When I was growing up, macaroni tuna salad was a simple affair: a pound of elbow macaroni, probably a store brand, a can of tuna, ditto, a cup of peas, a minced onion, and lots of gloppy mayonnaise to extend that can of tuna as far as it could go. We loved it, and for a big gathering, we’d find a double batch waiting for us! But there was never enough tuna in the salad!
Yesterday a macaroni salad, today a pasta salad
Only one or two in my extended family like a summer salad with a lot of mayonnaise, potato salad being the exception, but even then, not too much. More often, we use a vinaigrette style dressing on our grown-up “pasta” salads, and lots of vegetables tossed in for flavor and color, and, most probably to lessen the carb content.
A word about the tuna
But I wanted a nod to my childhood flavor memories, with a fix or two, of course. First of all, I doubled the amount of tuna, and I used all the oil in the can as well since it adds so much flavor. I used a sustainably fished, line-caught tuna that is tested for mercury. Even so, I know it is not mercury free, so this is something I’ll serve only now and then. All of this information should be on your can or jar. These little steps are important.
Now the pasta, or rather, macaroni
So, the macaroni. Mom always used regular elbows made of white flour. I swapped for some whole wheat here, got to justify those carbs, but you could also use gluten free, especially the lovely lentil and brown rice varieties. You can use sea shells, bow ties, penne, any shape you like that is not too small.
A nod to the mayo
There’s some mayo in my version, but not a ton and it is thinned with the tuna juice and some olive oil and vinegar as well. The oil content of the tuna will vary, so you will have to use your own judgement when adding the additional olive oil. I added the sriracha and Dijon to liven things up, and this can be adjusted to your own tastes as well, or even omitted.
My favorite trick
A lot of people have trouble with raw onions in a salad. To make this a bit more digestible, I used the milder, sweeter shallots and sautéed them lightly first to remove some of the bite and add some interest. This made a big difference in flavor. Have you noticed that shallots seem to be getting bigger? I had one the other day from a local farm that was the size of a small onion!
Let’s top it off
The final topping, a little toasted seaweed, which we all loved. It was a nod to my granddaughter, who loves to snack on nori sheets I use for sushi rolls, so they are usually in the pantry.
A vegan version with a taste of the sea
To make this vegan, omit the tuna and triple up on the dried seaweed, mixing it all in. You can also find the dried seaweed in little shaker bottles, but it is pretty easy to quickly toast and shred or mince, and you get the taste of the sea.
This makes enough for a large gathering, and can be halved if you like. The leftovers? Superb!
Macaroni and Tuna Salad My Way
- 1 lb. whole wheat elbow macaroni
- 2 really large shallots, sliced into thin rings
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 cans/jars olive oil packed, safe-catch tuna, plus juice
- ¼ cup mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp. sriracha sauce
- 1 heaping tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
- 1 cup, or more, thawed frozen peas (use fresh if in season)
- A sheet or two of toasted nori sushi sheets or other dried seaweed
Put the macaroni on to boil in salted water and cook according to package directions. Drain and let come to room temperature.
In a small saucepan, sauté the shallots in a tablespoon of the olive oil. You want them soft and tender, but not browned. Place in a large mixing bowl.
To the bowl, add the juice from the tuna cans or jars, the rest of the olive oil, mayonnaise, sriracha, Dijon, and vinegar. Mix well, then toss in the macaroni and peas, add some salt and pepper, and taste. Once combined, gently break up the tuna and stir that in gently. Taste again, and adjust the seasoning. Top with the toasted, dried nori. Serves a boatload!
Cooking Note:
To toast the nori, grab the sheet with metal tongs and hold over your gas flame or electric burner, turning quickly. It happens fast, we’re talking a second or two here. On my Aga, I place it on the simmering plate for a couple of seconds.
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I like that vegan version and all the other ways you have tweaked the recipe.
Thank you! I can never resist the urge to fiddle with things!
Delicious pasta salad made especially tasty with the addition of tuna.
Thank you Jovina! We all adored this version.
I love the sound of this!
Thanks Suz! I think you will like this one. It’s familiar, but just a bit more interesting.
I’ve had macaroni salad and tuna salad but I haven’t ever had the two combined. What a great idea!!
Thanks Jan! We grew up with this dish, it was one of mom’s favorites and it fed a crowd!
This sounds perfect for my family, Dorothy
Thanks Robbie! I think they will be happy. If there is pasta involved, my gang is always happy!
😀
Like the addition of nori; good mix of texture with it.
Thanks Misky! It added a little something extra to the dish.
Lovely take on the traditional salad! I really like the addition of toasted nori to top. Great idea! 🙂
It was sitting on the counter, so I asked myself “why not?” It was a nice addition, and I made a couple of portions without the tuna and the extra nori. It was pretty darn good!
This looks great Dorothy! I can’t wait to try it! I usually buy tuna in water to reduce the fat, but I will get the oil base. Do you recommend a certain type of tuna?
The tuna I’ve been buying at the co-op is called Safe Catch, and it has a low-sodium version which I use because I have to watch my salt. It goes on sale often, so I stock up then!
This was definitely a more wholesome version of this recipe than the version I would make when I was a young woman. It was a standard in our home for back yard barbecues and then discarded because of the fat content. Now, thanks to you, I can make it again without the guilt.
Thanks Bernie! This one is totally guilt free, but still has that flavor we remember!
Well, no – grandmother probably had not used sriracha or heard of nori 🙂 ! This promises a lot of taste with almost no sins and i cannot wait to try !!!
You are so right! So many of the ingredients we gave in our fridges simply weren’t common back then.
Tasty and guilt free!
oh yes a good amount of tuna is essential!
Thanks Sherry!
I might try this for my fussy “I don’t eat cold stuff,” man of the house. I like that it has dijon in it and might split the mayo between sour cream and mayo. Or is all mayo essential to the flavour, Dorothy?
The mayo just adds a bit of creaminess, and I think next time I make this, I might just try the sour cream! I’m all for a little extra tang! Let me know how it comes out!
Your grandma would be so amazed as to how you modernized her recipes. 😍 I for one use a lot of Spinach pasta. ♥️
Oh, that’s good too!
Sounds wonderful! Can’t wait to try the toasted nori. Thanks for the tip
Thanks Natasha! The nori adds a little extra interest!
I grew up on tuna macaroni salad so this post made me smile from beginning to end.
I bet your mom stretched everything as far as it would go, too, not that a big bowl of macaroni doesn’t already feed an army!
This is one salad I’ve made for years. Lots of tuna is a must; I feel like I’m getting gypped otherwise! Mayo is a must, too, and I’m not a huge mayo lover but for this salad, yes. It holds it all together. I toss in whatever veggies I have on hand (peas, carrots, corn, baby limas) and chop up some scallions. Most times I use pasta shells; just seems appropriate with the whole ocean theme lol. The best pasta tuna salads I ever had were the ones I made while on vacation in Montauk; I used fresh caught tuna, poached, chilled and flaked. Good heavens, was that delish. Can’t beat the real thing, D!
Oh man, I’m drooling for that fresh tuna salad! It was like the first time I made a salad Nicoise with fresh, seared tuna – no going back!
I’m drooling now! I often will make a little “fish salad” for sandwiches or a light dinner using Bill’s catch of the day … if there are any left over porgies or fluke, that is! All you need is some shopped celery for crunch, mayo and a squirt of lemon and you’re good to go! A dab of Marie’s blue cheese salad dressing is fab in those salads! Little ideas you play around with in the kitchen often turn out to be the best!
Fresh fish salad, need to do some experimenting myself now! I love the idea of the blue cheese here.
I make a seafood salad with shrimp and scallops and crab, but haven’t added the fresh fish.
The blue cheese gives it a lovely little kick! Just a dollop will do.
Yes, I have noticed the shallots getting bigger, Dorothy. Can’t say I mind. However, it is a little strange; they used to be much smaller!
And yes, I always have nori sheets in the cupboard. They are generally eaten as a tasty snack; and a nutrition boost to boot.
As for your ‘upgraded’ recipe. I used to love tuna salad. This recipe is certainly a little jump up from the one I used to make… It is truly make my mouth water.
Thank you Carolyn! I love this one both ways, the nori is an ingredient my mother never used, but I’m sure she would have if she had tasted it!
What an interesting topping 😉
I don’t do often pasta salad with mayo in it, but I like your version and I would like to try it 😉
I hope you enjoy it!
Yum – this looks delicious. Thanks for including the vegan version. I look forward to giving it a try!
Thanks! It was tasty! Both versions.
What are the chances that we would both post about grandmothers~! I LOVE macaroni salads, they’re so yummy… 💗
I’ve had many of these synchronized posts with other marvelous blog friends! 💕🩷
This recipe looks very tasty! And yes lots of tuna!
Thank you so much! It’s definitely crave worthy!
The vegan version looks delicious!
Scrumptious!
I’m a fan of tuna salad, so I’m sure I would love this version with macaroni! 🙂
I love it because it’s a nod to my childhood! But I make it because most of the family loves it!
Okay, another family memory here, but my mom always crunched potato chips on top instead of seaweed! My printer is over heating today. I need to get a binder so I can create my own Dorothy cookbook. This might be one to try on the grandkids! Hugs, C
Oh boy, now I have to try it with potato chips, which just happen to be my biggest cheat for which I have no stop button. I only let myself buy them in the tiny bag when I’m sharing, and I always feel compelled to count out the chips, you know, just to be fair…