Tuna Noodle Salad
A fresh take on the classic cold pasta salad dish. I made my own version of the recipe because I am not a fan of relish, but the fresh herbs and stone ground mustard add so much flavor that you dont miss it.
A fresh take on the classic cold pasta salad dish. I made my own version of the recipe because I am not a fan of relish, but the fresh herbs and stone ground mustard add so much flavor that you dont miss it.
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 cup fresh basil chopped
- 8 ounces penne or rotini pasta (whole wheat optional) cooked and drained
- 4 eggs; hard-boiled peeled and roughly chopped
- 2 cans (5 oz) tuna fish or albacore (in water) drained
- 2 tablespoons stone-ground mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper or to taste (add a dash of red pepper for some kick)
- 1/8 cup fresh chives chopped
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (light/low fat works fine) or more, if desired
- Carbohydrate 51.0217423705477 g
- Cholesterol 255.5475 mg
- Fat 19.5390068438557 g
- Fiber 2.56127365809744 g
- Protein 34.6747328962548 g
- Saturated Fat 3.79758500008886 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (229g)
- Sodium 884.313250000304 mg
- Sugar 48.4604687124502 g
- Trans Fat 2.67420684223186 g
- Calories 527 calories
Step-by-step
- After the pasta has cooled for a few minutes, place in a large mixing bowl.
- Add all of the remaining ingredients and mix them together thoroughly with a large spoon.
- Make sure to break up any large chunks of tuna.
- Chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 10-20 min, and serve.
Traditional warm tuna casseroles rely on heavy, baked cream sauces, whereas this cold pasta salad depends on a balanced emulsion of mayonnaise and stone-ground mustard to bind the components without weighing down the tender penne or rotini. The most critical operational factor in preparing this dish is thermal management: cooling the cooked pasta to room temperature before adding the mayonnaise prevents the fat in the emulsion from breaking and separating into an oily film. By incorporating chopped hard-boiled eggs, flaky canned albacore tuna, and pungent fresh herbs like basil and chives, the mixture gains textural complexity and bright aromatic notes that replace the sharp tang typically supplied by pickle relish. Swapping whole wheat pasta for standard semolina alters the hydration absorption rate significantly, meaning you may need an extra tablespoon of mayonnaise to maintain the correct coating consistency. Allowing the finished salad to rest in the refrigerator for at least twenty minutes permits the starches to absorb the mustard and garlic powder fully while firming the chopped eggs.
