Non Traditional Macaroni Tuna Salad

If you’re like me and not a fan of overly creamy salads, this non traditional take on tuna mac salad might be up your alley.  Interesting assortment of ingredients. Very easy and quick to put together. Nix the sour cream for a healthier option of fat free cottage cheese.

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 to 3 cups cooked macaroni  *Use high protein or whole wheat elbow pasta for more nutritional kick.   **Bring water to a boil, add pasta and a little salt, cook for 7 minutes al dente.
• 1/4 cup Balsamic vinaigrette dressing
• 1/3 cup fat free cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup olive oil base mayonnaise
• 2 TBS Wasabi horseradish
• 2 1/2 TBS tartar sauce
• 1/4 red onion chopped small
• 2 celery stalks chopped small
• 12 oz water packed tuna, drained and flaked
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste *about 1/2 tsp each.

Allow the pasta to cool then put in a large serving bowl with the Balsamic dressing.  Allow to sit about 1/2 hour.

In the meantime, mix the cottage cheese, mayonnaise, wasabi, and tartar sauce.  Add the chopped onion and celery plus all the tuna, and the garlic.

Stir the cottage cheese – tuna mix into the pasta.  Season with salt and pepper. Top with paprika for serving if desired.

Not too creamy, a salad with texture, a little pizzazz from the wasabi, and certainly a satisfying side or main for the appetite.

When you eat vegetarian, the majority of folks want to feed you plain old pasta in a red sauce.  This protein pasta salad with tuna is a good way to satisfy that vegetarian who will eat fish.

Care to share your favorite recipe for macaroni tuna salad?  We’d love to see it!

Joanne