Classic summer dish, coming right up!

There have been many requests for this Tuna Macaroni Salad recipe since I first started posting it on my Instagram Stories over the summer. A childhood summer food staple in my household, this checks off so many boxes. It comes together in less than 30 minutes, you can chill and save it if you’re making some lunches or dinners for the week, the textures and flavors run the gamut, and it’s the ultimate dish for those hot summer nights when you just can’t stand the thought of even a warm dinner. 

I’ll occasionally vary what I add to this dish – if I don’t have enough celery, I’ll double up on bell peppers to ensure there is enough *crunch* to the dish – but the basics largely remain the same. 

Even as the months cool down as we move closer to autumn, I will still be whipping this up because, above all else, I find this dish to be comforting.

I recently took a day trip to visit my parents, and I whipped this baby up, alongside some summer vine-ripened tomatoes, mozzarella, and some basil from their little baby garden out front. What a perfect little meal!

Tuna Macaroni Salad

(Makes a lot of servings…like…a lot.)

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz. box elbow macaroni
• 2 eggs
• 1 large bell pepper, diced (no matter the color!)
• ½ large red onion, diced
• 2 large celery stalks, diced
• 1 can tuna, drained & flaked – I opt for solid or chunk for optimal flaking
• 10 oz. mayonnaise (Use. Real. Mayo! 🤤)
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• Salt + pepper, to taste

Directions:

1.) Fill a large pot with water, bring to a boil, and add macaroni and eggs. Cook macaroni until slightly past al dente, roughly 8 – 10 minutes. Remove eggs and add to an ice bath. Pour macaroni into a large colander, rinse well with cold water, and drain thoroughly. 

2.) Once drained, place macaroni into a large bowl to combine with other ingredients.

3.) Remove eggs from shells and roughly chop. 

4.) Add chopped eggs, bell pepper, onion, celery, and tuna to the macaroni and toss thoroughly to combine. 

5.) In a small bowl, stir together mayonnaise, mustard, and white vinegar. Pour over macaroni and toss to combine. If your macaroni looks a little dry after this step, add more mayonnaise by eyeballing it. 

6.) Serve immediate, or chill in the fridge for 30 minutes for a cool meal for a hot day! Stores in the refrigerator for up to three days if you have leftovers or are meal-prepping.