Lemony Tuna Pasta Salad (Printer Friendly)

Bright and refreshing pasta with tuna, lemon, herbs, and sweet peas. Ready in 25 minutes.

# What You Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 9 oz short pasta (fusilli, penne, or bowties)
02 - Salt for boiling water

→ Salad Components

03 - 1 cup frozen peas
04 - 2 cans (5 oz each) tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked
05 - 1 small red onion, finely diced
06 - 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
07 - 2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
08 - Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
09 - 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
10 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
11 - 1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste

→ Optional Additions

12 - 1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
13 - 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Add frozen peas during the final 2 minutes of cooking. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold running water to stop cooking process and cool quickly.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine drained tuna, diced red onion, chopped parsley, dill, lemon zest, and fresh lemon juice. Mix gently to incorporate flavors.
03 - Add cooled pasta and peas to the bowl. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss gently until evenly coated.
04 - Fold in capers and cherry tomatoes if using. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper as needed.
05 - Serve immediately garnished with extra herbs, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days. flavors improve when allowed to marinate for 1 hour before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together faster than you can set a proper table, making it my go to for unexpected guests or nights when cooking feels like too much
  • The flavors actually get better after a day in the fridge, so you can make it ahead and feel incredibly organized
02 -
  • Rinsing the pasta under cold water stops the cooking process and washes away excess starch, keeping your salad from becoming weirdly gummy
  • This salad needs at least fifteen minutes to hang out in the fridge before serving so all those flavors can really get to know each other
03 -
  • Invest in a good microplane for zesting your citrus, it makes all the difference in getting that fragrant oils without any bitter pith
  • If you are meal prepping, store the dressing separately and toss everything together just before eating
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