Tuna Macaroni Salad – Immaculate Bites

Tuna Macaroni Salad Recipe – Making appearances at potlucks, picnics, and even the dinner table, this tuna macaroni salad is a real delight. Elbow macaroni, bright diced veggies, and savory tuna, all tossed with a silky mayo-based dressing, give this dish a lot to love. 😍

The best macaroni salad with tuna is both refreshing and satisfying, and it’s the reason I fell in love with this old-school meal. It’s absolutely packed with flavor and textures without being heavy or dense. 

I also love that it can be as simple or as elaborate as you please. It’s 100% customizable. Practically every ingredient has a potential swap-out, and what you could add to the mix is almost limitless. 

Why Tuna Macaroni Salad Is a Classic

I think we can agree that tuna macaroni salad is an OG American classic. I haven’t met anyone Stateside who doesn’t have a family recipe, beloved and passed down by their granny. And why not?

Simple, economical, can feed a crowd, and tastes amazing is what I call ticking all the boxes. ✅

Recipe Ingredients

1. Elbow Macaroni makes this a macaroni salad. While it’s true that any macaroni pasta (penne, shells, etc.) will work, elbows deliver the classic look. However, don’t let that stop you from using ziti, fusilli, spaghetti, or bowtie for your tuna pasta.
2. Tuna – Canned tuna in water is the lesser calorie choice for this recipe, but you can use canned tuna in oil. However, it will change the texture of the salad slightly.
3. Veggies – For a pop of color and some refreshing crunch, add chopped celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and frozen peas. 
4. Eggs – Hard-boiled eggs are a must in my tuna macaroni salad. They add a lot flavor-wise, making the salad more filling and creamy.
5. Mayo Dressing Ingredients – Mayonnaise, lemon juice, sweet relish, and mustard make a silky smooth dressing with just the right amount of tang. 

How to Make Tuna Macaroni Salad

Prep the Ingredients

• Cook Macaroni – Boil the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and rinse well. Set aside and allow to cool while working on the sauce. (Photo 1)
• Dressing – In a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice or vinegar, sweet relish, and mustard. Set aside (refrigerate until ready to use if not making the salad immediately). (Photos 2-3)

Assemble the Salad

• Make Salad – Put the cooked macaroni in a large bowl. Add the tuna, celery, chopped hard-boiled eggs, red bell pepper, peas, and onion. (Photos 4-6)
• Dress It – Add the prepared mayonnaise sauce to the bowl and thoroughly mix. Add salt and pepper to taste. And then garnish with parsley. (Photo 7)
• Serve or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. It should last 3-4 days in the fridge. If it seems dry, stir in a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise to moisten. (Photo 8)

Recipe Variations

1. Use a different pasta. Swap out the macaroni with egg noodles, rotini, or even animal-shaped pasta for the kids.
2. Fun add-ins. Shredded chicken, ham, bacon, grated carrots, cheddar cheese, diced cucumber, sliced olives, or a combination of these all work well in this tuna salad.
3. Change the protein. If you (or your resident picky eater) aren’t a tuna fan, you can still enjoy this fresh pasta salad. Just add canned chicken instead of fish. 👌
4. Creamy tang. Replace half the mayo with sour cream for a tangy, creamy twist.

Tips and Tricks

1. If the salad seems dry when you take it out of the fridge, add a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise. That should moisten it back up.
2. Cook the pasta al dente. You want the elbows to have a bit of bite left in them. Trust me, mushy pasta in tuna macaroni salad is not pleasant.
3. Canned tuna can be salty, so add salt sparingly and always do a taste test before adding more.
4. If using tuna canned in oil, reduce the amount of mayo in the dressing by a ¼ cup.

Make-Ahead Instructions

Since tuna macaroni salad is usually served cold, it’s easy to make ahead. Just follow the recipe, and refrigerate the tuna salad in an airtight container a day or two in advance. Remove from the fridge and serve whenever you’re ready to dig in. 😋

Serving and Storage Instructions 

Serve tuna macaroni salad right after assembling, garnished with freshly chopped parsley.

Refrigerate leftover tuna salad in an airtight container for 3-5 days. I don’t recommend freezing this one because it changes the texture, and not for the better.

What Goes With Tuna Macaroni Salad

Tuna macaroni salad can easily be a meal all on its own. Hawaiian sweet rolls and a glass of Southern sweet iced tea make great finishing touches. If you’re looking for a heartier meal, try it as a side dish with grilled meats like pellet grilled pork chops. For dessert, serve easy lemon bars. 

More Terrific Tuna Recipes to Try

1. Tuna Patties
2. Smoked Tuna
3. Easy Tuna Melt
4. Tuna Noodle Casserole
5. Avocado White Bean Tuna Salad

Watch How to Make It

This blog post was originally published in July 2020 and has been updated with additional tips, new photos, and a video