Easy Tuna Pasta Salad

Name: Easy Tuna Pasta Salad
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 2 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1/2 lb penne (or rotini, radiatore, bowtie, etc); 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1 lemon, for juice and zest; 1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaf; 1 (6 ounce) can tuna in olive oil, not drained (or 6-ounces tuna in water, plus approximately 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil of your choice); tomatoes, chopped; 2 scallions, chopped; parmesan cheese, grated or shredded (optional); hot sauce or Tabasco sauce, to taste (optional); toasted pignolis or walnuts (optional); salt and pepper

Submitted by Lizzie-Babette

"We make this easy pasta salad a lot in the summer - it's delicious at room temp or cold on hot days, and there's no mayo in it, so it travels well, too. We also make this during the winter, to remember what summer tasted like. It makes a great light lunch or dinner. Adapted from a Gourmet recipe."

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Ready In:: 40mins
Ingredients:: 11
Serves:: 2

ingredients

¹⁄₂ lb penne (or rotini, radiatore, bowtie, etc)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lemon, for juice and zest
¹⁄₄ cup packed fresh basil leaf
1 (6 ounce) can tuna in olive oil, not drained (or 6-ounces tuna in water, plus approximately 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil of your choice)
tomatoes, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
parmesan cheese, grated or shredded (optional)
hot sauce or Tabasco sauce, to taste (optional)
toasted pignolis or walnuts (optional)
salt and pepper

directions

Cook pasta to al dente.
While the pasta cooks, finely grate enough lemon zest to measure 1 tablespoon and squeeze 1 teaspoon juice (or more, to taste) Mince garlic.
Cut basil into thin strips.
Chop scallions and tomatoes.
Toast and chop nuts.
In a large bowl toss together all ingredients except for pasta.
Check and correct seasoning, lemon juice, and amount of olive oil.
When pasta is done, add it to bowl and toss with combined ingredients.
Check and correct seasonings again.

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Reviews

I will definitely try this recipe again. If you do not actually toast the walnuts .. I threw them on to the surface of a hot cast iron frying pan and pushed them around until the oil started to emerge .. prep time is down to 10 minutes and that can be done while the pasta is cooking. I cut back on the pasta to just a handful, and treated the meal as a Solo Dinner.

Bill Hilbrich
Very nice combination of flavours. used one 375g box of whole wheat penne,2 chopped tomatoes and about 1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan, 1/2 cup toasted walnuts and a dash of Frank's Red Hot sauce along with rest of ingredients stated. thanks Beth for a salad that I will most definetly make quite often.

Nat Da Brat
This was so delicious. I loved the very garlicky dressing and I added lots and lots of toasted pine nuts. This is a salad/meal, and some nice crusty bread and fruit salad rounded off a delicious, healthy meal. Thanks.

evelynathens
I made this salad on Sunday night but didn't try it until Monday at lunch. The salad was extremely easy to make and by lunchtime, the flavors had blended beautifully. I loved the fact that there was no one overwhelming flavor...every ingredient blended together to make a fantastic salad. I didn't add the walnuts simply because I forgot to toast them. I did however add a small amount of hot sauce and really enjoyed the little kick it gave the salad. I'll definitely be making this salad again very soon and I want to be sure to add the walnuts the next time. BethT, I'm so glad I took your dare to make this recipe! Oh by the way, I brought this to work with me today...everyone who tried it said they really enjoyed it. I've already had a request to make it again and bring it back to work!

Dreamgoddess
What a delightful change from a mayonnaise-based pasta salad. I followed someone else's suggestion to add sundried tomatoes, and that was a perfect addition. Delicious!

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