Tuna Macaroni Salad is a classic potluck recipe and is so easy to throw together. It is creamy and delicious with lots of hard-boiled egg, peas, celery, onion, and sweet pickle relish. This simple pasta salad goes great with a sandwich, burgers, bbq chicken. You name it!

This Tuna Macaroni Salad recipe easily feeds 10 to 12 people as a side and is perfect for your next picnic. There’s something about a cool and creamy recipe that really hits the spot during the hot summer months.
Reader Comment
Renne says “I love this recipe! It’s so easy & quick to make! It tastes great right after you make it as well as after it’s refrigerated!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Make Ahead
And this Macaroni Salad only tastes better with time so feel free to make it a day or two in advance. If it has lost some of its creaminess, just stir another tablespoon or two of mayonnaise in before serving.
How To Serve
This recipe is a great one to make for a potluck. It goes wonderfully with sandwiches, burgers, or grilled chicken.
Budget Friendly
Tuna Macaroni Salad is a really budget-friendly recipe. Adding a can of tuna to pasta salad gives it plenty of flavor and some protein without the expense of a more protein-laden recipe.
Storage
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. They make a great lunch. I like to serve them over a bed of lettuce with some sliced summer tomatoes.
More Picnic Sides
- Creamy Dill Potato Salad
- Southern Potato Salad
- Spicy Bacon Baked Beans
- Sweet Vinegar Coleslaw
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Tuna Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow pasta
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
- 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 (12-ounce) can tuna, drained
- 1 1/3 cups mayonnaise
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding the peas the last minute of cooking time. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain again and add to a large bowl.
- Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be made a day in advance.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Originally posted June 28, 2018.
Very easy a classic dish that is absolutely delicious
Great recipe! Thank you for sharing! I make this all the time now. Itโs my go to!
Really good The only thing I changed was the real life. I didn’t have any sweet pickle Relish so used dil and it was really good.