Tuna Pasta Salad Remix
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Cold pasta salad with flaky tuna, juicy cherry tomatoes, fresh corn, and crisp cucumber. Tossed with a zesty lime-herb dressing and a touch of sweetness. Uses fusilli and minibocconcinis but swaps feta for smoky manchego, and green onions for fresh chives. Ready in under 35 minutes. Light, bright, with texture contrast and layers of flavor. Great for lunches or casual dinners. No eggs or nuts. Simple pantry staples with a twist. Vibrant colors, chewy pasta, creamy cheese, and bursts of acidity balance the richness. Refreshing but filling, with a hint of smoky depth for a grown-up touch.
Prep:
15 min
Cook:
15 min
Total:
30 min
Servings:
4 servings
#pasta salad
#tuna recipes
#quick lunch
#fresh herbs
#summer salad
#gluten free option
Cold pasta stuff. Always a gamble. Many tries ruined by gluey lumps or boring blandness. Tuna often overmixed, turns into mush. Good corn can change everything, that crunchy pop cuts richness. Switched feta for manchego once — intense but subtle smoky tang added, unexpected hit on taste buds. Herbs finely minced so every bite has bite. Lime juice? Better than lemon here — cleaner, sharper edge without sour punch. Sugar? Don’t freak. It softens the lime’s harshness just right. Chives in place of green onion — softer, less punch, layers flavor gently. Result? Salad with contrasting textures, fresh and satisfying. Takes less than 35 minutes if you keep pace and watch visual cues. Lunch, dinner, whatever. Makes you want to dig in again.
Ingredients
- 350 g fusilli pasta (about 3 ¾ cups)
- 250 g cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1/2 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise then thinly sliced
- 2 ears fresh corn, cooked and kernels cut off (or 280 g frozen corn, blanched)
- 120 g manchego cheese, cubed (substitute for minibocconcini or feta)
- 1 can 180 g tuna packed in water, drained and flaked
- 4 fresh chives, finely sliced (instead of green onions)
- 50 ml extra virgin olive oil (about 3 ½ tablespoons)
- 1 lime, juiced
- 25 ml (2 tablespoons) finely chopped flat-leaf parsley or basil
- 5 ml granulated sugar (about 1 teaspoon)
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
About the ingredients
Pasta: Fusilli’s spiral shape traps dressing better than smooth types. Cook pasta in very well salted water—should taste like the sea. Drain promptly once al dente; overheated pasta turns mushy and loses its spring. Corn: Oven roast for smoky flavor if fresh—skip blanching when doing this. Frozen corn is a good backup; always blanch quickly to revive sweetness and crunch. Cheese swap: Manchego instead of bocconcini or feta adds unexpected depth; avoid if allergic or prefer milder cheese—mozzarella works well. Tuna: Use good-quality canned tuna in water, drained well. If oily or salty, quick rinse and dry with paper towel. Green components: Chives provide subtler onion flavor than green onions, leaves less overpowering. Herbs: Using a mix of parsley and basil adds freshness and complexity. Sugar helps balance lime acidity without making it taste sweet. Olive oil must be good quality. Lime juice fresh-squeezed or bottled; avoid preservatives that alter flavor.
Method
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Toss fusilli in. Watch carefully; as soon as al dente - firm to bite but cooked through - lift a piece. It should have a slight resistance, not crunch. Drain immediately, shake well to remove excess water, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil to prevent stickiness, toss gently.
- Transfer pasta to a large bowl; allow to cool for about 10 minutes or until just warm. Don’t rush with fridge now; warm pasta absorbs flavor better.
- Meanwhile, prepare veggies and cheese. Halve the cherry tomatoes; they’ll burst with bright juice when bitten. Seeded cucumber slices add crunch and freshness, balancing creamy cheese and tuna’s flakiness.
- Cut the manchego into small cubes, about 1 cm. Smoky and slightly firm texture gives a different twist to usual soft cheese options. Optional: if manchego is too strong, reduce quantity or swap half with mozzarella.
- Add drained corn kernels — fresh or thawed, both work. Fresh corn has more bite and natural sweetness. Frozen sometimes softer but no less tasty if blanched quickly.
- Throw tuna flakes in. Taste a bit beforehand; sometimes canned tuna can be salty or bland – rinse if too salty, drain thoroughly if oily.
- Chopped chives replace green onion sharpness with delicate oniony hints. Mix herbs with sugar first to mellow acidity later.
- In a small bowl, whisk remaining olive oil, lime juice, sugar, salt and pepper until emulsified. The sugar cuts acidity, smooths lime’s edge without masking freshness.
- Pour dressing over pasta mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly so every piece is coated. Watch for color changes — bright reds, shiny olive oil sheen on pasta, fragrant lime-herb aroma and soft hum of mingling flavors.
- Taste, adjust seasoning. Sometimes, a pinch of salt or a squeeze more lime brings dish alive. If too dry, add splash of olive oil; if bland, more herbs.
- Serve immediately or chill for 20 minutes for flavors to meld and textures to firm slightly. Avoid overchilling — pasta gets stiff, herbs dull, cheese hardens.
- Leftovers? Bring to room temp before serving again. Add a fresh sprinkle of herbs or a quick drizzle of olive oil to revive sparkle.
Cooking tips
Salting pasta water is crucial—don’t skimp or you’ll get flat noodles and bland salad. Check pasta early by tasting. Look for firmness with no chalky center; timing depends on your stove. Once pasta drained, toss immediately with oil to keep from sticking—no clumps or glue here. Let cool slightly; warm pasta absorbs flavor better than cold pasta freshly drained from boil. When cutting vegetables, keep sizes consistent for uniform bite and visual appeal. Add ingredients in layers: pasta first to base flavors, then veggies and cheese, finally tuna and herbs to avoid breaking flakes. Dress at end—dressing pasta too early softens pasta’s texture and muddles flavors. Toss gently to preserve tuna shape; rough stirring makes salad mushy. Taste often, adjust acidity and salt. Let salad rest for 20 minutes if you can for flavors to marry, but short rest only to avoid soggy pasta and wilted herbs. When serving leftovers, bring salad to room temp, add fresh herb sprinkle to revive vibrancy.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Cook pasta in heavily salted water—taste water like sea. Watch for al dente; slight resistance under teeth. Drain immediately. Toss with olive oil right away to stop stickiness, no clumps. Don’t rinse pasta or cool too fast. Warm pasta soaks up dressing more, layering flavors better than chilled straight from boil.
- 💡 Cut ingredients uniform size; tomatoes halve, cucumber quarter then slice thin. Cubes of manchego about 1 cm. Consistent bite means texture holds across salad; crunchy cucumber pops against soft cheese and flaked tuna. Fresh corn better if roasted, no blanch; frozen is fine but blanch fast or lose crunch.
- 💡 Herbs chopped finely; parsley and basil combo works well. Sugar added to dressing softens lime’s sharp zing, stops bite being acidic punch but not sweet. Chives swap for green onions—less aggressive, softer onion notes that don’t dominate. Toss herbs with sugar first before adding liquids helps mellow acidity gradually.
- 💡 Tuna vary; some cans oily, salty. Taste first. Rinse if too salty, pat dry with paper towel. Add last to preserve flake shapes, gentle folding to avoid mushy salad. Over stirring kills texture; keep tuna chunks intact for freshness in every forkful.
- 💡 Dress pasta last, never before veggies or cheese. Dressing too soon softens pasta, blunts crispness. Toss gently but thoroughly—look for color shift; pasta sheen from olive oil, olive green flecks of herbs, vibrant tomato reds. Rest salad 15-20 mins if time; flavors marry but avoid overchill or herbs dull cheese turns tough.
Common questions
How to tell pasta is ready?
Bite test best. Slight resistance, no chalky center. Watch time but stove varies. Taste often early. Draining fast prevents mush. Toss in oil right away stops stick glue. No rinse unless salad waits long.
Can I use different cheese?
Manchego smoky, firm but swap okay. Mozzarella softer, less punch, milder flavor. Feta sharp but crumbly changes texture. Watch for allergies. Cheese affects salad feel—firmer means better hold but adjust quantity if strong.
Tuna too salty or oily, fix?
Quick rinse light salt. Drain thoroughly, pat dry. Avoid oily fish types. If flavors weak, add little lemon or more herbs to brighten. Remember fish flakes break easy—stir gently. Tuna quality impacts final taste heavily.
Salad storage options?
Chill tightly covered up to 2 days. Pasta stiffs, herbs lose brightness after long fridge. Bring to room temp before serving; add fresh herbs or drizzle olive oil if dry. Avoid freeze—texture wrecked. Leftover revive with squeeze lime, fresh herbs.
