THE BEST Tuna Macaroni Salad Recipe EVER

Hey, PBJ’s! Today, I’m back with another delicious salad recipe y’all are gonna love. If you’re looking for an unforgettable tuna macaroni salad, this recipe if perfect for you.

It’s the perfect salad for summer cookouts and tastes great with BBQ ribs and grilled chicken. It tastes just as good as my other popular summer salads: Italian Dressing Pasta Salad, Deli-Style Macaroni Salad, and Creamy Spaghetti Seafood Salad recipes.

Watch Me Make It

Grandma Val’s Tuna Macaroni Salad

Most of you may already know, but I lived with my grandma Val during my teens. She wasn’t much of a cook; her husband, McCloud, did most of the cooking.

But whenever we threw a summer cookout, she would always make the tuna macaroni salad. I enjoyed it so much; it was one of the things I looked forward to eating the most.

Tuna macaroni is my 2nd-favorite salad, after only potato salad! Grandma Val made it so good that sometimes I’d put it over potato salad. Lol

When Grandma Val would make this, she never measured any of the ingredients. She did what most older Southern women did: cook from the soul.

They used their eyes to measure things and would taste the food to make sure it was just right. If something wasn’t to her liking, she would add a little more of this or that until it was perfect.

So it wasn’t like there was an actual recipe that I could follow. To duplicate her salad, I used the same ingredients and had to guesstimate how much of each she used.

Eventually I nailed it and put my own spin on it to make it mine. So yeah, shout out to my grandma Val, the sweetest woman in the world! This delicious recipe is all because of her.

“Why Pickles, Grandma?”

If there’s one thing that set her tuna macaroni apart from others, it was the chopped dill pickles. I remember giving her the “stank face” and side-eying her the first time I saw her putting them in.

I said, “Grandma… you’re putting pickles in tuna macaroni salad?” And she emphatically replied, “Yes, my mother always did. You don’t like pickles, baby?”

I responded, “Yes, but not in Tuna Macaroni Salad!” What’s funny is I had never even tried tuna macaroni salad that had pickles in it. Lol!

Well, let’s just say after the first bite, I was hooked and absolutely devoured it. The relish’s sweetness and the pickles’ tartness gave the salad balance and made for a good combo.

Because of her, I’ve been making it this way ever since. Love you, Viola Taylor and R.I.P! Let’s get started with the tools and ingredients you’re gonna need for this masterpiece.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here are all the ingredients you’ll need for this delicious tuna macaroni salad.

• Pasta: We’ll be using macaroni. Make sure you use a good brand of elbow macaroni.
• Eggs: We’ll use 3 large eggs in this recipe. Two will go into the salad, including the yolks, which will be mashed before being added. Then one egg will be sliced and placed on top.
• Tuna: I like to use “chunk light” tuna by Bumblebee or Chicken of the Sea.
• Vegetables: We’ll use red onions and peppers for their mild flavor and nice pop of color. Celery is so important because it gives the salad a defining, necessary flavor. If you don’t have any on hand, celery seeds are a good alternative. The pickles give the salad balance and a hint of tartness, which is needed to cut through the sugar and sweet relish.
• Condiments: Mayo is the dressing base for tuna macaroni salad. Use Hellmann’s mayo; it’s the BEST! Sweet relish adds depth of flavor and overall deliciousness to the salad! You can’t make tuna mac without relish; it’s one of those MUST-USE ingredients. I like to use regular yellow mustard. The vinegar in the mustard adds a little tanginess, which, along with the pickles, balances the salad perfectly.
• Seasoning: Salt adds taste, and Old Bay adds a mild seafood flavor. Garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper are like a singing trio; they are often used together because they bring out the best in the food. Sugar adds a touch of sweetness. Paprika and parsley are used to garnish the salad.

Common Questions About Macaroni

• What brand of macaroni do you use? I always make sure to use a good brand like Barilla, Mueller’s, Ronzoni, De Cecco, or San Giorgio.
• Do you have to use macaroni? It is called tuna “macaroni” salad, so macaroni noodles are the traditional option. However, you can use other pasta shapes if you prefer. Small pasta shapes like shells, rotini, bow ties, or cavatappi work well because they hold onto the creamy dressing and mix nicely with the tuna and vegetables.
• What does it mean to “cook until al dente”? When a recipe tells you to “cook pasta until al dente,” it just means to cook it until it’s tender but still firm. You don’t want to overcook the macaroni until it’s bloated and mushy.
• Should you boil the macaroni with oil? I used to because I thought it kept the pasta from sticking, but I think it’s pointless. Even if it sticks a little as it cools down, it will easily come apart once you stir everything in.
• Why do you add salt to pasta water? Salt seasons the pasta as it cooks, giving it more flavor.
• Should you rinse the macaroni when it’s done? Yes. A light rinse in cold water is great to stop the cooking process.
• Can you use gluten-free pasta shells? Yes, but gluten-free pasta is more fragile, so it doesn’t take as long to cook. When you fold in the ingredients, do it gently so the gluten-free macaroni holds its form and doesn’t turn to mush.

The Tuna

I like to use “chunk light tuna” because it comes in smaller flakes, which makes it easier to chop. Light tuna is darker and has more flavor—the more flavor, the better!

In case you’re wondering, white tuna comes from albacore, a larger fish with lighter-colored flesh, a firmer texture, and a milder flavor.

Water vs Oil-Packed Tuna

So what’s the difference between water-packed and oil-packed tuna? Both are great sources of protein and low in saturated fat, but oil-packed tuna is a little softer and richer.

Oil-packed tuna also tends to be higher in calories and total fat, while water-packed tuna is drier. The oil keeps oil-packed tuna moist and gives it a softer texture even after you remove it from the can.

Mayo provides plenty of moisture and fat, which is why water-packed tuna is best for tuna macaroni salad. Oil-packed tuna is better suited for drier dishes that need extra moisture and fat.

How to make Tuna macaroni salad

1. Place a large pot and a medium pot over high heat.
2. Add cold water to both pots, then add salt to the large pot.
3. Once the medium pot of water comes to a boil, add the eggs.
4. Boil the eggs for 12–15 minutes, then drain the hot water.
5. Set the eggs in a bowl of cold water to chill.
6. Once the large pot of water comes to a boil, add the pasta.
7. Boil the pasta for 10 minutes, then drain.
8. Rinse the pasta with cold water and set aside to chill.
9. Remove the shells and set one egg aside for the top.
10. Slice 2 eggs in half, remove the yolks, and smash them into a fine paste.
11. Chop the egg whites into small pieces.
12. Add the macaroni to a large mixing bowl.
13. Add the seasonings, then fold well.
14. Add the vegetables, eggs, and tuna, then fold well.
15. Add the mayo, relish, and mustard, then fold everything together.
16. Slice the remaining egg into 5 pieces.
17. Top the salad with the sliced egg and sprinkle with paprika and parsley.

Tips for best results:

• Don’t overcook your macaroni: Boil it until it’s tender but still has a firm bite. Because the macaroni will soften as it sits and absorbs the dressing, starting with firm noodles keeps the salad from getting mushy.
• Don’t skip the cold rinse: As soon as you drain the macaroni, rinse it under cold water for 30 to 40 seconds. This instantly stops the cooking process and washes away excess starch so your noodles stay separate and don’t clump together.
• Control the moisture: Water is the absolute enemy of a creamy salad! Make sure your macaroni is fully drained, your rinsed vegetables are patted dry, and your tuna is strained as well as possible. Any leftover moisture can thin out your mayo, dilute the flavor, and keep the dressing from sticking to the pasta as it should.
• Finely chop the tuna: Cut it into small, fine pieces so it’s evenly distributed throughout the salad. This way, you get a little tuna in every bite instead of big chunks scattered throughout the salad.
• Chop Small: Aim for uniform, small pieces when chopping your vegetables and eggs. Smaller pieces distribute more evenly throughout the salad, so you get a little bit of everything in every bite.
• Make it the night before: For the absolute best results, prep this salad the night before serving. Letting it sit in the fridge overnight gives the tuna, mayo, relish, and seasonings time to marry, turning a good salad into a great one.

Serving Suggestions

• The BEST Oven-Baked Steak Recipe
• Simple Juicy Oven Roasted Whole Chicken
• The BEST Oven-Baked BBQ Chicken
• The BEST Oven-Baked BBQ Pork Ribs

Storage

Place the salad in a Tupperware bowl or leave it in the mixing/serving bowl. Make sure it’s tightly covered with a lid, plastic wrap, or aluminum foil. Then place it in the refrigerator on the bottom rack so it stays fresh.

Tuna Macaroni Salad FAQs

• How long does Tuna Macaroni Salad last? Tuna macaroni salad will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days. I recommend eating it within that time frame.
• How do I make a larger batch of this recipe? If you want to scale up the recipe, just double or triple the amount of each ingredient. You’ll obviously need more water and bigger pots since you’ll be boiling more eggs and macaroni.
• Why is the salad runny? The salad can look soupy due to moisture from the ingredients and wet condiments. You want it to be a little on the wet side because it’s going to stiffen significantly as it sets and chills in the fridge.
• How do I fix a runny salad? If your salad is too runny, add more macaroni to absorb excess moisture. You may need to add a little more seasoning too since you’re adding more pasta.

Cooking Utensils You’ll Need

These are the tools you’ll need to prepare this recipe, along with some other useful kitchen items you may not have on hand. I’ve included links to some of my recommended products if you’d like to check them out.

• 2 Pots
• Colander
• Knife
• Measuring Cup
• Measuring Spoons
• Large Mixing Bowl
• Big Spoon
• Storage Container

Other salads you might like:

• World’s Best Southern Potato Salad Recipe
• The BEST Macaroni Salad Recipe Ever
• World’s Best Seafood Pasta Salad 
• Delicious Creamy Spaghetti Seafood Salad To Die For 

Those of you who follow me on social media may remember me saying I’d be creating a lot of salad recipes this month. Well, it’s late May, and I’ve already posted two!

It’s getting hot, and I know y’all want some salad recipes for your summer cookouts. This tuna macaroni salad is the bomb and one of the best recipes you’ll find online.

Please give it a shot, and make sure you subscribe so you never miss a recipe! If you like this salad, share your thoughts below and give us 5 stars—it helps us a lot in these Google streets! Lol!

Enjoy, later!

PBJ~

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