Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad (high-protein)
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This Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad is a protein-packed meal that combines tuna, fresh veggies, and a creamy yogurt-mayo dressing, making meal prep both easy and delicious every time.
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Looking for a little variety in your high-protein diet? (Even I get tired of all chicken all the time.) This protein-rich Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad combines tender rotini with chunks of tuna, crisp vegetables, and a tangy yogurt dressing.
It’s the perfect solution when you’re craving something different from your usual chicken routine. I love making a big batch on Sunday for easy lunches all week long.
The combination of protein pasta and canned tuna gives you a serious protein boost, while the Greek yogurt dressing keeps things light but satisfying. The best part? It tastes even better the next day when all those flavors have had time to mingle.
The recipe is extremely versatile (and makes a lot.) You can add more or less of any of the ingredients, based on your liking and what you’ve got on hand. Serve this salad as a side dish or as a main dish over a bed of lettuce. (how I like mine.)
Why Make This Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad
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Seriously filling: Between the protein pasta and tuna, this salad will actually keep you satisfied for hours
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Super flexible: Use whatever vegetables you have on hand – no grocery store runs required
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Perfect for crowds: This recipe makes enough to feed a small army (or give you leftovers for days)
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Meal prep friendly: Tastes great straight from the fridge, so you can make it ahead without worry
Pro Tip
This recipe relies heavily on plain Greek yogurt. I have to say, plain Greek yogurt is not for everyone. Make sure you have tasted the yogurt and that it is one you will eat. See a few suggestions below.
Ingredients To Make Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad
(Ingredients at a glance; find the full recipe with ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.)
- Barilla Protein rotini pasta | I love this Barilla Protein pasta as it’s loaded with protein. If you can’t find rotini, any short-shaped pasta will work.
- Peas | Frozen peas add some fiber and a pop or color. Don’t use canned as they will be too mushy.
- Carrots | Shredded carrots also add some color, texture, and fiber, along with some vitamins and minerals.
- Celery stalks | Diced celery adds texture and some crunch.
- Tuna | Canned tuna is the real hero of this salad; use whichever brand you usually buy.
- Cherry tomatoes | Adding little bursts of flavor and color, cherry tomatoes also add some sweetness.
- Greek yogurt | I used non-fat Greek yogurt to keep the calories low, and the protein high. You can use whichever fat level you prefer, just make sure it is plain Greek yogurt.
- Mayonnaise | I prefer lite mayo, but any type will work.
- Dijon mustard | Dijon mustard adds a deep, savory flavor to the dressing.
- Red wine vinegar | I used red wine vinegar, but you can also use balsamic.
- Dill | You can use fresh dill, just bump up the amount (3:1 ratio).
- Salt and pepper | Add salt and pepper to enhance the flavor.
- Optional: 1/2 cup diced red onion
How To Make Pasta Salad
1 Prepare the pasta: Cook pasta according to package directions and then combine with the peas, carrots, celery, and tuna in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
2 Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, combine yogurt, mayo, Dijon mustard, vinegar, dill, salt, and pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined.
3 Combine the dressing and the pasta mixture: Add dressing to the pasta-tuna mixture and stir until it is well coated. Taste, add salt, pepper, and additional dill if needed.
4 Serve: Serve right away or cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for a few hours. (This gives the flavors time to meld together.)
Recipe Tips
- Love peas? Add more!
- Want a creamier salad? Increase the amount of dressing.
- If you want more protein, add an extra can of tuna or throw in some edamame.
- Don’t need it quite so healthy? Reduce the yogurt and use more mayo (or switch the lite mayo out for real mayo). My son (the picky eater) wasn’t so thrilled about the Greek yogurt flavor, so I added an additional small spoonful of mayo to his serving – it was delish!
- Cook the pasta just until al dente since it’ll continue to soften as it sits with the dressing.
- Let the salad chill for at least an hour before serving so the flavors can blend together.
Variations
- Optional additions: Small cheese cubes, 1/4 cup of grated parmesan, and/or 1/2 cup diced red onion
- Extra protein boost: You can add an extra can of tuna for an additional 14 calories and 3 grams of protein per serving
- Creamier texture: If you prefer a creamier salad, you can easily scale up the dressing mixture
- More veggies: Mix in some frozen corn, diced red or green bell peppers
- Add crunch: Top with chopped nuts or seeds for more texture
Storage Suggestions
Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. This pasta salad actually gets better as it sits – all those flavors really come together overnight. If it seems a bit dry after being chilled, stir in an extra spoonful of mayo or Greek yogurt before serving.
FAQs
What Brand of plain Greek yogurt should I use?
Hopefully, you have tasted a few Greek yogurts and know what you like. My favorite is our local store brand, HEB Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt. Another one I’ve tried, that was tolerable enough to eat plain, was the Wallaby Organic Plain Greek yogurt. Although I have not tried it, I have heard that Siggi’s Nonfat plain Skyr yogurt is less tart. If you have a favorite, less tart plain Greek yogurt you like, let us know in the comment section below.
How much protein is in each serving?
Each 1.5 cup serving contains approximately 25 grams of protein, thanks to the combination of protein-rich pasta and tuna. It’s seriously filling!
Can I use regular pasta instead of protein pasta?
Absolutely! Any short pasta works great. You’ll just have slightly less protein per serving, but it’ll still be delicious.
How long does this pasta salad last?
It keeps well in the fridge for up to five days in an airtight container. Perfect for meal prep!
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! In fact, it tastes better after sitting for a few hours or overnight. The flavors really meld together beautifully.
What if I don’t like Greek yogurt?
If you’re not a fan of the tanginess, try reducing the Greek yogurt and adding more mayo. You want a dressing you’ll actually enjoy eating!
Looking for more salad recipes?
- The Classic Cobb Salad
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Chicken and Tortellini Salad
- Turkey Salad Recipe With Cranberries and Pecans
Did You Make This Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad?
Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and/or a review in the comments section below. If you share an image on Instagram or Facebook, be sure to tag me and use #scatteredmomrecipes!
Print
Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad (high-protein)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 13 cups 1x
- Category: main dish
- Method: stovetop
Description
This Healthy Tuna Pasta Salad is a protein-packed meal that combines tuna, fresh veggies, and a creamy yogurt-mayo dressing, making meal prep both easy and delicious every time.
Ingredients
- 14 oz box of Barilla Protein rotini pasta, cooked
- 1.5 cups of frozen peas
- 1.5 cups of shredded carrots
- 3 celery stalks, diced
- 4 50x cans of tuna
- 1 10–oz package of cherry tomatoes
- 1.25 cups Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup of lite mayo
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1.5 tablespoons dried dill
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- optional: 1/2 cup diced red onion
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Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Add pasta, peas, carrots, celery, and tuna to a large bowl and stir to combine.
- Add the yogurt, mayo, dijon mustard, vinegar, dill, salt, and pepper to a smaller bowl. Mix til thoroughly combined.
- Add dressing mixture to pasta tuna mixture. Mix until the pasta mixture is coated with dressing. Taste, add salt, pepper, and additional dill if needed.
- Serve or optionally, you can cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for a few hours. (This gives the flavors time to meld together.)
Notes
- Store in the fridge, in an airtight container for up to five days.
- Optional additions: Small cheese cubes, 1/4 cup of grated parmesan, and/or 1/2 cup diced red onion
- You can add an extra can of tuna for an additional 14 calories and 3 grams of protein.
- If you prefer a creamier salad, you can easily scale up the dressing mixture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
- Calories: 352
- Fat: 5
- Carbohydrates: 53
- Fiber: 6
- Protein: 25
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