Dill Pickle Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe
This Dill Pickle Tuna Pasta Salad is a refreshing and protein-packed dish that combines the tangy flavors of dill pickle with creamy Greek yogurt and mayo dressing. Perfect for a light lunch or a potluck side, it features protein pasta, skipjack tuna, crisp cucumbers, and a zesty ranch-dill sauce enhanced with pickle juice and fresh garlic.
- Author: Maya
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 to 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Low Fat
Sauce
- ⅓ cup plain Greek Yogurt
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon dill
- 1.5 tablespoons ranch seasoning
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon pickle juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
Salad
- 5 cans (3 oz each) skipjack tuna (preferably dill pickle flavored, or 3 cans of 5 oz plain tuna)
- 8 oz protein pasta (such as shells or macaroni)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup scallions/green onions, thinly sliced (about 3 stalks)
- ½ cucumber, diced (English or standard cucumber)
- Salt, to taste
- Cook the pasta. Prepare the 8 oz protein pasta according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain it and rinse quickly under cold water to cool and stop the cooking process.
- Prepare the sauce. In a bowl or mason jar, combine the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, white vinegar, lemon juice, dill, ranch seasoning, avocado oil, pickle juice, and salt. Mix thoroughly until the sauce is well blended.
- Combine salad ingredients. In a large bowl, add the cooled pasta, tuna cans (drained), minced garlic, sliced scallions, and diced cucumber. Stir gently to distribute ingredients evenly.
- Mix in the sauce. Pour the prepared sauce over the salad mixture and stir until everything is coated. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.
- Chill and serve. Refrigerate the salad until ready to serve, allowing the flavors to meld together for best taste.
Notes
- Using dill pickle flavored tuna like Wild Planet enhances the pickle flavor, but plain tuna works well too.
- Protein pasta is preferred for an extra protein boost; regular pasta can be substituted if needed.
- This salad can be made a few hours ahead and kept refrigerated for ideal flavor.
- Adjust ranch seasoning and pickle juice quantities to taste if you prefer a stronger or milder tang.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Keywords: Dill pickle tuna pasta salad, tuna pasta salad, protein pasta salad, tangy tuna salad, picnic pasta salad, dill pickle salad dressing