Tuna Pasta Salad
This is the one I make when I want lunch ready without turning on the stove more than once. Tuna, pasta, and a handful of crunchy vegetables come together into something that tastes better the longer it sits in the fridge.
This is a cold option, which makes it a nice change of pace from the rest of my meal preps that need reheating. Tuna and yogurt keep it light, while celery adds the crunch that a pasta salad needs to avoid feeling mushy.
Peas add a bit of sweetness and color without much extra effort, since they just need to thaw before mixing in. Whole-wheat pasta holds its texture better than regular pasta in a cold salad like this, so it doesn't turn gummy by day three.
The recipe card has the full ingredient breakdown for the entire ten-portion batch. Let the pasta cool completely before mixing everything together and sealing the containers, then refrigerate what you'll eat within four days. This tuna pasta salad is ready to eat straight from the fridge with no reheating required.
Nutrition note: This is general food information, not individualized medical or nutrition advice.
Tuna Pasta Salad
YIELD
10 portions
ESTIMATED NUTRITION
450 calories • 46g protein • 60g carbs • 5g fat per portion
This is the kind of meal I reach for when I want a comforting, homemade dinner without having to cook from scratch every night.
Ingredients
• 10 cans tuna in water, drained
• 30 oz whole-wheat pasta
• 5 cups celery, diced
• 2 1/2 cup peas
• 1 1/10 cup Greek yogurt
• 5 tbsp light mayo
• 2 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
Directions
1. Cook and cool pasta.
2. Mix tuna, celery and peas.
3. Stir yogurt, mayo, mustard and lemon together; toss with pasta and tuna mixture.
4. Let the food cool briefly, then divide it evenly among 10 airtight meal-prep containers. Add avocado or other delicate fresh toppings just before eating.
Meal-prep notes: Refrigerate promptly and use refrigerated portions within 3–4 days; freeze any portions you will not eat in that window. Reheat hot meals until steaming and 165°F internally. Nutrition is estimated per portion.
