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    Pasta Salad with Lemon

    May 3, 2020 by Katia · 6 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy for more details.

    Tuna pasta salad with black olives and tomatoes on a white plate.
    Tuna pasta salad with black olives and tomatoes on a white plate.

    This is the delicious pasta salad with lemon you’ve been looking for! It’s light, juicy, loaded with Mediterranean flavors, and makes a fabulous lunch ready in no time.

    Two wooden spoons are mixing the tuna pasta salad in a bowl.
    Jump to recipe

    Forget soggy tasteless pasta salad, this simple recipe is a game-changer.

    The refreshing juice and zest, mixed with olive oil and garlic, make this pasta salad so good and tasty you can’t get enough of it.

    Bonus? It’s light, fresh, and juicy without being loaded with oil, mayonnaise, or other heavy dressings. And I loved it till the point I started eating it in the middle of this photo shooting!

    Plus, like most of my quick pasta recipes, it’s ready in less than 15 minutes, takes minimal effort, keeps very well. It’s perfect for any summertime gathering!

    What ingredients you need

    • Pasta (fusilli, penne, shells…)
    • Cherry tomatoes
    • Pitted olives
    • Good quality canned tuna (optional)
    • Lemon
    • Celery
    • Garlic
    • Extra virgin olive oil or olive oil
    • Salt & pepper
    The ingredients for this tuna pasta salad are arranged on a white marble table and a wooden chopping board.

    How to make it

    (Note: the full recipe is at the bottom of the page)

    • Cook your pasta until al dente.
    • Add tomatoes, olives, tuna, celery slices, lemon zest to a large bowl.
    • Stir in olive oil, lemon juice, grated garlic, salt, pepper, and mix well.
    • Drain, rinse the pasta under cool water once it’s done, and let it drain.
    • Toss the pasta and the other ingredients.
    • Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
    Tuna pasta salad with cherry tomatoes and olives on a white plate with a blue rim.

    This is one of the most crowd-friendly dishes, so quick, easy, and convenient and perfect for a BBQ or a picnic.  Make a big batch, and take it to work as well, it makes an excellent meal prep idea and keeps well for days. 

    Tuna pasta salad with olive and tomatoes is served in a white plate with a blue rim.Recipe updated: originally posted in September 2019, I’ve tweaked the post adding more notes and new pictures.

    More quick pasta recipes?

    • Spaghetti with garlic and olive oil
    • Easy lemon ricotta pasta with spinach
    • Cream cheese pasta
    • Marinara sauce & spaghetti
    • Mushroom spaghetti
    • White bean pasta

    If you make this tuna pasta salad or if you have any questions, leave a comment, rate it, or tag a photo #theclevermeal on Instagram.
    I would love to hear from you!

    Close-up of a bowl of lemon pasta salad.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Pasta Salad with Lemon

    This tuna pasta salad is packed with Mediterranean flavors like tomatoes, olives, tuna and a fantastic lemon garlic dressing. It's so delicious, juicy, light and ready in no time.
    Prep Time12 mins
    Total Time10 mins
    Course: pasta, Salad
    Cuisine: Mediterranean
    Keyword: Tuna pasta salad
    Servings: 3 servings
    Calories: 495kcal
    Author: Katia

    Ingredients

    • 1/2 lb (220 grams) dried pasta (fusilli, penne, farfalle…)
    • 1½ cup (250 grams) cherry tomatoes, cut in halves or in slices
    • 1 can (5-oz/140 grams) tuna, in oil or in water (optional)
    • 1/3 cup (60 grams) black, green, or mixed olives, pitted
    • 2-3 stalks celery, sliced
    • 1 large lemon, juice and zest
    • 3 Tbsps olive oil or extra virgin olive oil, plus more to taste
    • 1 small garlic clove, grated or minced
    • salt and pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    • Cook your pasta until al dente, drain, then rinse under cold water and drain again. 
      You want to bring the temperature down, and dress your pasta when cold, not warm.
    • While pasta is cooking, place all the other ingredients in a large salad bowl. 
    • Season with plenty of salt and freshly ground pepper and toss well.
    • Add cooked pasta to the other ingredients and mix thoroughly, taste and season again before serving. Also, you might want to add extra lemon juice or olive oil.
    • You can enjoy straight away or store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Pasta salad gets better as it rests and it tastes even better the next day.

    Notes

    • STORAGE: This tuna pasta salad keeps very well and it will last for 3-4 days.  Store it in airtight container and place in the refrigerator.
    • TUNA: look for a brand that uses responsibly sourced and high quality tuna. I used Wild Planet brand.
    • OLIVES: green olives or kalamata olives work very well. I used mixed unpitted olives, but I strongly recommend you to go for pitted olives, especially if you serve this pasta salad to children.
    • PASTA: short pasta like fusilli, conchiglie, farfalle, penne work fine. However, have a proper look at the label and go for durum wheat semolina pasta, it’s a bit more expensive than basic pasta, but it’s resilient and has a more robust texture, the best choice when it comes to salad pasta recipes.
    NOTE: Nutritional values are estimates only.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 495kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 17mg | Sodium: 462mg | Potassium: 548mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 632IU | Vitamin C: 39mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 3mg
    « EASY LEMON RICOTTA PASTA & SPINACH
    Cherry Tomato Pasta Salad »

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Laura Tancredi

      May 11, 2021 at 9:39 pm

      5 stars
      We made it tonight for dinner and it was just delicious! It was easy to make and perfect for a midweek dinner.

      Reply
      • Katia

        May 12, 2021 at 7:00 am

        I’m so pleased to hear that! Thanks for sharing your lovely feedback, Laura. Cheers x

    2. Janet

      February 28, 2021 at 2:47 am

      I found the recipe tonight! Looks grand. We’re having it tomorrow night, then I’ll let you know how well it goes us.

      Reply
      • Katia

        February 28, 2021 at 9:05 am

        Brilliant! let me know how it turns out.. 😉

    3. Xuan

      December 17, 2020 at 9:48 am

      5 stars
      Tried this for dinner today. It was so good! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

      Reply
      • Katia

        December 17, 2020 at 9:56 am

        I’m so please you liked it! Thanks for sharing your lovely feedback x

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    Hi, I’m Katia! Welcome to my blog where I share easy, delicious, and budget-friendly recipes. I love cooking mainly vegetarian meals in no time at all. Minimum effort, maximum result. Read more…

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