Description
This Creamy & Healthy Meal Prep Tuna Pasta Salad is the perfect crowd-pleasing dish for quick lunches or picnics. We lighten up the classic recipe, making it flavorful and easy to prepare ahead of time. Let your inner child play in the kitchen and enjoy this delicious connection.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound short pasta (like rotini or elbow macaroni)
- 2 (5 ounce) cans tuna in water, drained
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool slightly.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard until smooth. This is your creamy base.
- Add the salt and pepper to the dressing and mix well. Taste it; feel free to adjust seasoning now.
- Gently fold in the drained tuna, chopped celery, red onion, and fresh parsley into the dressing.
- Add the cooled pasta to the bowl. Use a spatula to gently combine everything until the pasta is evenly coated.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. This allows the flavors to meld beautifully.
- Serve cold. This salad tastes even better the next day for your meal prep lunch.
Notes
- You can substitute half the Greek yogurt with avocado for extra healthy fats if you prefer.
- For a different flavor, add 1/4 cup of sweet pickle relish to the mixture.
- If you are prepping this for more than three days, consider adding the celery and onion just before serving to keep them crisp.
- Liam likes to add a dash of smoked paprika for depth.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 40mg