Italian Style Tuna Macaroni Salad

Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Here is one of our favorite ways to eat macaroni salad.

We love it with tuna pasta salad it's perfect anytime with any other meal or by itself.

Sometimes we can just enjoy a big plate full of this macaroni salad with a big hunk of crusty bread and butter and it's a whole meal.

When I was growing up, mom used to make lots of salad, place a scoop of each salad on a bed a lettuce leaves.

That was a filling lunch for sure with all three.

It was a treat to have her tuna macaroni salad, potato salad, and either ham salad or egg salad all on one plate.

You can also add baby shrimp or leave it plain.

The colorful salad is perfect for holiday side dishes or all summer long for those awesome cookouts and parties outside.

To us, this was the best tuna pasta salad in the world, we just loved it growing up.

Through 1960 and present, my kids and family enjoy this retro old school recipe.





This is tri colored spiral pasta made into a macaroni salad with tuna in a glass white casserole dish





Side Dish or Entree



Perfect for a simple summer supper or as a main-dish potluck contribution, this tuna tri-colored pasta salad is a comfort food classic.


This side dish comes together in just 20 minutes.


Serve it on a bed of lettuce or other cool, crisp greens, and pair it with some crusty bread for a satisfying and refreshing entrée.



This is tri colored spiral pasta made into a macaroni salad with tuna in a glass white casserole dish



Retro Foods



There is almost nothing as good as a Retro Tuna Macaroni Salad!


This recipe brings back the tastes of your childhood and just like mom used to make.


It a total 1960s cold casserole-style dish that everyone loves through the ages.




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Pasta Tips



Like many of my favorite classics, I found the base of this recipe in a recipe collection of one of my moms.


Hers had the same basics but I added more olives and loved genoa salami in mine.


We didn't eat a lot of mayo-based salads, but when we did they always taste better with a touch of a hard-boiled egg in them.


Cooking the macaroni correctly is essential to a good pasta salad.


Overcook it and you’ll end up with mushy bites that won’t stand up to the mixing with the rest of the ingredients.


I always cook it al denté as you would your favorite Italian pasta, and the macaroni will become stiff when it chills.


Watching your cooking time and cooking to the package directions should ensure it's cooked perfectly.


I even like to test one before removing from the pan.


After the pasta is drained, I like to toss it in a bit of olive oil to keep it from sticking so it stays loose and doesn’t clump together.









Italian Style Tuna Macaroni Salad


Printable Recipe Below




1 lb of Tri colored spiral pasta cooked and drained
1/3 olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
red and green chopped bell peppers
4 hard boiled eggs chopped
1 8oz ball of mozzarella cheese or extra sharp provolone cut into chunks
1/4 cup chopped genoa salami
1 diced fresh tomato
1/4 cup chopped black olives
1/2 teaspoon each oregano, garlic powder
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 package or small can of tuna in water drained

Boil and drain pasta set aside. In a large bowl mix all ingredients together except pasta and mix well. Add the pasta last and combine all the flavors. Top with sliced peppers and more chopped parsley. Best eaten the next day. If too dry add more mayo or a little olive oil.




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Italian Style Tuna Macaroni Salad

Yield: 10
Author: Claudia Lamascolo
prep time: cook time: total time:
This is a spiral pasta with tuna and with Italian style ingredients for the perfect side dish with any meal

ingredients:

  • 1 lb of Tri colored spiral pasta cooked and drained
  • 1/3 olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • red and green chopped bell peppers
  • 4 hard boiled eggs chopped
  • 1 8oz ball of mozzarella cheese or extra sharp provolone cut into chunks
  • 1/4 cup chopped genoa salami
  • 1 diced fresh tomato
  • 1/4 cup chopped black olives
  • 1/2 teaspoon each oregano, garlic powder
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 package or small can of tuna in water drained or baby shrimp

instructions:

How to cook Italian Style Tuna Macaroni Salad

  1. Boil and drain pasta set aside. In a large bowl mix all ingredients together except pasta and mix well. 
  2. Add the pasta last and combine all the flavors. 
  3. Top with sliced peppers and more chopped parsley. 
  4. Best eaten the next day. If too dry add more mayo or a little olive oil.
Calories
325
Fat (grams)
28
Sat. Fat (grams)
11
Carbs (grams)
22
Net carbs
19
Sugar (grams)
4
Protein (grams)
21
All information is based on the calories information online, I am not a dietary doctor and if there is any discrepancy, I am not liable for this information.
macaroni salad, pasta salad, tuna and pasta salad, salad
salad, pasta
Italian American
Created using The Recipes Generator




More Recipes To Try




Romaine and Italian Dressing
Tomato Bruschetta
Cresent Roll Seafood Pizza
Italian Style Salsa



This is tri colored spiral pasta made into a macaroni salad with tuna in a glass white casserole dish

26 comments

  1. I love it...well minus the eggs.

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  2. This is a very rich salad, also beautiful with tricolor pasta :) Bye, have a great day

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  3. Delicious salad. It's a great holiday party side dish since you don't have to worry about getting it on the table with other hot foods. Good recipe, Claudia...now....for that Amaretto Cheese Cake. OMG! YUM.

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  4. What an excellent pasta salad, Claudia! Perfect for a holiday meal...love the addition of salami :)

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  5. I love it when people make their own pasta salads. So many of the boxed ones are full and flavorless. Yours on the other hand is full of flavors.

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  6. una ricetta fantastica ho sbirciato il tuo blog è bellissimo mi sono aggiunta se ti va passa a trovarmi

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  7. Claudia, you have such perfect timing! With the holiday season upon us there is a lot of pot luck going on and I always find it difficult to decide on something to bring. Also, a lot of people are bringing sweet type of things, so this is a perfect change of pace. I am sure it will be a welcomed dish by all- It looks delicious, great recipe. Have a great day-XOXO

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  8. This sounds really delicious as I read through the list of ingredients. I really love chopped boiled eggs in a cold salad.

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  9. I just love pasta salad and this version sounds outstanding - like bacon, salami and provolone makes everything better.

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  10. Have never done it with tuna - what a lovely, refreshing addition - and the bonus is it's perfect for a holiday buffet

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  11. This would be a wonderful dish to have on a holiday buffet table. it looks and sounds delicious and it is not that all hard to make. It's a winner. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary

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  12. Claudia - I really love a great pasta salad. And what a great one you have here! So much going on in there you sure don't need anything else to make a complete meal. Wonderful!

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  13. A delicious pasta salad! Love the tuna and mozzarella!

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  14. This would certainly be a big hit at any party!!! I don't how you have time to cook so much with your work. You are a superwoman, my dear.

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  15. Interesting!
    My relationship to pasta salads is split - I could eat buckets (uhm, this may not reflect well on me, but I actually have in the past...) of my mom's pasta salad, which is a German one that isn't like your average pasta salad at all somehow, but have had very few successes with any other pasta salad I've encountered. At best, I find it okay, but not great. Now, salami sounds like a wonderful ingredient unlike anything I've had before, so I'm tempted to try this :)

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  16. Cold Italian past has been a favorite since childhood. I used to love going to the deli and ordering some to snack on with saltines. Thanks for sharing and can't wait to make your recipe.

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  17. I gave up on macaroni salad, a long time ago, but mine never looked like this. Time to get out the pasta again.

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  18. I gave up on macaroni salad, a long time ago, but mine never looked like this. Time to get out the pasta again.

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  19. I love the color that you get from using the tricolor rotini--the addition of the cheese and salami chunks doesn't hurt, either!

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  20. This looks great, Claudia. We always do appetizers and easy salads and such on Christmas Eve so this would be a perfect addition. Gotta try this!

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  21. This looks so delicious! Definitely a great dish for the holidays, everyone would love it! Great recipe :)

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  22. Delicious! I love this sort of dish - and portable for potlucks is terrific! Thanks for sharing!

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  23. I love chilled pasta salads and this is no exception...wonderful recipe Claudia! I hope you are enjoying the season and not working too hard :)
    Hugs

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  24. This is the perfect pasta salad to serve along side a New Years Day ham!

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Remember to use the search option for a recipe you're looking for and thanks for all your kind words and support. We love our readers all the best Claudia