Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Tuna

---

Table of contents:

---

How to Make Mediterranean Pasta Salad wth Tuna

Ingredients

For the Salad

• 10 oz. (300g) pasta (we use Farfalle Pasta) 
• 1/2 cup Roasted piquillo peppers
• 1/2 English cucumber
• 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup Black Kalamata Olives
• 1/2 red onion, sliced fine
• 14 oz. (400g) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2x 6 oz. canned tuna in water, drained
• Small handful of fresh parsley
• Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

For the dressing

• 3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 lemon, jucied (around 2 tbsp worth of juice)
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• Salt and cracked black pepper, to taste

---

---

Equipment

• Cooking pot with lid 
• Colander 
• Lemon Juicer 
• Garlic Press 
• Large Glass bowl 
• Small wooden bowl 
• Salad Serving spoons

---

Instructions

1. Bring some water to the boil with a pinch of salt. 
2. Cook the pasta according to package instructions or until al dente (around 10 minutes). Drain pasta and set aside to cool in a large bowl. 
3. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients together and drizzle a little over the pasta, and mix through. 
4. Prep and chop veggies and add to the bowl with the pasta. Add the tuna and beans, then drizzle over the remaining salad dressing.
5. Give everything a gentle mix, season to taste with some salt and cracked black pepper.
6. Garnish with some freshly chopped parsley and serve.

---

Best Pasta to Use

Choose a pasta that will cling to the salad dressing and hold onto as much flavor as possible. We prefer farfalle pasta (also known as bow-tie pasta, or butterfly pasta – ‘farfalle’ means Butterfly in Italian). Farfalle pasta is available in various sizes and colors and we opted for a mixed-color batch for this recipe to give the recipe some extra visual appeal. 

Other pasta varieties that will work well include:

Penne: Penne’s tube shape allows it to trap bits of the salad ingredients inside, making each bite well-balanced.

Rotini: The spiral shape of rotini is perfect for capturing the dressing and small ingredients like olives, feta cheese, and chopped vegetables.

Fusilli: Similar to rotini, fusilli’s corkscrew shape holds onto the dressing well, ensuring each bite is flavorful.

---

Mediterranean Salad Flavors and Ingredients

The easiest way to bring the taste of the Mediterranean to your own kitchen and cooking is to use ingredients sourced from or commonly used in the Mediterranean. Here are a few products to include in your own Tuna pasta salad to give it that Mediterranean flavor and vibe:

Roasted Piquillo Peppers

Roasted piquillo peppers are a specific variety of small, sweet chili peppers that originate from the northern part of Spain, particularly the region of Navarra. The word “piquillo” means “little beak” in Spanish, a reference to their pointed shape. Piquillo peppers are distinctive for their bright red color, slightly curved, conical shape, and mild, sweet flavor with just a hint of smokiness. 

The peppers are typically roasted over an open flame or in a very hot oven until their skins are charred. After roasting, they are peeled, and the seeds and stems are removed. The peppers are then often packed in jars or cans with their natural juices or in olive oil.

Fresh veggies

When it comes to a choice of fresh veggies to give your salads a Mediterranean flair, you’re spoilt for choice! The Mediterranean diet focuses on fresh seasonal vegetables and we suggest using whatever looks and smells good, and is in season. 

We opted for English cucumber for freshness and some crunch, red onion for some sharpness and bite, cherry tomatoes for color and zestiness, and some fresh parsley for some extra pop. 

Olives

A classic ingredient that’s synonymous with the Mediterranean is olives. Whether you prefer briney or salty olives, or sweet and crunchy olives, there’s an olive out there to suit. For pasta salads, use varieties that offer a balance of flavor, texture, and color. 

Black olives are a good option and Greek Black Kalamata Olives are awesome in salads as they have a rich and fruity flavor and are a deep purple color. Organic Castelvetrano Pitted Olives or Nicoise olives are also great options, they are mild with a subtle buttery briney flavor. 

Beans and legumes

Beans are a great way to bulk up any recipe and while this may seem like overkill in a pasta salad recipe, beans are excellent for a slow release of energy, keeping you feeling full for longer without that post-meal slump. 

Dried or canned beans are both readily available from most grocery stores and are budget-friendly. Dried beans are healthier compared to canned beans, mainly due to some brands adding salt or other preservatives. 

Canned beans are more convenient and do not require any additional prep, whereas dried beans will always require cooking and rinsing before they can be used in recipes. 

For convenience, we used canned white beans for this recipe. Any white beans will do, a few options are:

• Cannellini Beans (white kidney beans)
• Broad beans
• Navy beans (also known as haricot beans)
• Lima beans (Butter Beans)
• Chickpeas (garbanzo beans)

Optional ingredients

Artichokes

Artichoke hearts are a super popular ingredient used in recipes from the Mediterranean and are used either in their fresh form, or in a canned variety. They are a popular ingredient in Italy, Greece, France, and Spain. 

Outside of the Mediterranean, artichokes are very easy to find in most grocery stores. Look for canned whole artichokes, artichoke quarters, or artichoke hearts in the canned foods section. They’re budget-friendly, healthy, and super tasty when added to your favorite recipe.

Artichokes are usually preserved in water with a little salt (brine) or sometimes they are reserved in oil (olive oil or sunflower oil), however, Artichoke hearts preserved in water are the healthiest option to use in salads and recipes.

---

Best Tuna to Use

Fresh or canned, tuna is an excellent and healthy ingredient that’s an excellent source of protein and is budget-friendly. Both fresh and canned tuna contain omega-3 fats and the canned variety is available from any grocery store. It’s important to know what you’re buying as canned tuna is packaged with a multitude of different labels. 

For this recipe, we used canned tuna preserved in water. Canned tuna in water is often a more budget-friendly option compared to tuna in olive oil or sunflower oil. 

White Albacore tuna is best if you’re looking for more protein and omega-3 fats with every bite. Low-mercury tuna is also a consideration when making a healthy choice. Choosing pole-and-line-caught light skipjack tuna is your best choice for a low mercury and sustainable option.

---

Mediterranean Salad Dressing

Salad dressings in the Mediterranean tend to be uncomplicated and use a few good-quality ingredients: Olive oil, lemon juice or vinegar, herbs, salt, and pepper. For this recipe, the dressing maintains this level of simplicity and opts for the use of dried oregano, olive oil, vinegar, and seasoning. 

Keeping things simple, prep is as easy as mixing the oil and vinegar with the oregano, seasoning to taste, and then drizzling over the pasta salad right before serving.

Nutrition Facts

Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	362
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12.5g	16%
Saturated Fat 1.7g	9%
Cholesterol 12mg	4%
Sodium 569mg	25%
Total Carbohydrate 42.9g	16%
Dietary Fiber 5.8g	21%
Total Sugars 4.7g
Protein 18.7g
Vitamin D 0mcg	0%
Calcium 92mg	7%
Iron 3mg	19%
Potassium 273mg	6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

---

More Mediterranean Salad Recipes

• Shredded Chicken Salad
• Mediterranean Potato Salad – No Mayo – Healthy VEGAN Potato Salad Recipe
• Caprese Pasta Salad (Insalata di Pasta Caprese)
• Caprese Salad (Insalata Caprese) How to make this classic Italian Salad Recipe
• Beet and Quinoa Salad with a Lime and Mustard dressing
• Mediterranean Pasta Salad + Tangy Lemon Herb Vinaigrette | Easy 20-Minute Recipe
• Fresh & Healthy Horiatiki Greek Salad + Easy Dressing Recipe
• Tabbouleh Salad Recipe: Light, Refreshing, and Delicious

---

---