Easy tuna macaroni salad is perfect to have as a side dish or eat for lunch with a green salad, raw vegetables, or fruit.
Easy tuna macaroni salad is a snap with only a few ingredients. Cold macaroni salads are always a must to serve during the hot summer days, but I love eating them in the winter too.
This macaroni salad is simple to make and takes little time to throw together. The recipe has simple ingredients that make this dish tasty and filling.
Helpful Tips:
- Use the cooking directions on the package of elbow macaroni, but test for doneness as it cooks, so as not to overcook or undercook it.
- Drain the noodles well, you don’t want water in the salad.
- Cool the macaroni before adding the salad dressing.
- I love using salad dressing (Miracle Whip), but you can substitute mayonnaise for it. If using mayonnaise keep in mind that the flavor will not be the same. Also, if using mayonnaise add a little sugar and vinegar to add a little tang that the salad dressing adds.
- Do not leave out the dill in this recipe, it gives great flavor. If you don’t have fresh dill, don’t worry you can use dried dill in its place. If you are using dried dill you will want to use about 1/4 teaspoon or to taste.
- It is best to make the salad the day before you are going to serve it to let the flavors
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Steps for making easy tuna macaroni salad
Step one
Cook the noodles using the direction on the package. Drain the noodles once they are cooked.
Step two
Chop the vegetables and measure the other ingredients.
Step three
Add the ingredients to a large bowl and mix together.
Step four
Add salt and pepper to taste and mix in.
Check out these other pasta dishes:
- Skillet Mac And Cheese
- Chicken Flavored Egg Noodles With Butter and Garlic
- Orzo Pasta Salad
- Cherry Tomato Basil Angel Hair Pasta
If you make this easy tuna macaroni salad, I would love to hear about them! Please leave me a comment and a rating.
Easy Tuna Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked macaroni
- 8 ounces tuna in water
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- 1 teaspoon dill
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
- 1 1/4 cup salad dressing Like Miracle Whip
- 1 stalk celery
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni according to the directions on the box. Once the macaroni is cooked run under cold water and drain.
- While the pasta is cooking drain the tuna and chop the dill and the vegetables.
- Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Chill until the salad is cold, but for best results make it the day before you will serve it.
Notes
- Use the direction on the package for cooking the noodles. Test the noodles as they cook so they do not overcook.
- Drain the noodles completely before adding them to the salad.
- Cool the noodles before adding the other ingredients.
- Make the salad the day before so that the flavors have time to meld.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published on July 17, 2017. It has been updated with new content and pictures on June 22, 2023.
Hi Dawn, sounds like a wonderful treasured time with your father-in-law. Love this tuna macaroni salad, perfect for this hot summer days.
This looks like a crowd pleaser, Dawn. I would love some for my lunch.
I totally agree with you here, Dawn! I love a good mac salad, and it’s a requirement to make at least once (if not more) each summer. It really is the perfect side dish. Thanks so much for sharing this one!
Oh, sounds like a great visit with your FIL! I used to love it when our parents visited, and always hated to see them leave.
Your macaroni salad sounds delicious, and I know it is, because that’s exactly the way I make it, which I learned from my MIL many years ago!
Thanks for sharing this simple macaroni tuna salad…this is sure great for the hot days…and you are right it can be serve as a main dish with a side of green.
Have a wonderful week ahead Dawn 🙂
Love this dish! It’s summer to me. And you gotta add that pickle relish — makes a big difference. This looks great — thanks.
This is a big favorite in my house! Every few weeks we make up a big bowl – we can never wait until the next day though – we’re all so crazy about it we dig right in. 🙂
Look delicious Dawn !!
I think I haven’t had tuna noodle salad since Iwas a kid! I think I’m overdue!
Perfect! Just like Mom’s!
I added a couple of teaspoons of mustard after kid taste testing because my kids demanded more tang.
I also used red onion because it is what I had on hand.
Thank you for sharing this!
Thank you Rosa!! I am happy that you enjoyed the tuna salad. I bet the mustard was a great addition.
Dawn, you took me back to my childhood with this one. A dish that made it to our table often.
I’m inspired to relive that memory. Thanks for sharing.
It was so easy even I could make it. I used wheat noodles that wete let over from last night.. That worked well. I didn’t have any dill except pickles so I added a little bit of juice. It was delicious.
Hi Wendy, I am so glad that you like this dish. I love the combination of pickles and tuna, so adding a bit of the juice was a great substitute. Thank you for stopping by my blog!!