Tuna Macaroni Salad
This Tuna Macaroni Salad recipe is a classic favorite. Elbow macaroni, canned tuna, peas and a seasoned mayonnaise all combine for a family favorite!
A Classic Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe
Tuna Macaroni Salad is a dish that doesn’t get a lot of credit. It’s one of those meals that most of us remember our Mommas making. It is economical and it makes a lot. I absolutely love to dig into a bowl of this stuff. It is one of my favorite comfort foods (besides The Best Potato Salad). This classic pasta salad really is an entire meal in one!
Our new favorite tuna mac! Have made several times now exactly as written and get so many compliments!
– Christy
Questions You May Have
The basic ingredients are macaroni noodles, canned tuna, peas, relish and onion all tossed in a mayonnaise based dressing.
Shallot has a very light onion flavor and doesn’t overpower the other flavors. But you certainly can use an onion if you prefer.
Elbow macaroni is a traditional pasta shape to use for this recipe. However, you really could use any pasta shape you enjoy. Cavatappi or shell pasta would work great.
I only use canned tuna in water. Canned tuna in oil or any other flavors will change the consistency and texture of the tuna pasta salad.
Yes, Tuna Pasta Salad can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until ready to serve (about 24 hours in advance). In fact, I think that the flavors of the salad improve after a few hours or even overnight in the fridge.
It can be done but it is not recommended. The quality of the pasta deteriorates quite a bit once it is defrosted.
Tuna Pasta Salad can last for up to four days in the fridge if stored in an airtight container. However, it is important to note that the quality of the salad may start to degrade after a day or two.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For The Full Recipe)
- elbow macaroni – you can use any small shaped pasta.
- canned tuna – I prefer the canned tuna in water – not oil.
- shallot – you can use an onion but I prefer the light onion flavor of a shallot (it also gives it a touch of garlic flavor).
- mayonnaise – I like Hellman’s or Duke’s mayonnaise but you could use Miracle Whip if you really love it.
- sweet pickle relish – You can even make your own Sweet Pickle Relish, or if don’t like the sweet relish, leave it out or substitute with Dill Pickle Relish.
- celery seed – this adds a light celery flavor, you could substitute with finely diced celery.
- lemon juice – this brightens the overall flavor of the pasta salad as well as the tuna (you don’t taste it as a separate flavor).
- frozen peas – peas are frozen at peak ripeness and work perfect here but you could use drained canned peas as well.
How To Make Tuna Macaroni Salad
Make the dressing
Cook macaroni according to directions on package. While pasta is cooking, drain cans of tuna well. Chop hard boiled eggs and shallot. In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, relish, celery seed, lemon juice, salt & pepper. Stir well to combine. Stir in tuna.
Add the cooked pasta
Once macaroni is cooked, drain well and rinse with cold water until pasta has cooled. Pour drained macaroni into a large bowl.
Mix pasta and dressing
Pour mayonnaise mixture onto pasta. Then add chopped eggs and shallot, followed by thawed peas. Stir well. Cover with plastic wrap and pop into the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.
Then enjoy!
Craving More Recipes?
Tuna Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounce box elbow macaroni
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sweet pickle relish
- ½ Tablespoon celery seed (more or less, to taste)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 3 (5 ounce) cans tuna packed in water, drained well
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- 1 shallot, diced
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
Instructions
- Cook 16 ounce box elbow macaroni according to directions on package.
- In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup sweet pickle relish, 1/2 Tablespoon celery seed, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice. Stir well to combine.
- Stir in 3 (5 ounce) cans tuna packed in water, drained well.
- Once macaroni is cooked, drain well and rinse with cold water until pasta has cooled. Pour drained macaroni into a large bowl.
- Pour mayonnaise mixture onto pasta.
- Then add 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped and 1 shallot, diced, followed by 1 cup frozen peas, thawed. Stir well.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap.
- Put bowl into the fridge for a couple of hours, then serve.
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- Letting the tuna pasta salad hang out in the fridge for a couple of hours really makes a difference. It helps the flavors to meld and just makes for a better tasting tuna macaroni salad.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: October 2018
Updated & republished: March 2024
I have always wanted to duplicate my MIL’s recipe since she never wrote it down. This is pretty spot on. My family loves it and enjoys her memory.
Our new fav tuna Mac! Have made several times now exactly as written and get so many compliments!
Absolutely the best!
I just made this for dinner tonight! It’s perfect for a hot summer day. Love it!
Thanks so much Lucianne!
DELICIOUS!!!!!!
Great recipe! I love the old fashion, tried & true recipes – and this fits the bill.
An FYI – for those who find macaroni tuna salad (or any pasta salad without oil) may dry out a little more than your liking, I add some 18 or 35% cream to keep it creamy. (ier)
LOVE this recipe! I have made it several times now and it is always a HUGE hit! It is a wonderful summer time dish. We will eat it for lunch or dinner. It is always a main dish in our house but you could use it as a side dish too. It is very versatile.LOVE LOVE LOVE!
Thanks so very much Christine!! I really appreciate you coming back to comment!
Sooooo good! Made it exactly as the recipe states. Family loved it.
Yay! Thanks so very much Maria!
oh my God this was so good., I can barely make a hot dog. that was the best macaroni and a salad I have ever eaten …I can’t believe I made it.You should make a cookbook for dummies..lol.. thank you so much for sharing ! you made my day.
.❤️✌️
LOL! I love it! Thanks so much Steven! I’m so glad you gave it a try!!
Like my Mom’s from many moons ago, only better (sorry Mom). You can’t go wrong with this recipe. Thanks for posting!
Thanks so much Carole!
This was the best tuna macaroni salad I have ever made! I have always used the same basic recipe that my family has always made and that is perfectly fine but this one is absolutely fantastic and so yummy. Thanks so much! I know a lot of people have their one versions but I wouldn’t change a thing on this!
Wow – this was so delicious! I have never made it before. I had always eaten what someone else made and I am so impressed. The shallot really makes a difference in my opinion. I think it was almost better the next day as the noodles have a bit of time to soak up the sauce (which I enjoy) Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
I have always had challenges with preparing tuna. I love your quick and easy recipes and the videos clearly demonstrate how. Ingredients are readily available. Thank you so much for sharing these recipes.
You are so very welcome and I am so glad you find it helpful!
Quick note: Just put your frozen peas in the strainer that you use to strain your pasta. That’s all the heat that’s needed to defrost the peas quickly. I am one of those old died-in-the-wool Miracle Whip users for tuna salad but have never even thought to add chopped hard boiled eggs or relish; sounds like great additions I will add the next time I make it. I do always add some diced up celery though. Every recipe of yours that I have tried has been excellent so my pre-mature 5 star rating is from all the experiences with your valued recipes!
Can you freeze this?
You should be able to but I’ll be honest, I’ve never actually tried.
I halved the recipe as I’m the only that would be eating it. I used it to meal prep and packed a tsp. of mayo with the lunches to account for drying out. It’s very similar to the one I grew up on and is now a part of my rotation. The only tweak I’ve added (followed too a t the fisrt time and it was phenomenal) is a tsp. of dijon mustard per half recipe, as a personal preference. Thank you!
I made this and it was delicious.
Just add extra mayo to the portion you are packing for lunch. No need to pack a separate teaspoon of mayonnaise to add before serving.
So good! Will be keeping this in regular rotation especially for summertime. Used shells and just loved it.
I used low carb pasta for my husband who is diabetic. Yum.
I have never made this before, but have had it at different occasions. My husband asked me to make it and I found this recipe. It was excellent. I wanted a bit of a crunch so I chopped up two ribs of celery and added it and it was perfect. And for those who say “I don’t have a shallot” – well I didn’t either so I finely chopped half of a medium sweet onion (I looked up substitutions and it said 1/2 cup) and it was fine.
Thanks so very much Pat
This is the one!!! I’ve been testing different macaroni salad recipes for years trying to duplicate a favorite I had at a restaurant, but they were never quite right. Finally!!! Thank you!!! I’m not fond of sweet pickle relish, but I trusted your recipe. Sure glad I did! It is perfect! The flavors and consistency are spot on! You are my macaroni salad hero! : )
Woo hoo!! Thank you for taking a chance on this recipe! It took me a few years to get this exactly how I wanted it. I took it to a huge work picnic and it was gone in 20 minutes and I couldn’t pass out the recipe fast enough so I knew I had the one LOL
THIS SOUNDS DELICIOUS!
I anticipate it will be received well by my family. Given the effects of global warming I will be making it today as temperatures are headed to the mid 90s. I have one question. You say it is OK to substitute finely chopped celery for celery seed. Sounds good. How much chopped celery would you use?
TNX
Rick
Hey Rick! It’s all about personal taste. I would say about 1-2 stalks (depending how much you like celery) and chop it pretty small. Hope that helps!
I made 1/3 the recipe because I’m only feeding myself. I have to say, the lemon juice takes the flavor up a notch and the celery seed & celery salt added such wonderful flavor! It was very delicious! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
I made this today and used up Large Shells that I had. This is by far the BEST TUNA PASTA SALAD I have ever made! I absolutely loved the flavors together! Just a super salad -YUMMY!!!
Thank you SO much Bobbie!! Thank you so much for coming back to comment!
This is my absolute favorite tuna recipe. My wife has been making it for us for years and it’s so easy even this none cook can make it! The Country Cook’s recipe is the one closest to my wife’s and I love it. Of course you can add other veggies and things if you want but this is the one I love. If you like tuna I hope you’ll try it.
I love this recipe, I make it at least once a month, even the kids will eat it! Thanks for sharing! I eat it over arugula, so good!
Thanks SO much Laura!! I absolutely love hearing when kids love a recipe! Also, I love the idea of eating it over arugula since I really love arugula – ha!
Made this recently and we thought it was excellent. It made a lot, so next time, I’ll cut recipe in half .
Thanks so very much Terri!
I usually make my own tuna pasta salad but I wanted a different flavour for Thanksgiving. This was AWESOME! I didn’t have celery seed or lemon so I used dill and lime and my God! Superb!
I am so glad you took a chance on this recipe! Thank you Berry!
What could I use as a replacement for celery seed??
There is no replacement. It has its own unique flavor. You can just leave it out if you don’t enjoy it 🙂
Delicious salad. I have been making a similar version for years. I have not used peas before. Mine I usually put diced cucumber, and diced tomato. They both taste yummy in the salad, and look great.
Sounds delicious Shirley! Cucumbers are always a nice addition!
I catch and can my own yellow fin tuna in olive oil, so I drained it and let it sit on paper towels to get most oil off. But simply amazing!!! Best simple recipe for this, thanks so much for sharing!
Oh wow!! I would love to try it with your fresh tuna! I bet it is SO good!
Great salad
Just made this. Fantabulous really. I made exactly as written but used chopped red onion rather than shallot.
Woo hoo! Thank you so very much Stephanie!
Made this recipe with my zucchini relish and added celery and shredded carrots. It was delicious!
I just made this and this is by far the best. Absolutely love it.
I made this pasta for out dinner today. My husband said “it is the best tuna salad I have never made”. I changed a litter bit for our taste. I replaced peas as celery, shallot as sweet onion, and fresh lime….. my husband said “please keep this recipe and this will favorite pasta salad for summer and pot luck”. Thanks for sharing
Looks yummy!
Excellent recipe. I made it exactly as written but added 2TBS of sour cream as that is a personal preference and used shell macaroni as that is what I had on hand. We really enjoyed your recipe, thank you for sharing.
I replaced the celery seed and shallot with celery and red onion. Adjusted the proportions based on personal preference (wanted more peas). Also added a sprinkle of Splenda to the mayo sauce. Very good!
This is a great tuna salad. Just a little tangy. I added only half of the macaroni pasta.
Great recipe but I used canned white chicken breast instead of tuna. It was very good. Thanks for your recipe.
I made this recipe exactly as shown and for us the sweet pickle relish was a tad too much. I would do half of what was recommended next time. Otherwise a great recipe.
I love this recipe! My only question is- the serving says 413kcal per serving but there isn’t a serving size anywhere! :0 is that per cup? Per oz? Please help!
10 servings it says.
I always worry when I serve a new recipe to company, but this one was fabulous. I made it without the peas, because we have some non-pea eaters in the crowd. I did everything else exactly according to the recipe , and everyone came back for seconds (and more!).
This recipe is amazing! I wanted to follow it exactly so my review would be 100% based on the original recipe, but it turns out I didn’t have sweet pickle relish. I did have Heinz hot dog relish which is very similar with the addition of a little mustard. I actually think that addition took this recipe to the next level, but would be five stars even with just regular sweet relish. Overall, very flavorful and delicious! I highly recommend giving it a try. Enjoy! 🙂
This is a great basic recipe that hits all the flavor palettes for a good tuna salad. It doesn’t have too much mayo and doesn’t need any extra (per my mayo loving hubby). I used frozen peas, carrots and corn and onion instead of shallots (that’s what I had on hand) and it was great. Can’t wait to try the shallots, that will make it even better! Thanks for sharing!
Good recipe. Of course, I use my own variations. I use dill pickle relish rather than sweet. I use petite frozen peas, and I do not thaw them. I use much less mayo than the recipe calls for.
best I have ever made
This is a great recipe but needed some tweaking for my personal tastes….
I added 4 stalks of chopped celery because it needed some crunch, otherwise it is just mushy with no texture. I added an extra egg and used only 3/4 of the macaroni. If it sits overnight I feel like it gets too dry and more mayo is needed. Loved the add of the sweet relish and celery seed – really brought this up a notch or ten!!!
When Tuna Helper first came out years ago, they had a cold Tuna Helper that they no longer make, but your recipe looks like it could be very close. My family loved the cold Tuna Helper we had 2-3 times a month for lunch. I am going to give this a try.
Best ever!!
With my area of Pennsylvania gearing up for some humidity here shortly, I wanted fuel for the machine that wouldn’t heat up my kitchen. (No AC)
This was amazing, delicious and easy, and it makes a lot more than I thought. Reminds me of Friday Lenten lunchtime at my Nonnis. Thanks for sharing
Yum! Brings back childhood memories in Michigan. I did add more mayo. Just my preference.
Thanks Bari! I don’t think you can ever go wrong with more mayo 😉
Top notch! I always loved my MIL’s tuna salad but could never get it just right. Well let me tell you this is even better! . I did substitute maille brand dijon mustard for the lemon juice. I used about a tablespoon. Thanks for a great recipe!