Macaroni Salad with Tuna Recipe: Simple Tuna Mac Salad

You’ve got questions? I’ve got answers! If you have a question you don’t see listed below, please drop them in the comments section. I’m happy to help when I can! 

Truthfully, that depends upon your personal taste. However, solid white tuna (Albacore) will offer a firmer, meatier, steak-like texture and mild, delicate flavor; while chunk light tuna has a softer, flakier texture, more robust flavor, and it’s more budget-friendly.

I personally prefer to use solid white albacore here as its meatier texture hold up great to the weight of the macaroni pasta salad; but chunk light will work too.

Regardless of the variety of tuna, make sure it’s water-packed tuna and not oil-packed tuna. Unfortunately, oil-packed tuna will make this salad too oily in texture.

For sure—if you’re looking for a simple chicken macaroni salad, swap in cans of chicken.

Sure! You can use all greek yogurt to make the salad dressing; however, the flavor will obviously be altered.

After boiling, be sure to shock the macaroni to stop the cooking process and then let it cool completely before adding the dressing to prevent it from absorbing too much. (Science: warm pasta will absorb the dressing faster. So, make sure it’s cool before you dress it!)

While elbow macaroni is the traditional pasta used in tuna mac salads, you can absolutely use a different shape if you prefer. The best alternatives are small pasta shapes with ridges, curves, nooks, crannies, or pockets that help capture the creamy dressing as well as the bits of tuna and veggies.

Great substitutes include:

• Shells. Their cup-like shape catches tuna and creamy dressing in every bite.
• Rotini. Twists hold onto dressing beautifully and add extra texture.
• Farfalle (Bow Ties). Attractive and sturdy, perfect for potlucks and gatherings.
• Cavatappi. Corkscrew-shaped pasta with ridges that cling to dressing exceptionally well.
• Small Penne. Will lend a heartier bite while still mixing easily with the other ingredients.

Note: keep in mind that different shapes affect the overall character of the salad. Rotini and cavatappi will create a more robust, textured dish, while farfalle and shells deliver a softer, more traditional deli-style salad feel.

The bottom line: if you have another short pasta shape in your pantry, use it with confidence. As long as it’s bite-sized and capable of holding onto the creamy dressing, your tuna macaroni salad will be every bit as satisfying, flavorful, and crowd-pleasing as the elbow original.

Most definitely. If you’re looking for a classic macaroni salad, finely chopped hard-boiled eggs complement tuna perfectly..

Unfortunately, chilling makes tuna and macaroni salads prone to drying out. Just add little extra dressing to refresh the texture. And, if you don’t have any leftover dressing, try a dollop of yogurt or mayo, or a small splash of milk or lemon juice, depending upon the texture and flavor you’re after.

Yes, you sure can. Simply swap out the Greek yogurt for a plant-based or dairy-free substitute and nix the regular mayo for a dairy-free mayonnaise alternative.

Yes, and no. While you should serve macaroni salads chilled, they shouldn’t be “cold”. Make sure you allow it to sit at room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving. This helps the flavors become more deliciously pronounced.

The great thing about pasta salads–they get better over time! This recipe for tuna and macaroni salad tastes better once the noodles, tuna, and veggies have an opportunity to sit in the dressing and drink up all the flavor.

I recommend making this tuna mac salad recipe at least 2 hours in advance. When you are ready to serve, stir in a bit more dressing, add in a little bit of kosher salt, ground black pepper, and fresh herbs to taste. Then, watch the flavors come to life and chow down.