Chilled Tuna & Shell Pasta Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing
A cool, creamy pasta salad loaded with tender mini shells, flaked tuna, sweet peas, and a tangy dill dressing. Perfect for a quick lunch, potluck, or light dinner on a hot summer evening.
- Prep10 min
- Cook10 min
- Total20 min
- DifficultyEasy
- Servings6
This is the kind of salad you can throw together in 20 minutes flat, using pantry staples and a few fresh ingredients. The dressing is simple—just mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, salt, and pepper—but it brings everything together beautifully.
Cooking the pasta and frozen peas together saves time and ensures the peas stay bright and tender. Letting the pasta cool before mixing keeps the dressing thick and creamy, so every bite is perfectly coated.
Ingredients
Servings
Dressing
Salad
Converted amounts are rounded.
Method
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, dried dill, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside.
- Finely dice the red onion and set aside. Measure out the frozen peas.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the mini shell pasta and cook for about 5–6 minutes, until almost tender. Add the frozen peas and continue boiling for another 1–2 minutes, until the pasta is fully tender and the peas are bright.
- Drain the pasta and peas thoroughly in a colander. Let them cool until they are no longer steaming—this prevents the dressing from thinning out and keeps it creamy.
- Transfer the cooled pasta and peas to a large mixing bowl. Add the diced red onion, drained tuna, and the prepared dressing. Gently fold everything together until evenly combined and coated. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat.
💡 Tips
- For extra flavor, add a tablespoon of capers or chopped pickles.
- If you prefer a lighter dressing, substitute half the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
- This salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Inspired by a recipe from Budget Bytes