For the past few days I have had this burning desire for tuna macaroni salad. (I haven’t even thought about macaroni salad for decades, but for some reason, this salad from my childhood has been haunting me.) Maybe it’s because the temperature has been hovering on the hot side and cold salads are a great answer to what to fix for dinner. Whatever the reason, the other evening I simply had to break down and cater to my taste buds and take a trip down memory lane.
Now for those of you who know me well, you know that my mother was not generally considered a good cook. (That’s being extremely kind.) But there were a few dishes she’d make that were really quite tasty. And tuna macaroni salad was one of them. Of course her recipe was a little more bare bones than my new version, but none-the-less, I loved it when I was a kid.
Now that my palate is a bit more experienced, I decided to upgrade my mom’s recipe (macaroni, tuna, celery, and mayonnaise) to include a few additional ingredients. I felt these ingredients were necessary to bring Tuna Macaroni Salad into the 21st century.
And I know what you are thinking. Patti should be posting sophisticated nouveau recipes rather than trying to resurrect some old dish that wasn’t that memorable to begin with! Well, that may to true, but both Mr. C. and I loved this new reincarnation of an old standby.
So some hot evening when you are tired and not feeling like being terribly creative, give this salad a try. It is simply a perfect dish for a hot summer evening. Plus it is stinkin’ easy to prepare, inexpensive, and family friendly.
- 2 T. dill pickle relish
- 1 c. mayonnaise (I use Best Foods Light Mayonnaise)
- 1 T. Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp. seasoned salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 2/3 c. finely chopped celery
- ¼ c. minced onion
- ½ c. chopped pimento stuffed green olives
- ½ c. tiny cubes of sharp cheddar cheese
- 2 cans (7-oz. each) water-packed albacore tuna, drained and flaked
- 2 c. small pasta shells, cooked al dente*, placed in colander, rinsed with cold water and allowed to drain
- chopped tomato, garnish, opt.
- shredded lettuce, garnish, opt.
In a medium sized bowl whisk together the relish, mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Gently stir in the celery, onion, olives, cheese, tuna, and cooked pasta. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. (That gives you time for a nice cold before dinner drinky poo.) Serve salad garnished with tomato and lettuce.
*most important that the pasta be cooked al dente “to the tooth” – neither crunchy or too soft