Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad With Tuna​ is the ideal summertime lunch or supper made using common cupboard ingredients! Prepare this dish in less than 1.5 hours.
On a hot summer day while I was growing up, I remember my mother preparing macaroni and tuna fish salad, which is also referred to as tuna macaroni salad or tuna pasta salad, depending on where you reside. In our home, this was a seasonal meal that was usually prepared on Good Friday, then again throughout the summer, and finally again for Labor Day weekend. After my grandma passed away, she continued the custom her mother had started.
Salty plain potato chips accompany the mac and tuna salad, as I called it many years ago. When I was younger, I would put tuna, veggies, and macaroni onto each potato chip, using them as a stand-in for flatware. I like that the custom of this filling salad for warm weather is still being followed, and my son now does the same thing!
Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad With Tuna​
Ingredients
- 1/2-pound elbow (or shell) macaroni
- 1 cup real mayonnaise, more or less, as needed
- 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
- 1 rib celery, chopped
- Salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning and Old Bay, to taste
- 1 or 2 (5 ounce) cans tuna, in oil, undrained preferred
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1 to 2 tablespoons pickle juice, optional
Read Also: How to make Mushroom Pasta
Instructions
- Prepare the macaroni as directed on the box, drain, and transfer to a serving or storage dish.
- Add mayonnaise right away and mix until well covered. Add the spices, egg, and celery.
- Gently mix in the tuna and peas, adding more mayonnaise if necessary to get the appropriate moisture content and/or pickle juice, if using.
Traditional Macaroni Salad with Tuna
I've had this old fashioned macaroni salad with tuna a lot this summer, along with tomatoes, cucumbers, and melons, so I thought it was time to share!
Of course, it's nothing new, and I haven't even invented it; in fact, it's been around for a little longer than I have, but if you're a bit younger than me, you could have grown up with it. It was simple to make and affordable, so if you're closer to my age, you may remember it from your early marriage, your first apartment, or your college years. Even now, I'm prepared to wager that some of you still create it yourselves!
On these sweltering summer days, when you're want something easy for lunch or dinner, or even as a midday snack, it's lovely and light. Especially at this time of year, I truly have cravings for it!
The ingredients for this simple pantry staple salad are listed below.
Pasta: While some individuals use shell pasta for their tuna pasta salad, my family has always used elbow macaroni.
Tuna: I only use canned solid white albacore tuna.
Mayonnaise: Since using Miracle Whip can drastically alter the dish's flavor, I always use genuine mayonnaise. This is obviously a matter of choice.
Vegetables: I use a combination of freshly chopped celery and red bell pepper.
Seasonings: salt, pepper, dried parsley, and dried onion flakes.
Instructions
To begin, old fashioned macaroni salad with tuna as directed on the package. Set aside after draining and rinsing in cool water.
Combine the drained tuna fish, mayonnaise, chopped bell pepper, celery, onion flakes, parsley, salt, and pepper in a big storage container.
After that, gradually stir in the cooked elbow macaroni and mayonnaise mixture until well combined. Put the container in the fridge to chill for at least two hours once all of the macaroni has been combined.
You May Also Like: 10 Restaurants That Defined Dining
Pasta Salad Recipes
These additional simple pasta salad recipes are sure to please any pasta salad lover.
FAQs: Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad With Tuna​
What is a macaroni salad called?
Combined from cooked elbow macaroni and often combined with mayonnaise, macaroni salad is a sort of pasta salad that is served cold. It is often served as a side dish to fried chicken, barbecue, and other picnic-style foods, much like mayonnaise or potato salad.
What does Martha Stewart put in her tuna salad?
In a 2006 episode of "The Martha Stewart Show," the celebrity chef revealed that canned tuna and celery are the only traditional ingredients she uses in her tuna salad. "Lemonaise" (also known as lemony mayonnaise) is used in place of mayonnaise, and more lemon juice is added as a supplement.
Why is macaroni salad so good?
The acidic taste of macaroni salad makes it the ideal side dish for a barbecue burger fresh off the grill. Its versatility is its finest feature. Add some variation by using other ingredients, such as in a Caprese or Hawaiian macaroni salad.
What are the health disadvantages of pasta?
Is pasta a good or bad food? The most common kind of pasta is refined white, however consuming too much refined carbohydrates has been linked to an elevated risk of many illnesses. These include type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke.
