This high-protein tuna pasta salad has a whopping 51g of protein with only 471 calories per serving. It takes 30 minutes, stores well for 4 days, and actually tastes better the longer it sits in the fridge, all making it a great simple meal prep option for busy weeks.
And, I make this tuna pasta salad allll the time. Although it’s not the sexiest of recipes, it just checks all the boxes and for some weird reason, I never get sick of it.
This protein tuna pasta salad combines whole wheat pasta, canned tuna, fresh dill, and lemon all in a simple creamy greek yogurt dressing. Simple ingredients, but the combination is surprisingly good. Tangy, bright, filling without being heavy.
The best part about it is that it just gets better as it sits, which always feels like a small miracle when it comes to meal prep recipes. While some things become watery and soggy, this high-protein tuna pasta salad actually gets better.
Why You’ll Love It
Here are a few of the reasons that I come back to this recipe so often:
- 51g protein per serving, which is pretty dang impressive considering it’s a pasta salad.
- 471 calories but still super filling. Trust me, you will be full after eating one portion. The protein-to-calorie ratio is hard to beat.
- 30 minutes & one pot. No 3-hour Sunday meal prep here. Just boil the pasta and mix everything else in a bowl. Super minimal clean up, too.
- Lasts 4 days in the fridge and honestly tastes better on days 2 to 4 once the flavors have melded.
- Budget-friendly. Depending on where you shop, you can make this for just a couple of dollars per serving.
Key Ingredients
Nothing fancy here. The protein comes from stacking tuna, greek yogurt, and whole wheat pasta together.
- Whole wheat pasta: 8g protein and 4g fiber per serving, compared to 6g protein and 2g fiber in regular pasta. The extra fiber helps with satiety, which is partly why this meal keeps you full for hours. You can also use a high-protein pasta if you prefer.
- Canned tuna: One can has 32g protein and only 1.5g fat. It’s one of the leanest, most affordable protein sources you can buy. I like Wild Planet for sustainability, but any brand works.
- Frozen peas: 5g protein and 5g fiber per serving. They add sweetness and color, and you cook them right in the pasta water.
- Greek yogurt: This replaces mayo. You get extra protein, a tangy brightness, and way less fat. The texture is creamy without being heavy.
- Fresh dill: This brings a ton of flavor. Dill and tuna are a classic pairing for a reason. If you’re not a dill person, fresh parsley or chives work too.
- Red onion: Finely diced for a little bite. Soaking it in cold water for 10 minutes mellows the sharpness if raw onion is too intense for you.
- Arugula: A handful of these peppery greens at the end adds freshness and color. You can skip it, but it’s a nice contrast to the creamy dressing.
- Lemon: Zest and juice. The acid brightens the whole dish and balances the yogurt and tuna.
If you like this, you’ll probably also like my Dill Pickle Chicken Salad. Same idea: high protein, tangy, great for meal prep.
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How To Make It
The whole thing comes together in about 30 minutes. Most of that is just waiting for the pasta to cook.
Cook the pasta and peas
Boil the pasta in well-salted water according to package directions. Add the frozen peas in the last 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Prep everything else
Drain the tuna, finely dice the onion and soak it in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes to mellow the bite. Mince the dill. Zest and juice the lemon.
Make the dressing
In a large bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, Dijon mustard, lemon juice and zest, and dill.
Combine and serve
Add the pasta, peas, tuna, onion, and arugula to the bowl. Toss until everything is coated. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately or store in the fridge for later. It’s good cold straight from the container.
Looking for more high-protein meal prep ideas? I’ve got a full roundup of high-protein pasta salads if you want to rotate through a few different flavors.
Victoria’s Tips
Here are some simple tips for the best tuna pasta salad:
- Drain the tuna really well. Be sure to press the cans firmly to get every last drop of water out. Watery tuna will make this pasta salad soggy and bland.
- Salt the pasta water generously. Whole wheat pasta needs more salt than regular pasta, so make sure you add about a tablespoon per pot of water. This will also help everything in the pasta salad taste more flavorful.
- Don’t skip the lemon zest. Although it’s a bit of a faff, the bright lemon flavor really pulls up all the flavors in this dish. Adding both zest and juice gives the perfect amount of tang and brightness.
- Want even more protein? Swap the whole wheat pasta for chickpea or lentil pasta. You can also just amp up the amount of tuna or add a can of chickpeas.
Ingredient Substitutions
Need to swap something? Here’s what works:
Storage & Meal Prep
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. This is meant to be eaten cold, so no reheating needed.
Keep the arugula separate until just before eating.
If you want the pasta to stay firmer, store the dressing separately and toss right before eating. But honestly, I don’t bother. The slightly softer texture after a day or two is part of what makes it good.
If you’re building out your weekly meal prep, these healthy lunch meal prep ideas are all great recipes to try.
FAQ
It is one of the best recipes for meal prep because it stores well in the fridge for up to four days and actually tastes better on days two through four. And it’s meant to be eaten cold, so no standing in the microwave line required.
Totally! You lose a little bit of protein and fiber because whole wheat pasta has 8g of protein and 4g of fiber per serving compared to 6g and 2g in regular pasta. But, overall, it’s still a super high-protein recipe.
Yep, this tuna pasta salad, as written, is already mayo-free. It uses Greek yogurt in the dressing, which lends a creamy, tangy flavor and adds a bit of extra protein too.
High-Protein Tuna Pasta Salad
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Ingredients
Instructions
- Cook 12 oz whole wheat fusilli according to package instructions in highly salted water. Add 10 oz frozen peas in the final 2 minutes. Then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Open 5 cans tuna (in water) and drain well until the tuna fish is dry and no excess liquid remains.Finely dice ½ red onion and soak it in cold water for 5 minutes to get rid of the strong flavor. Then drain and set aside. Finely chop 1 bunch fresh dill and zest and juice the lemon.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup plain greek yogurt, 2 tbsp dijon mustard, lemon juice and zest, and dill. Whisk until combined.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the large bowl with the dressing and mix until evenly combined. If storing for meal prep, keep the arugula separate until just before eating.
- If meal prepping, store in an airtight container or in mason jars until ready to be eaten.
Nutrition
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Hi! Is the calories per serving (which shows this makes 6 servings) or for the entire recipe/6 servings all together.
Hi Stephanie, the calories show are per serving. Hope you enjoy!
What is a serving size of the tuna pasta
The full recipe makes 6 portions 🙂
Delicious! Used high protein pasta instead, added a bit more lemon. Super light and tasty!
Love to hear this!
A recipe I often go back to and never get sick of.
a classic
What size are the cans of tuna? Sorry if I missed it☺️
Hi Evie, classic 5oz can of tuna 🙂