This tuna-macaroni salad starts with a pound of elbow macaroni, boiled in well-salted water until tender. While it cooks, two cans of tuna are drained and three hard-boiled eggs are peeled, two are chopped, one is sliced for garnish, ready to fold in for protein and richness.
The dressing comes together easily: a cup and a half of mayonnaise (adjustable to taste) mixed with half a cup of dill relish or chopped cornichons for tang, a tablespoon of yellow or Dijon mustard, a teaspoon of onion powder, and half a teaspoon of black pepper. This creamy, well-seasoned base ties everything together.
For crunch and color, a cup of chopped celery and a chopped sweet onion for extra sweetness and texture are stirred in, along with optional additions like one chopped red bell pepper and frozen peas. Once the macaroni is drained and cooled slightly, everything gets combined — pasta, tuna, egg, dressing, and vegetables — until evenly coated.
To finish, the salad is dusted with paprika for a pop of color and, just before serving, brightened with an optional squeeze of fresh lemon juice. The optional ingredients make it easy to customize, whether you prefer it simple or loaded with extra crunch.
When we made it again, we added in 2 cups of cherry tomatoes, quartered.
Tuna-Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
- 2 (5-oz.) cans tuna in water, drained
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled, two chopped, one sliced for garnish
- 1 ½ cup mayonnaise, plus more or less to taste
- ½ cup dill relish, or chopped cornichons
- 1 Tbsp. yellow or Dijon mustard, more to taste
- 1 tsp. onion powder
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- 1 cup chopped celery, from about 3 stalks; leaves saved for garnish
- 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
- 1 small red bell pepper, chopped, (optional)
- ½ cup frozen peas, (optional)
- Paprika, for garnish
- Squeeze of lemon juice before serving, (optional)
Directions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil, and cook the macaroni according to package instructions, until slightly pasta al dente. Drain, rinse with cold water until the pasta is cool and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked macaroni, tuna, eggs, mayonnaise, relish, mustard, onion powder, pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Add chopped celery, onion, (red bell pepper and peas, if using), and toss gently with a spoon to combine.
- Taste and adjust salt and mayonnaise as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, and up to overnight. Top with sliced egg and celery leaves. Squeeze lemon juice (if using) and sprinkle with paprika for garnish before serving cold.
Adapted from a recipe by Millie Peartree for NYTimes Cooking
