Classic Tuna Macaroni Salad

5 from 3 votes

This classic Tuna Macaroni Salad is an easy staple for hot summer days. Easy to whip up and great for barbecues, potlucks or easy dinners!

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Chilling2

Total Time2 25

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: servings

Calories: 457kcal

Cook macaroni and peas: Cook 1 (16-oz) box elbow macaroni according to package directions. Add 1 ¼ cups frozen peas to macaroni 6-8 minutes before cooking time is up. Drain and rinse under cold water until cooled.
Make dressing: While macaroni and peas are cooking, blend 1 cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, ⅔ cup sweet pickle relish, 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon celery seeds, 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper in a large bowl.
Add tuna: Stir 3 (5-oz) cans tuna packed in water through dressing, allow to sit for 5 minutes.
Combine salad: Add drained and cooled macaroni and peas along with chopped 4 hardboiled eggs, 1 medium red onion, 3 sticks celery and 2 green onions to tuna mixture. Carefully stir to combine.
Chill and serve: Cover and chill in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours before serving, adding a little extra mayonnaise and/or sour cream if salad seems dry.

Macaroni: Feel free to use different small pasta shapes – shells, rotini or bowties all work quite well.
Mayo/sour cream: There seem to be quite strong opinions on this ingredient when it comes to pasta salads, so if you prefer Miracle Whip – go for it!

Chopping: I personally prefer to chop up all of the ingredients to somewhat match the macaroni in size - for example, I run my knife over the celery 2-3 times after slicing to get smaller pieces.
Make ahead: According to FoodSafety.gov, you can keep macaroni salads in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Take along: Due to the mayo-based dressing, tuna and eggs in the salad, make sure to keep the salad well-chilled in a cooler at 40°F or below if you’re planning to bring it with you to a barbecue or potluck. FoodSafety.gov recommends to keep it out no longer than 2 hours if eating outdoors, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F.