Lemony Tuna Pasta Salad (Print Version)

Bright pasta with tuna, lemon zest, herbs and sweet peas

# What You Need:

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

→ Optional Additions

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

# Steps:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package instructions until al dente. During the final 2 minutes of cooking, add peas to boiling water. Drain pasta and peas thoroughly, then rinse under cold water until completely cooled.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine drained tuna, red onion, parsley, dill, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Mix well to distribute flavors evenly.
03 - Add cooled pasta and peas to the tuna mixture. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
04 - Stir in capers and cherry tomatoes if using. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed.
05 - Serve immediately at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 2 days. Garnish with fresh herbs before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can make it on a random Tuesday without overthinking it.
  • The lemon keeps everything tasting fresh and alive, even if you make it a day ahead.
  • Canned tuna does all the heavy lifting protein-wise, so there's zero guilt about taking shortcuts.
02 -
  • If you skip the cold water rinse after draining the pasta, you'll end up with a warm mushy salad that tastes flat instead of fresh—cold water is non-negotiable here.
  • The magic of this recipe is that it actually gets better after a few hours in the fridge as the lemon and oil work their way into every strand, so don't be afraid to make it ahead.
03 -
  • Make this salad a few hours ahead if you can—the flavors marry beautifully and it tastes better cold than it does warm.
  • Use good quality canned tuna if possible; it makes a real difference in texture and taste since the tuna is doing so much of the heavy lifting here.
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