Pasta Salad Recipe with Tuna, Tomato and Olives
This is a cooling salad that will become a go-to meal in the summer. It's high in fiber and protein, low in fat, and the carbohydrates in the pasta will keep you going. It's also particularly good for picnics as there is no mayonnaise in it.
So mix up a big bowl, get some friends together, and enjoy!
Cook Time
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ready in: 30 min
Yields: 10 servings (as entree) or 20 side servings
For Variety, Try These Ingredients:
- Corn niblets for sweetness
- Pink, kidney, or garbanzo beans instead of black
- Capers for a brinier flavor
- Salmon or tiny shrimp instead of tuna
- Water chestnuts for crunch
- Large couscous instead of pasta
- Other fresh herbs instead of dill
Ingredients
- 1 pound bowtie pasta, cooked, drained, and cooled
- 2 cans tuna, solid white in water, drained
- 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
- 1 can pitted black olives, coarsely chopped
- .5 small jar green olives, with pimientos, coarsely chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped
- 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 small jar roasted red peppers, coarsely chopped
- .5 jar fat-free Italian dressing, whatever brand you like
- Several handfuls fresh dill, chopped
- Go ahead and feel free to add something else, or remove an ingredient as you desire. Get creative and really make the dish your own.
Instructions for Pasta Salad with Tuna, Tomato and Olives
- Bring a large pot of cold water to a boil, and cook the pasta 2 minutes shorter than stated on the package. Then drain under cool running water, rinsing off any sticky starch.
- Rinse and pat dry the black olives, green olives, and roasted peppers. Anything jarred is full of salt, and no one needs to take in all that extra sodium. Also, wash and core the yellow pepper and wash the tomatoes. Dry everything well. A watery salad is very unappealing.
- With a sharp knife, chop the dill and remove to a small bowl. Coarsely chop both types of olives and both types of peppers. Halve the tomatoes.
- Rinse the black beans until the water runs fairly clear. You don't want the salad to look mucky and dark. Also, drain the tuna. Don't flake it; try to keep it in solid bite-sized pieces.
- Transfer the cooled pasta to a large bowl. Add the tuna, tomatoes, beans, peppers, and olives. Mix it gently.
- Add the dressing, and mix gently again. Don't add too much dressing! Then add the dill, and mix gently once more. If you plan to serve it in the same bowl you mixed it in, wipe the sides with a damp paper towel. It will make a much nicer presentation at the table, especially if the bowl is glass.
- You can eat it now if you want, or refrigerate 20 minutes or overnight. Serve with a side salad and pan-grilled bread. Enjoy!
How to Make Pasta Salad, in Pictures
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How to "Grill" Bread in a Pan
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