Tuna Pasta Salad
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A good tuna pasta salad should be creamy without being heavy, with enough crunch to keep every forkful interesting. My version combines pasta spirals, chunky tuna, sweetcorn and red pepper with a lemony mayonnaise-and-yoghurt dressing. The chopped gherkins add a small, sharp bite that keeps it from tasting flat.
This is a practical side for a relaxed South African braai: it stretches two tins of tuna into a generous bowl and can be ready before anyone lights the fire. Serve it alongside Peri-Peri Chicken, where the cool dressing balances the chilli, or Lamb Sosaties for a tangy contrast to the smoky meat. Add Beetroot Salad for colour, or browse the Braai Salads collection for another side.
Make it up to a day ahead and keep it covered at 4°C or colder. In our summer heat, a shady table is not a fridge: transport the salad in a cooler with ice packs and serve small portions over ice where possible. Discard salad left without cold holding for more than 2 hours in total, or 1 hour when the temperature is above 32°C. — Janine
Tips & Techniques
- Drain properly: Water hiding in the pasta spirals or clinging to the sweetcorn can turn a creamy dressing watery. Give both a good shake before mixing.
- Cook until just tender: Very firm pasta becomes noticeably chewy once chilled. Aim for tender pasta that still holds its shape, rather than deliberately undercooking it.
- Keep some dressing back: Pasta absorbs dressing as it stands. The reserved 60 ml freshens the salad before serving without drowning it at the start.
- Fold in the tuna last: Gentle folding leaves appealing flakes throughout the salad instead of turning the tuna into a paste.
- Keep it genuinely cold: Use a cooler with plenty of ice packs during transport or load shedding, and check that the salad stays at 4°C or below.
Delicious Variations
- No yoghurt: Replace the 100 ml yoghurt with 75 ml mayonnaise and 25 ml cold water. Taste before adding any extra lemon juice.
- A gentle curry twist: Whisk 5 ml mild curry powder and 15 ml fruit chutney into the dressing, then taste before adding more seasoning.
- Extra green crunch: Add 100 g finely diced, deseeded cucumber just before serving. Pat it dry first so it does not dilute the dressing.
- Gluten-free option: Use 300 g gluten-free short pasta and check the condiment labels. Cook carefully according to the packet and assemble on the day for the best texture.
Serving Suggestions
- With spicy chicken: Serve a chilled spoonful alongside peri-peri chicken to soften the heat without adding another hot dish to prepare.
- With lamb sosaties: The lemon and gherkins cut through the richness of grilled lamb and complement a sweet, spiced marinade.
- For a full braai spread: Allow 8 side portions when there is meat and another salad; expect closer to 6 generous portions if this is the only substantial side.
- As tomorrow’s lunch: Pack a properly chilled portion with lettuce and cherry tomatoes in a separate container, and keep it cold until lunchtime.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Can I make tuna pasta salad the day before a braai?
Yes. Assemble it up to 24 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate at 4°C or colder. Store the reserved dressing separately and fold it in just before serving. The pepper and gherkins hold their crunch well overnight.
Q2: How long can I store the leftovers?
Keep safely handled leftovers covered at 4°C or colder and eat within 2 days of making the salad. Discard any portion that has spent more than 2 hours without cold holding, or more than 1 hour above 32°C; refrigerating it afterwards does not make it safe again. Freezing is not recommended because the dressing can split and the vegetables lose their crunch.
Q3: Can I use tuna in oil or replace the tuna?
Tuna in oil works well if drained thoroughly. You can also replace the tuna with about 250 g cooked, chilled shredded chicken, or 240 g drained chickpeas for a fish-free version. Use the same refrigeration and serving precautions.
Q4: How many people does this recipe serve, and can I double it?
It serves 8 as one of several braai sides, 6 as the main side, or 4 as a light meal. Double all the ingredients for 16 side portions, but cook the pasta in batches if your pot is small. Chill in two shallow containers rather than one very deep bowl.
Q5: Why does my pasta salad become dry in the fridge?
Cooked pasta continues absorbing moisture from the dressing as it rests. Stir in the reserved dressing just before serving. If it still seems dry, fold in another 15–30 ml plain yoghurt, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
In Summary
This tuna pasta salad is a generous, budget-conscious braai side with a creamy dressing, crunchy vegetables and a bright gherkin-and-lemon finish. Make it ahead, save a little dressing for the final stir and keep it properly chilled until serving.
Recipe
Tuna Pasta Salad
This braai-friendly tuna pasta salad combines pasta spirals, tuna, crisp vegetables and a creamy lemon-and-mayonnaise dressing.
Ingredients
- 300 gdry pasta spirals (Fusilli or small pasta shells work well.)
- 2 × 170 g tinstuna in brine (Drain thoroughly; expect roughly 240 g drained tuna in total.)
- 150 gsweetcorn kernels (Drained canned kernels, not cream-style sweetcorn.)
- 1 mediumred pepper (Deseeded and cut into small dice.)
- 3spring onions (Thinly sliced, including the tender green parts.)
- 50 ggherkins (Drained and finely chopped.)
- 150 mlmayonnaise (Use a creamy commercial mayonnaise.)
- 100 mlplain yoghurt (Unsweetened, preferably full-fat.)
- 15 mllemon juice (Freshly squeezed, with extra to taste.)
- 5 mlmild prepared mustard (Dijon or mild English-style prepared mustard.)
- 15 mlfresh parsley (Finely chopped.)
- 2.5 mlfine salt (For seasoning the salad, to taste; use extra for the pasta water.)
- 1.25 mlground black pepper (Plus extra to taste.)
Equipment
- Large saucepan
- Colander
- Chopping board and sharp knife
- Large mixing bowl with a spoon and cover
Method
- 1
Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the packet instructions, usually 9–11 minutes, until just tender. It should not have a hard centre, but must still hold its shape.
- 2
Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse briefly under cold running water until cool. Shake well and leave to drain for 5 minutes; trapped water will thin the dressing.
- 3
While the pasta cooks and drains, prepare the pepper, spring onions, gherkins and parsley. Drain the sweetcorn and tuna thoroughly, then break the tuna into chunky flakes.
- 4
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, yoghurt, lemon juice, mustard and black pepper until smooth. Scoop out about 60 ml of dressing and refrigerate it in a covered container for finishing the salad.
- 5
Add the cooled, well-drained pasta, sweetcorn, pepper, spring onions, gherkins and parsley to the bowl. Toss to coat, then gently fold in the tuna so some flakes remain intact. Taste before adding salt, as the tuna and gherkins already contribute saltiness.
- 6
Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving; this chilling time is additional to the prep and cook times. If making it ahead, keep the salad and reserved dressing refrigerated and finish within 24 hours for the best texture.
- 7
Just before serving, fold in the reserved dressing. Taste and adjust with a little extra lemon juice or black pepper if needed. Serve cold, putting out a smaller bowl at a time and keeping the rest refrigerated.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
- Calories
- 306 kcal
- Carbs
- 33 g
- Protein
- 19 g
- Fat
- 11 g
- Saturated fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 29 mg
- Sodium
- 530 mg
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 5 g
