A summer cookout isn’t complete without a bowl of creamy macaroni salad. The best macaroni salad recipes are rich yet balanced, offering a variety of flavors and textures that keep the mayo-dressed pasta from feeling too heavy on a hot summer day. A dish gets bonus points if it’s filling enough to enjoy as a stand-alone meal, and this macaroni salad with tuna and hard-boiled eggs fits the bill.

We make our tuna macaroni salad recipe with a creamy mayonnaise-based dressing that perfectly coats the noodles to ensure each bite delivers a sweet and tangy flavor. The crisp celery and onions provide a little crunch, while the peas and hard-boiled eggs give the salad a chewy texture and bursts of color. Add water-packed tuna to create a well-rounded salad that’s pleasing to the eyes and even more gratifying to the taste buds.

Tuna Macaroni Salad Ingredients

• Tuna: Some of the best tuna brands are packed in oil, but we like water-packed tuna for this recipe. It has a lighter texture and flakes better than oil-packed tuna.
• Elbow macaroni: Look for a macaroni brand with ridges. The texture adds some fun to the pasta salad and helps the dressing cling to the noodles for a creamier eating experience.
• Hard-boiled eggs: Hard-boiled eggs add richness to this macaroni tuna salad recipe. Here’s everything you need to know about how to make perfect hard-boiled eggs.
• Macaroni salad dressing: The dressing in this recipe couldn’t be easier. Simply stir mayonnaise with sweet pickle relish, salt and pepper. If you prefer Miracle Whip vs. mayonnaise, feel free to make the swap.
• Vegetables: This pasta salad gets color and texture from the peas, onions and celery. For a bolder flavor, use red onions instead of sweet onions.

Taste of Home