Tuna Pasta Salad
The taste of summer in a salad! Tuna, pasta and veggies tossed in a delicious dressing. Serve with sliced tomatoes and potato chips for a perfect lunch.
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta shells
- 2 jars Tonnino tuna drained
- 16 ounces sharp cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
- 1 red bell pepper chopped fine
- 1 small sweet onion chopped fine
- 1 jalapeno pepper seeded and minced
- ¼-½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- juice of one lemon
- ¼-½ cup extra light olive oil to taste/texture desired
- red wine vinegar a splash or two, to taste
- kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne pepper to taste
- handful fresh cilantro chopped, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the pasta shells in boiling salted water until done. Drain and rinse with cold water and drizzle with olive oil and a small amount of kosher salt. You can do this early in the day or even the night before--Store in the refrigerator in a large ziploc bag.
- In a large bowl, place the red pepper, onion, jalapeno pepper, oregano, mayonnaise, lemon juice and ¼ cup olive oil along with a pinch of salt, pepper, and sprinkle of cayenne pepper. Stir to combine and then add the tuna. Mix together gently.
- Now add the pasta shells and cubed cheddar cheese to the tuna mixture. Drizzle with additional olive oil and a splash or two of red wine vinegar. Stir well and taste for seasonings and for ratio of dressing to pasta salad ingredients. Add additional olive oil, red wine vinegar or lemon juice, salt, pepper and cayenne according to personal taste.
- Top with cilantro and serve with sliced tomatoes and potato chips. Enjoy!