Easy Tuna Pasta Salad with Shrimp

What’s better than a quick and easy pasta salad for lunch? This Tuna Pasta Salad with Shrimp is so simple to make, you’ll be able to put together an amazing dish in about 20 minutes! And the best part? It tastes even better leftover because the flavors have more time to meld. The possibilities are endless when it comes to this inexpensive recipe.

Jump to Recipe

The heat of summer is just around the corner, and that means cookouts with friends and family. No one wants to be stuck in the kitchen cooking while everyone else is enjoying themselves outside. This recipe for Easy Tuna Pasta Salad with Shrimp will be perfect for your next cookout because it can all be prepared ahead of time and then tossed together when you’re ready to serve! Plus, this dish has a little bit of everything–tuna, fresh vegetables, shrimp. You’ll find yourself coming back for seconds (or thirds) no matter what other dishes are on the table. The best part is that this recipe requires minimal ingredients so it’s not expensive or difficult to prepare either!

Adding Canned Shrimp

This tuna pasta salad can be made with just tuna, or just shrimp with only a small impact on the overall flavor. Personally, ever since I first tried this at my Mother in Laws home, I prefer to add both the tuna and canned shrimp to the salad. The shrimp are so tiny and almost disappear in the salad. You can find canned shrimp in the tuna fish aisle at your local grocer for around $3 per can.

Ingredients

Before starting this recipe, you’ll want to verify that you have the following ingredients:

• Albacore Tuna in Water (5-ounce can) – I prefer this white chunky style tuna because it tastes less fishy and is more flavorful.
• Tiny Shrimp in a can (6-ounce can) – The Bumble Bee brand makes this and it is under $3 per can.
• Red onion – For flavor and color.
• Celery – Provides flavor, color, and texture.
• Mini Peppers – Provides flavor and color. You can also use bell pepper if needed.
• Green onion – Add a nice flavor and color to the salad.
• Salad Macaroni – A small, tubular shape pasta that comes in a 16-ounce sized box.
• Miracle Whip – Adds a tangy sweetness to this salad. You can skip this if you are not a fan and double the mayonnaise.
• Mayonnaise – Adds a flavorful creaminess to the dish and helps to mix the ingredients.
• Sweet relish – Add a sweet flavor to the salad.
• Black pepper – Adds flavor and balances the sweetness.
• White wine vinegar – Helps to cut some of the sweetness in the salad and brings a balanced flavor.

Equipment and Supplies Needed

We used the following equipment and supplies to make this recipe. Items that are optional or can be substituted will be noted.

• Cutting Board & Knife – To chop your vegetables.
• Can opener – To open the tuna and mini shrimp.
• Measuring cups & spoons – To measure ingredients.
• Large Mixing Bowl – To mix the ingredients.
• Wooden spoon – To mix the salad.
• Plastic wrap – To cover the salad bowl tightly to refridgerate.

Recipe Tips

This recipe is easy to make if you know the right tips and tricks! Here are my tips for ensuring your Easy Tuna Pasta Salad with Shrimpcomes out perfectly.

Recipe Swaps

Peppers – You can use red, green, orange, or yellow bell peppers in lieu of mini peppers.

Vinegar – If you do not have white wine vinegar, you can use apple cider vinegar.

Pasta – Any style of pasta can be used for this recipe so feel free to be creative.

Seafood – If you do not have mini shrimp you can skip them, and double the tuna fish. Any kind of tuna in oil or water will work, but albacore is a personal preference of mine for a less fishy tasting salad.

Mayonnaise – If you are not a fan of miracle whip, you can use ALL mayonnaise in this recipe. I prefer some of each, but you can use all of one or the other if you prefer.

Storage

If you want to store your Easy Tuna Pasta Salad with Shrimp just follow these easy steps.

1. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. This recipe will keep nicely in glass or plastic storage containers with airtight lids versus just a plastic-wrapped bowl. You do not want the odors seeping into your refrigerator.

More Salad Recipes

• Pizza Pasta Salad
• Greek Pasta Salad with House Dressing
• Buffalo Chicken Salad
• Pesto Caprese Macaroni Salad

Recipe

Follow the recipe below to make Tuna Pasta Salad! This recipe makes 12 SERVINGS, but you can adjust the recipe card for other serving sizes.