Tuna Pasta Salad
From Cooking Thin: A great take on a traditional tuna salad. I often make this if it's hot and I want a satisfying one-dish meal.
From Cooking Thin: A great take on a traditional tuna salad. I often make this if it's hot and I want a satisfying one-dish meal.
- 1 pound fusilli pasta, uncooked such as fusilli
- 1/4 cup plain nonfat yogurt
- 1/4 cup low-fat or nonfat mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice or more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon tabasco sauce or more to taste
- 1/4 cup loosely packed coarsely chopped parsley
- coarse-grained salt and cracked black pepper
- 1/2 red bell pepper roasted seeded peeled and diced
- 1/3 cup scallions thinly sliced white and green parts
- 1 tbs capers rinsed and coarsely chopped
- 2 6-oz cans white albacore tuna packed in water drained
- Carbohydrate 44.9303948611111 g
- Cholesterol 72.1291666666667 mg
- Fat 5.50150680555555 g
- Fiber 0.475104848187003 g
- Protein 23.8356448958333 g
- Saturated Fat 0.918528173611111 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (187g)
- Sodium 356.727253472222 mg
- Sugar 44.4552900129241 g
- Trans Fat 0.790403999999999 g
- Calories 328 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and cook pasta according to directions until al dente. Drain, season with salt, and place in a large serving bowl; set aside.
- Prepare dressing in a small nonreactive bowl by whisking together yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, Tabasco, and parsely. Taste and adjust seasonings with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to dress salad.
- Add red pepper, scallions, capers, and tuna to bowl with pasta. Breakup tuna with a fork. Toss until combined. Add dressing and toss until evenly distributed. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate a few hours.
How do you prevent pasta salad from turning dry and pasty after resting in the refrigerator? Starch absorption is the main culprit, as cooked fusilli continues to absorb moisture from the surrounding environment long after the heat is removed. Coating the warm pasta with a small portion of the dressing immediately after draining helps mitigate this starchy takeover, though retaining a reserved splash of cooking water can also adjust consistency.
Modifying the base for specific nutritional goals requires balancing fat and acidity. Substituting the entire mayonnaise component with nonfat plain yogurt drastically reduces fat content, but the acidity must then be carefully monitored so the dairy does not taste harsh. Adding fresh lemon juice incrementally ensures the brightness cuts through the heavier notes of the albacore tuna without overpowering the scallions and capers.
Serving this dish alongside crisp, watery vegetables like sliced cucumbers or a bitter green salad provides textural contrast to the dense carbohydrates of the pasta. If storing leftovers, keep the container sealed in the refrigerator for up to two days, and stir in a spoonful of water or fresh lemon juice before serving to revive the dressing.
