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. And this Tuna 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.
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. Leftovers make a great lunch.
More Picnic Sides
Watch the short video below to see how easy this recipe is to make!
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.
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Absolutely fantastic recipe easy to use… Turned out absolutely wonderful
Made it. Ate it. Loved it!!
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!
I did change a couple of things in this recipe.
I didn’t add peas, hubby doesn’t like them. I don’t like olives so no olives. I used green onions, lots of the green part. Added diced mini colored sweet peppers and 6 eggs, yolks only.
It’s delicious!!!
I have no idea how people can accurately rate a recipe if they made a bunch of changes before they even try the original!
I agree. Some people always seem to do that on recipe pages. Recipe like it is, was yummy to me and my family… People should do their own recipes and share then if they want to change a bunch of things on recipes posted. 😆
I replaced the sweet pickle relish with Dill Pickle Relish. Sugar on tuna isn’t very appealing. Otherwise delicious.
I normally use small shell pasta and put in a drained can of Rotel tomatoes. Wonderful!
I went with the other recommendations and added mustard, then I also added dill relish and white balsamic vinegar similar to what I wd do with potato salad or tuna salad by itself. I sauteed the onions and used yellow ones to make them milder bc someone said the red ones were too much. It is very yummy and the proportions are just right! TY!
I’m curious has to how you can change the entire recipe and then give it a 4? You shouldn’t be rating it as it is now a different recipe.
I’m curious has to how you can change the entire recipe and then give it a 4? You shouldn’t be rating it as it is now a different recipe.