Tuna and Vegetable Pasta Salad
A refreshing cold pasta salad with flaked tuna, crisp vegetables, and a light lemon dressing, perfect for a quick weeknight meal. This Italian-inspired pasta recipe, ready in about 15 minutes, pairs rotini pasta, tuna, cucumber for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 300 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 8 oz rotini pasta
- 1 (5 oz) can tuna
- 1/2 cup (about 50g) cucumber
- 1/2 cup (about 50g) bell pepper
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Cook 8 oz rotini pasta in a large pot of salted water for 8-10 minutes until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water to cool.
- Step 2: In a large bowl, combine drained pasta, 1 (5 oz) can tuna (drained), 1/2 cup diced cucumber (about 50g), and 1/2 cup diced bell pepper (about 50g).
- Step 3: Whisk together 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp olive oil, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a small bowl.
- Step 4: Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss to coat evenly.
- Step 5: Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld.
