Lunchtime Cheddar Tuna Pasta Salad.
This tuna pasta salad is so easy and delicious! It tastes crisp and refreshing, while at the same time being reminiscent of a tuna melt. The flavors work so well together and it’s incredibly satisfying. Great for lunch!
If you’re looking for new lunch ideas, you’re in the right place!
Whether it’s your kids lunchbox or your own workday lunch, this tuna pasta salad has been on repeat in our house for months now. It’s so satisfying, crunchy and amazing. And the flavor?! Incredible!
I first shared this over on my substack a few months ago. It’s been the best summer lunch salad and I’m so glad it’s carrying over into the school year for us. We are all obsessed with it!
No matter what, I am ALWAYS in search of excellent lunch ideas. For both my kids and myself! It seems like we always get sick of the usuals and end up craving something different during lunchtime.
But! The caveat is that it has to be easy, simple AND delicious. I don’t even like lunch! I hate stopping my workday to sit down and eat, but I know it’s a nice part of the day too. So here I am with a new lunch offering.
A cheesy tuna pasta salad that tastes like heaven!
This is what goes into our tuna pasta salad:
Pasta shells. This is by far my favorite cut of pasta for this recipe. I’ve tried others, but the shells are just the perfect size and shape!
Sharp cheddar cheese cubes. My love of cheese knows no bounds. I like to keep these roughly the same size or slightly smaller than the shells.
Tuna, packed in water or olive oil. It’s your call! Use your favorite. I really love american tuna. And then flake it out with a fork so it gets dispersed throughout the salad.
Diced green bell pepper. This is having such a moment for me. I am LOVING it. It tastes so fresh and good and honestly, like the 90s. It’s almost sweet and savory at the same time. I’ve spent the better part of my adult life avoiding green peppers, and that has changed. Yum.
Tomatoes too! I’m sure you still have a ton from your garden, so grab them and chop them up. They go really well with the tuna and the cheddar!
A zesty shallot vinaigrette. This is a mix of two of my favorite salad dressings – my zesty italian and my shallot dressing. I kind of combined the two and drizzled it all over this salad. Oh my gosh. Best delicious ever!
The dressing is super tangy with a good bite. It adds a wonderful acid component to the salad. And the shallot marinates right in the dressing so any offensive onion flavor dissipates. It’s all about the crunch!
This whole combo works so well together. The flavors taste like a tuna melt. The shells are coated in dressing and the best part is that it lasts!!
Yes, you can make this ahead of time and it will taste fabulous over the next day or two. Keep it sealed in the fridge and if you find that it feels like it’s dried out, add a tiny drizzle of olive oil. Fabulous.
Lunchtime Cheddar Tuna Pasta Salad
Lunchtime Cheddar Tuna Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- ½ pound small pasta shells, cooked
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 6 to 8 ounces tuna packed in oil or water, drained
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
zesty shallot vinaigrette
- 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 shallot, diced
- ½ tablespoon dijon mustard
- ½ tablespoon honey
- ½ tablespoon dried oregano
- kosher salt and pepper
- ⅓ cup olive oil
Instructions
- Cook and cool the pasta according to the package instructions.
- In a large bowl, combine the pasta with the tomatoes, peppers, tuna, cheddar and parsley. Drizzle the dressing over (start with half of the dressing) and toss well. Add more dressing as needed. Enjoy!
zesty shallot vinaigrette
- Whisk together the vinegar, garlic, shallot, dijon, honey, oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper until combined. Stream in the olive oil while whisking until emulsified. This stays great in the fridge for a few days!
Did you make this recipe?
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