8oz.pasta, medium or small shellsalso could use macaroni elbows, bow ties, rings or rotini
1tbspkosher saltfor the pasta water
1cupfrozen peas
2largeRoma tomatoes, dicedabout 1 cup diced
1/2yellow onion, dicedabout 1 cup diced
2stalkscelery, dicedabout 1 cup diced
8oz.canned tuna, (2, 5 oz. cans, drained)I used Genova yellowfin tuna packed in olive oil. I really prefer Wild Planet Wild Albacore Tuna, which is only tuna, salt, and no added fillers.
1/2tspLawry's seasoned salt
1/2tspblack pepper, fresh ground
2/3cupMiracle Whip salad dressingalso could use mayonnaise, or a combination of mayo and plain Greek yogurt
green onion, sliced as a garnish if desired
Instructions
Cook pasta in water with about a tablespoon of kosher salt added according to package instructions. Once there is 1 minute left to cook, add the frozen peas to the water. When finished, strain the pasta and peas in a colander or wire mesh and run cold water over them until cooled, about 45 seconds. Place into a large mixing bowl.
Open the tuna cans and drain off excess oil or water and add to the bowl along with the chopped vegetables, spices and salad dressing. Fold together until all the pasta has been coated evenly.
Refrigerator for an hour before serving.
Notes
The nutrition information is based on having the salad as a main entree. It works well as a side dish too. In this case you'd probably have enough for 6 or 7 servings, (maybe like taking the salad to a potluck).
No additional salt was added, just the Lawry's seasoned salt. You could taste before serving to add some more salt but I like to leave that up to the individual.
This recipe is super flexible and the quantities are not set in stone. Use what you feel is best for you.
I have always used Miracle Whip salad dressing for tuna salad but I realize it is full of calories. If you'd like to cut some of the calories you could use a 50/50 blend of Greek yogurt. Even whole milk Greek yogurt is half the calories of Miracle Whip.
Adding the frozen peas to the pasta water right at the end is a genius tip I saw somewhere. It works so that's how I do it.