Rotini Tuna Avocado Salad
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A cold pasta salad mixing rotinis with creamy avocado and briny tuna. The rotinis cook to firm bite, then cooled and lightly tossed in oil to keep them separate. Onion green soaked in water to cut sharpness, adding crunch without harsh bite. One avocado mashed with lemon zest, juice, and mayo to coat pasta with silky tang. Tuna breaks apart in chunks on top, joined by julienned red pepper and a handful of peppery arugula. Slices of ripe avocado freshened by bright lemon. Simple, no dairy or nuts. Takes around 30 minutes total. A no-fuss meal with layers of texture balancing richness and freshness.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
15 min
Total:
37 min
Servings:
4 servings
#pasta salad
#avocado recipes
#tuna dishes
#French-inspired
#summer salads
Pasta salads, easy to mess up by leaking mush or bland dressings. Learned to cook rotini just so—bite but no crunch. Toss warm pasta with oil before mixing dressing stops sticky masses. Avocado mashed with mayo and lemon makes velvety coating instead of watery guac disasters. Tuna in oil drained but retains bold flavor, not canned blandness. Soaking onion green cuts pungency, no harsh hits but crisp texture. Bell pepper fresh, arugula peppery contrasts creamy, oily tuna and avocado fat. Bright lemon zest lifts whole mess. Choose very ripe avocado; too firm and salad loses silky mouthfeel. Learned layering, from mashed avocado base to slices on top prevents color loss and keeps texture shifts interesting. Trust your senses—look for pasta springy-to-bite, avocado glossy and lemon smelling bright. A quick meal that’s unexpectedly complex.
Ingredients
- 350 g rotinis pasta (increase slightly for extra bite)
- 1 medium green onion, thinly julienned
- 2 ripe avocados, pitted and peeled
- 1 lemon, zest finely grated plus juice divided
- 30 ml mayonnaise
- 2 cans 200 g (7 oz) tuna packed in olive oil, drained
- 1/2 red bell pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced
- 50 g arugula, roughly chopped
- 15 ml extra virgin olive oil (substitutes: light vegetable oil)
About the ingredients
Slightly boosted pasta quantity to ensure each bowl feels full, avoid stingy servings. Swap mayo for Greek yogurt for lighter touch but watch texture shift to more runny; adjust lemon accordingly. Use olive oil drained from tuna tin for dressing to deepen flavor, but if too fishy, rinse tuna under cold water quickly before draining to soften intensity. Arugula swaps well for spinach or watercress if you want milder bitterness. Red bell pepper adds sweet crunch—if missing, celery or cucumber julienne keep fresh bite. Green onion soaking technique critical; raw scallion often shocks with sulfur notes if used fresh in salads. Rash avocado browning can ruin look and taste, so lemon juice coating is must. If out of avocado, mashed cooked pumpkin or butternut squash with a dash of tahini can mimic creaminess in a pinch but taste shifts drastically. Oil on pasta crucial—without it, rotinis clump and look dull. Season pasta water well; pasta is the canvas. Salt level here mirrors seawater, best for flavor depth.
Method
- Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a lively boil. Toss in dry rotinis. Stir occasionally so they don’t stick. Cook until just tender but firm – al dente. Taste test against your teeth — no mush. Drain promptly in colander. Shake off excess water. Toss immediately with a splash of olive oil to keep pasta strands separate; avoids clumping when warm.
- While pasta cooks, plunge green onion strips into cold water bowl. Let sit at least 5 minutes to mellow raw sharpness, draw out some bite. Drain well just before plating; this trick preserves crunch without overpowering the dish.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash one avocado with fork. Add the lemon zest, half the juice, and mayonnaise. Season lightly with salt and black pepper. The mayo adds creaminess without weighing down flavors. Fold in the warm pasta carefully, coating spirals evenly. Warm pasta absorbs flavors better, cooling solidifies dressing on surfaces.
- Slice the remaining avocado thinly. Immediately brush or drizzle with remaining lemon juice to prevent browning. Keep fresh, vivid green color.
- Divide the coated pasta among individual bowls. Top with drained tuna, broken gently into chunks but not smashed. Scatter red pepper julienne and handfuls of chopped arugula over that. Lay avocado slices on top last for visual pop and creamy contrast.
- Serve right away or chill briefly for a cooler salad (but no longer than 30 minutes to keep avocado fresh).
Cooking tips
Start pasta in vigorously boiling water—temperature drop when pasta hits water can muddy timing. Keep lid off during cooking to watch bubbles and avoid overboil. Test pasta by biting into one spiral; should grip your teeth slightly. Don’t trust timer blindly. Drain swiftly, residual heat will keep pasta warm. Toss immediately with oil; cold pasta blends poorly with dressing, the starch settles and clumps. Soak green onion in cold water for 10 minutes if time allows—avoids harsh bite and turns onion crisp. Mash avocado with fork by hand, not blender—fibers keep texture. Mix lemon zest in first to release oils, then juice to avoid immediate coagulation. Incorporate mayo at room temp for smooth mix; cold mayo can break mashed avocado mix. Fold pasta gently to avoid mashing avocado or breaking pasta. Assemble final by layering: noodles in bowl, then tuna chunks scattered to keep texture intact. Pepper and arugula last to preserve fresh crunch. Avocado slices draped on top—handles heat better and avoids discoloration from mixed stirring. Serve immediately; if chilled, cover with plastic wrapped directly on avocado to prevent browning. Leftovers re-mixed well but risk texture softening. Learn to read your ingredients and trust their cues over exact clocks.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Start pasta in vigorously boiling salted water. Salt like seawater; it seasons through. Watch bubbles closely. When rotini hits, temp drops. Keep boil lively for exact cook time. Al dente means firm bite—test one by crunching. No mush, no raw starchy chew.
- 💡 Draining tuna matters. Olive oil adds flavor, but fishiness can dominate. Rinse briefly if too strong, then drain well. Tuna chunks should hold texture—break apart gently, not mash. Keeps bite intact in salad. Oil from tuna can sub in dressing oil, but adjust acidity if oil tastes heavy or fishy.
- 💡 Green onion soaking cuts sulfur punch raw slices bring. Cold water soaking 5-10 minutes works best; crunchy but tamed sharpness remains. Drain well or water dilutes dressing. Critical for balance between fresh onion bite and mellow crunch. Skip only if onion mild or very fresh.
- 💡 Avocado mash texture key: fork mashing keeps slight fiber, prevents runny slop blender makes. Lemon zest first releases essential oils before juice added; juice then stops greening and firms texture. Mayo adds creamy coating, prevents watery guac-like separation — careful fold warm pasta before it cools too much.
- 💡 Warm pasta toss with splash olive oil right off drain; hot rotinis soak and coat so dressing clings better. Cold pasta clumps, starch settles, dressing runs off. Layer avocado mash coating first, then final avocado slices on top to keep color bright. Lemon juice brushed on slices prevents browning fast.
- 💡 If bell pepper missing—celery or cucumber julienned keep crisp contrast. Arugula swaps with spinach or watercress for bitterness level tweaks. Storage is tricky—salad chilled max 30 minutes. Avocado browns fast despite lemon. Cover avocado layer tightly or wrap plastic on top surface to slow oxidation.
Common questions
How do I tell when rotini is done?
Bite test best. Grab one hot from pot. Firm not crunchy. No pasty mush. If it falls apart, overcooked. Timing varies by brand. Quick tests keep it tight.
Can I use yogurt instead of mayo?
Yeah, but dressing thins out. More runny. Mix lemon juice carefully. Texture changes. Flavor lighter, but fails creamy cling sometimes. Adjust lemon as it affects sourness.
Why does avocado brown fast in salad?
Oxidation hits once cut exposed. Lemon juice slows browning by acidifying surface. Putting slices on top and brushing juice key. Cover tightly if chilling. Mix avocado early causes dark color too.
How best to store leftovers?
Wrap plastic directly on avocado slices. Store airtight in fridge max one day. Texture softens—pasta absorbs dressing. Not great next day, but still okay. Avoid freezing; kills freshness, mash breaks down.
