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Recipe

Fusion Tuna Pasta Salad (Sweet & Simple)

A bright, creamy tuna pasta salad with a sweet, tangy Asian-inspired dressing, crisp veggies, and cozy noodles. Weeknight-easy, potluck-ready, and dangerously snackable straight from the fridge.

Author By Matt Campbell
4.8
Bowl of tuna pasta salad with rotini, cucumber, shredded carrots, scallions, and sesame seeds in a creamy dressing
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This is my kind of pasta salad. It’s not trying to be fancy. It’s trying to be gone by the time everyone sits down.

We’re taking classic tuna pasta salad energy and giving it a sweet and savory glow up with a quick dressing that hits creamy, tangy, a little sweet, plus a tiny pop of sesame and ginger. The result tastes like something you’d happily fork out of a deli container, except you control the crunch, the seasoning, and the amount of tuna (which should be generous, always).

It’s a weeknight staple, a lunchbox hero, and a potluck side that’ll have someone asking, “Wait, what is in this?” in the best way.

Hands tossing rotini with tuna and chopped vegetables in a large glass bowl

Why It Works

  • Sweet and tangy dressing that clings: Mayo for body, rice vinegar for lift, and a little honey to round it out.
  • Crunch meets cozy: Chilled pasta and flaky tuna with crisp cucumber, carrots, and scallions for texture that stays interesting.
  • Flavor that builds fast: Soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger bring big “fusion” vibes without sending you on a specialty grocery quest.
  • Make-ahead friendly: It gets better after a short chill, then you can refresh it with a splash of vinegar or a spoon of mayo.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Fridge

Store in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Refrigerate within 2 hours of making (1 hour if it’s very hot out), and discard if it’s been left out longer than that. This is a mayo-based salad, so keep it cold.

How to refresh on day two

Pasta drinks up dressing as it sits. Before serving, stir in 1 tablespoon mayo at a time (or a splash of rice vinegar) until it looks glossy and creamy again. Taste, then add a pinch of salt if needed.

Can you freeze it?

I don’t recommend freezing. Mayo tends to separate and watery vegetables like cucumber go limp after thawing.

Common Questions

What makes it “fusion”?

The base is familiar tuna pasta salad, but the flavor leans Asian-inspired with soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and optional sriracha. It lands sweet, tangy, and savory all at once.

What tuna is best?

Solid white albacore gives bigger flakes and a cleaner bite. Chunk light is totally fine too and often a little softer. Choose tuna packed in water for a lighter salad, or oil for richer flavor. If you use oil-packed tuna, you may want to dial back the mayo or sesame oil so it doesn’t tip greasy. Drain well either way.

How do I keep pasta salad from getting dry?

Pasta loves to drink up dressing in the fridge, so give it a little strategy:

  • Dress it in two stages: Toss the pasta with about two-thirds of the dressing while it’s slightly warm (not steaming hot). Chill, then add the remaining dressing right before serving.
  • Cool fast if you need to: A quick rinse under cold water is fine for speed. Just know it’s mainly for cooling, not for helping dressing cling.
  • Save a splash: If it tightens up, stir in 1 tablespoon mayo (or a splash of rice vinegar) at a time until it’s creamy again.

Can I make it without mayo?

Yes. Swap the mayo for plain Greek yogurt (tangier) or use a mix of yogurt and mayo. You can also do a sesame vinaigrette-style version with extra sesame oil and a neutral oil, but it’ll be less creamy.

Is this kid-friendly?

Very. Keep the sriracha optional, and go easy on raw onion. If your crew’s skeptical of cucumber, swap in peas or corn.

What pasta shape works best?

Short shapes that trap dressing: rotini, shells, farfalle, or elbow macaroni. Rotini is my go-to because it grabs everything like it’s doing you a favor.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes. For best texture, you can prep components up to a day ahead: cook the pasta, mix the dressing, and chop the veggies. If cucumbers tend to weep on you, keep them separate and stir them in closer to serving.

Any allergen notes?

Contains fish (tuna), egg (mayo), soy (soy sauce), and sesame (oil and seeds). Use tamari for gluten-free (and gluten-free pasta), and check labels as needed.

I started making versions of this when I wanted lunch that felt like comfort food but didn’t taste flat by day two. Tuna pasta salad is already a solid idea, but the moment I added rice vinegar and a little honey, it clicked. It tasted brighter, less heavy, and weirdly addictive. Now it’s my “I have a can of tuna and no plan” recipe. I mix it up, I taste it, I adjust, and somehow the bowl is always emptier than it should be.