cooling? Either way, tasty results.
Compari tomatoes?? Are you sure you don’t mean cherry tomatoes? I used what I had and it still turned out okay, but I was confused at that step.
This reminds me of my grandma’s tuna salad, but faster. Also, iced ginger ale with it is… weirdly perfect.
Aww that sounds super comforting—my grandma did something similar too. Also I’ve never thought to pair tuna salad with ginger ale, but “weirdly perfect” has me intrigued 😂
I don’t eat tuna much (don’t judge). But I made this for my family and they said it was “actually really good.” Kinda salty though—might need less mayo/cheese next time.
This is super easy and refreshing! Perfect for summer.
I made this for a picnic last weekend and everyone loved it! So easy to prepare.
I don’t get why you would want to add ice cubes. Isn’t that kinda weird? But I guess to each their own.
I followed the recipe, but the pasta got all soggy. Not sure if I did somethin wrong.
Can u make it with leftover chicken instead of tuna? I hate tuna. 🤮
Tuna salad is good for summer! But where’s the pickles? 😂
I followed it mostly but my family said it needed more flavor. Maybe add celery or mustard next time? Still decent.
I’m skeptical of tuna + pasta + mayo-ish stuff, but my kids devoured it. I added a little black pepper and it tasted way better than I expected.
Is it really a salad if it’s pasta? 🤔
Pasta salad is still a salad! It’s all about the ingredients! 🍝🥗
My pasta stayed kinda warm even after the fridge. Maybe my refrigerator is weak or I’m just impatient 😅 But once it chilled, it was good.
As a vegan, I couldn’t try this but it sounds delish!
My kids loved this! They usually don’t eat tuna but this was a hit!
I don’t like cooking, so this is perfect for me. Easy peasy!
Tuna salad? I dunno, tuna kinda smells weird, right? Maybe I’ll try it but I’m not super excited.
This sounds so easy! I usually avoid cooking, but this might be my go-to recipe now. Thanks!
I don’t know about the Miracle Whip. Can’t you just use mayo? Seems weird.
I think Miracle Whip gives it that nice tangy flavor that mayo just can’t match! It’s kinda the secret ingredient. 😄
The Compari tomatoes thing—do you mean Capri? I searched my pantry and only had cherry tomatoes, but it was fine. Recipe still helped!
This is a great recipe! Loved the addition of dill. Perfect for summer days!
“Compari tomatoes”?? I Googled and assumed you meant Campari, lol. Still good though—just make sure your garnish is actually tomatoes and not whatever autocorrect did.
Yummy! My kids even liked it, which is rare. Will make again!
Miracle Whip is my weakness. I know it’s not everyone’s vibe, but it works here. The rinse-cold-water step matters—mine wasn’t soggy at all.
Made it yesterday and added a little celery for crunch. Loved the dill and green onions. Next time I’ll add extra cheese too.
I don’t get the ice cubes in the salad step… seems like it’ll water it down. I skipped that and cooled it in the fridge like normal. Still turned out good.
Pretty good, but I used shredded cheese and it disappeared into the salad like slime 😅 Still tasty though. Next time I’ll do cubes like the title suggests.
I don’t like Miracle Whip, can I use mayo instead? 🤔
Yeah, mayo is great! Just don’t put too much or it’ll taste weird. 😅
I dunno, mayo just ain’t the same. Miracle Whip got its own flavor, you know? 🤷♂️
Really good idea using pasta, makes it filling! But I forgot the dill, my bad.
Made this for my picnic and everyone loved it! Will make again.
Not so sure about the Miracle Whip… I prefer mayo. 😬
Miracle Whip is kinda sweet for tuna salad in my opinion. I used mayo instead and it felt more balanced. Wouldn’t call it bad, just not my taste.
I did hard-boiled eggs on top like suggested and that made it feel like a real meal, not just tuna salad. 10/10 for hot days.
Yes!! Hard-boiled eggs on top is such a game changer. Makes it feel way more filling—like actual dinner instead of “sad lunch” 😅 Great call for hot days too!
Hot day or not, tuna + mayo-y stuff just feels heavy to me. But the egg garnish sounds decent. Did you mix the Miracle Whip with the tuna, or just leave it as a topping?
Doesn’t sound filling enough. Where’s the meat?? 👀
I don’t understand why people like cold tuna salad? Fish chillin’ in the fridge just ain’t right.
Sounds good, but I don’t like tuna. Can I use chicken instead?
Sure, chicken would be fine! Just make sure it’s cooked. I think it’ll taste good too.
I didn’t have Compari tomatoes, so I used regular cherry ones and it was still great. Also, rinsing pasta with cold water helps a ton so it doesn’t clump.
Good to know about the cherry tomatoes— I always forget brands matter. And yeah, rinsing pasta with cold water is a game changer for clumps. 🍝❄️
Miracle Whip + tuna feels kinda too sweet to me… but if you say it’s great I’ll try it. Also I thought rinsing pasta was bad? lol
Too many steps for tuna salad imo. Like boil pasta, rinse, cool, then mix—honestly I usually just use mayo and call it a day.
Delicious and easy! Just what I need for this heatwave.
Not sure about adding ice cubes… I tried it and my tuna mixture got a little watery. I’d skip that step and just refrigerate longer.
The “add ice cubes” step is genius. I was impatient and it cooled fast without messing it up.
This is exactly the kind of no-fuss lunch I need. The cold pasta + Miracle Whip combo hits every time—tastes like a diner salad.
Yes!! This sounds like the exact lunch I’d actually make. Cold pasta salads are the best on hot days—Miracle Whip + dill is such a classic diner vibe.
Miracle Whip? I dunno, that seems kinda sweet for tuna, but I guess the cold pasta would mellow it. Might try it once and see…