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Aug 4, 2020 By Jessica Beacom

Lemon-Dill Tuna Pasta Salad (Gluten-Free)

Dairy-Free
Egg-Free
Gluten-free
Nut-free
Jump to Recipe

Few things are as ‘classic’ as a good tuna pasta salad and they’re incredibly easy to make and budget-friendly, too. Whether it’s a light dinner that requires minimal cooking, a weekend meal prep, or a dish to take to a potluck or party, we think you’ll love this Lemon-Dill Tuna Pasta Salad.

Budget-friendly and ready in less than 30 minutes, this Lemon-Dill Pasta Salad is a family-favorite anytime of year.

This post was created in partnership with our friends at Bumble Bee Seafoods. 

A Potluck Classic with a Light and Fresh Twist

I don’t know about you, but when I think about tuna pasta salad, the first thing that comes to mind is copious amounts of mayonnaise or salad dressing with just a hint of tuna and a few bits of celery hidden among a sea of macaroni noodles. Sound familiar?

Well, this one isn’t that. This Lemon-Dill Pasta Salad is a fresh and lightened up version that features the bright notes of dill and lemon and enough Bumble Bee® tuna to actually make it satisfying! We’ve even added green peas, extra celery, and some red onion for color and crunch. It has become a regular at our house because it’s easy to make and we almost always have everything on hand to pull it off in under 30 minutes.

Close up side-view of a bowl of Lemon-Dill Tuna Pasta Salad with cans of tuna in the background.

Lemon-Dill Tuna Pasta Salad Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make this salad. We’ve also included any appropriate substitutions.

For the Salad:

  • Pasta – Any shape or kind will work in this recipe. We used bowtie pasta because it looks pretty with those little peas tucked into the nooks and crannies but ANY pasta will do.
  • Tuna – Canned tuna is the star and protein powerhouse in this salad. We used Bumble Bee® Chunk Light Tuna in Water but albacore tuna will also work.
  • Frozen Peas – You can use fresh, shelled peas but frozen peas are so convenient and just as – if not more – nutritious than fresh peas because they’re picked and frozen at their peak.
  • Celery – Every tuna salad needs a little crunch and celery is just the ticket.
  • Red Onion – Finely diced shallots will also work and in a pinch, thinly sliced green onions will work too.

For the Dressing:

  • Lemon Juice – Fresh is obviously best but bottled lemon juice is also an option.
  • Dill – We used fresh dill but dried dill will also work.
  • Mayo – We used this avocado oil mayo but you can use any brand – or substitute plain Greek yogurt for an egg-free option
  • Salt & Pepper

Bow tie pasta in a white colander with green peas scattered throughout to make tuna pasta salad.

A Delicious and Budget-Friendly Protein at Your Fingertips

Since 1899, The Bumble Bee Seafood Company has been on a mission to show the world that there’s a Better Way to Seafood. For as long as we can remember, Bumble Bee® tuna has always been on our pantry shelves. And now, as moms, we’re relying on the same quality and ingredients to feed our own families. Ounce for ounce tuna is lower in calories, fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol than even the leanest cuts of beef and chicken. So it’s a naturally healthy—and sustainable—choice and one we reach for regularly.

Tuna is also incredibly budget-friendly and since it’s shelf-stable you can always keep a supply on hand for this Tuna Pasta Salad or these Tuna Melt Quesadillas.

You can read more about the initiatives and commitments The Bumble Bee Seafood Company is undertaking to improve the health of our oceans here. 

A stack of cans of Bumble Bee Chunk Light tuna in water

How to Make Lemon-Dill Tuna Pasta Salad

You’ll start by boiling the pasta since that step will take the longest. While the water comes to a boil, drain the tuna and set it aside. While the pasta cooks, dice the onions and celery, chop the dill (or measure it if using dried dill), juice the lemon, and measure out the mayo. You’ll add the frozen peas to the pasta during the final minute of cooking time then drain and rinse the pasta and peas under cold running water.

To make the dressing, stir together the mayo, lemon juice, and dill then taste and add salt and pepper to suit your taste. Then combine the pasta, peas, tuna, and dressing in a large bowl and stir to combine.

A clear glass bowl filled with pasta, veggies, tuna and fresh dill to make a tuna pasta salad.
Overhead view of pasta, veggies, and tuna in a clear glass bowl with dressing poured over the top.

 

How to prep Lemon-Dill Tuna Pasta Salad

Whether it’s for your weekend meal prep or you’re trying to get a head start on dinner preparation here’s what we recommend:

  • Weekend meal prep: If you want a meal that’s ready to eat when you are (think: packed lunch, busy weeknight, or a meal on the go) then prep the salad as directed and store in the fridge in a covered container for up to 4 days.
  • Dinner prep: The dressing can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to use.  When it comes time to put a meal on the table, you’ll just need to boil the pasta (adding the peas to the cooking water in the final minute of cooking) and dice the onions and celery and drain the tuna while the pasta cooks. Then you just need to toss it all together in a large bowl and serve.

Lemon-Dill Tuna Pasta Salad, made with Bumble Bee tuna, is an easy weeknight meal the whole family will enjoy.

Other Healthy Pasta Salad Recipes You’ll Love

  • Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad
  • Greek Veggie Pasta Salad
  • Zesty Italian Pasta Salad

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Let's Get Cookin'

Lemon-Dill Tuna Pasta Salad

  • Author: Jessica Beacom
  • Prep Time: 15 mins.
  • Cook Time: 15 mins.
  • Total Time: 30 mins.
  • Yield: Serves 4 (Makes 6 cups)
  • Category: Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free Option
Easy, budget-friendly, and ready in less than 30 minutes, this Lemon-Dill Tuna Pasta Salad will become a family favorite.
Print Recipe
★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

Ingredients

● 8 ounces pasta, uncooked (may use gluten-free, if needed)
● 2 (5-ounce) cans Bumble Bee® Chunk Light tuna in water, drained (may substitute albacore tuna)
● 1 cup frozen peas
● 1 large stalk celery, finely diced
● ¼ cup finely minced red onion or shallot
● Juice of ½ lemon
● 2 Tbsp fresh dill (may substitute 1 ½ tsp dried dill)
● ½ cup mayo*
● ½ tsp. salt
● Pinch of black pepper

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, adding frozen peas to the pot in the last 60 seconds of cooking time.
2. Drain pasta, rinse with cold water and drain again to remove as much water as possible.
3. While the pasta cooks, add celery, onion, lemon juice, dill, mayo, salt, and pepper to a large bowl and stir to combine.
4. Add tuna, pasta, and peas to the bowl and gently stir to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as desired.

Notes

*May substitute vegan mayo or plain Greek yogurt for mayo for an egg-free option

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
  • Calories: 450
  • Sugar: 4g
  • Sodium: 750mg
  • Fat: 23g
  • Saturated Fat: 3g
  • Carbohydrates: 46g
  • Fiber: 4g
  • Protein: 20g

Pin now, Make later!

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This post was made possible by our friends at Bumble Bee Seafoods. Although we received compensation for this post, the opinions expressed here are – as always – 100% our own. Thank you for supporting the great companies we work with thereby allowing us to continue creating great recipes and content for you.

 

All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish this recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words and link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!

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About Jessica Beacom

Jessica is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Boulder, CO with her hubby and two daughters. She's been described as a 'real food evangelist' and loves sharing her knowledge with others to help them break free of the diet mentality and find their own food freedom. In her spare time she enjoys CrossFit, telemark skiing, mountain biking, teaching herself how to play the banjo and camping out under the stars.

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    Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Allie says

    August 4, 2020 at 8:05 am

    What kind of gluten free pasta do you use? Every cold pasta salad recipe I’ve tried the gluten free pasta turns hard.

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      August 4, 2020 at 11:51 am

      We really like the gluten-free pasta from Barilla, Thrive Market, and Trader Joe’s (the brown rice & quinoa) because they’re the softest when cold. Not quite as tender as wheat pasta but soft as far as gluten-free goes.

      Reply
  2. Rachel W. says

    August 7, 2020 at 9:38 am

    Hey gals, what’s your fav brand of gluten-free pasta?

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      August 13, 2020 at 3:01 pm

      Hi! We have a few that we like: Barilla Gluten-Free, theThrive Market brand of GF pasta, the brown rice & quinoa pasta from Trader Joe’s, and Field Day Organics gluten-free pasta all did really well when we tested them in pasta salads (meaning they didn’t turn to mush or get super hard when cold).

      Reply
  3. Judy Harris-Betts says

    September 25, 2020 at 10:18 am

    This is really good …only difference I make is I dont care for peas so I shred carrots instead….just my personal preference.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Sarah says

    March 23, 2021 at 5:20 pm

    Delicious!! I was worried it wouldn’t be enough mayo (and seem dry), but it was perfect! Super easy too.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Jessica Beacom says

      March 25, 2021 at 10:13 am

      I’m so glad you loved it!

      Reply

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