Pasta Tuna and Sweetcorn Salad (quick & easy)

Name: Pasta Tuna and Sweetcorn Salad (quick & easy)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 cups uncooked pasta (macaroni, rotini, etc.); 8 ounces tuna (, 2 cans, drained); 1 cup corn (fresh or frozen, thawed); 1 bunch green onions (or scallions, chopped, about ½ cup); ½ cup mayonnaise; 1 Tbsp yellow mustard; ½ tsp black pepper; salt (to taste)

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This pasta tuna and sweetcorn salad is a quick, refreshing, flavorful salad that's perfect for potlucks or picnics. Such a simple salad that even your pickiest eaters should love.

Pasta salad with corn and tuna on white plate

I really never thought about combining pasta with tuna and sweetcorn until recently.

However, I ran across some delicious-looking salads made with all three, and I though, "Hey, that looks delish - gotta try my hand at my own unique version of it." And so this simple tuna corn salad with pasta was born.

What You'll Need

2 cups uncooked small pasta (macaroni, rotini, etc.)
2 cans tuna (4 ounces each)
1 cup fresh or frozen corn (thawed)
1 small bunch scallions or green onions
mayonnaise
yellow mustard
black pepper
salt to taste (I didn't feel it needed any)

Ingredients in bowl for tuna salad with pasta and corn

How to Make

Cook pasta according to the package directions. Once done, drain and rinse pasta in cool water. Make sure not to overcook. You want the pasta to be cooked al dente, which has a slight chewiness to it.

Meanwhile, to a medium size bowl, add drained tuna, corn, chopped scallions, mayonnaise, mustard, and black pepper. Mix until all ingredients are well incorporated.

Add pasta to corn and tuna mixture, and stir to mix. Serve right away or refrigerate for 1-2 hours for best flavor.

Tips & FAQs

Cook pasta to al dente. Be sure to not overcook. Also, rinsing in cool water right away helps to stop the cooking process and prevents pasta from getting mushy.

Should I use tuna in oil or tuna in water?

This is up to you. I typically buy tuna packed in water, so that's what I used. However, tuna packed in oil is fine to use.

Whichever you use, be sure to drain the oil or water before adding to the bowl, as the extra liquid or oil will be too much for the salad.

Is it okay to use mustard powder?

I used the yellow prepared mustard in the bottle - not the powdered mustard.

The powdered mustard will give a different result, as it tends to be a bit spicy. Plus, it won't add more creaminess the way prepared mustard will.

The prepared yellow mustard also doesn't add spice, but it adds a nice "jolt" of flavor (for lack of a better way to describe it).

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! In fact, I encourage you to make it a day or so ahead of time. This will help meld the flavors together and make it that much more delicious.

How long will leftovers keep?

Leftovers will keep safely for 3-4 days in the refrigerator. After that, it's questionable as to the safety of eating the salad. If there is an odd smell, definitely discard the leftovers.

Can I use canned corn for this recipe?

While it's best to use fresh or frozen corn in this recipe, you can certainly use canned corn if that's what you have. It may not be as crispy for the salad, but you can use it in a pinch.

Make sure to drain and rinse the corn well before adding to the salad. You don't want any extra liquid in the mix.

How to Serve

This tuna corn salad is great for cookouts, picnics, or potlucks. You can also serve it for a light lunch by itself.

Great served with grilled chicken, hotdogs, hamburgers - anything you're serving up on the grill. Try this pasta tuna sweetcorn salad with my Hotdog Chili and Slow Cooker Baked Beans for your next cookout.

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5 from 1 vote