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# Tuna Crunch Pasta Salad
- URL: https://opal-trout.pikapod.net/tuna-crunch-pasta-salad/
- Published: 2025-08-29T19:15:28.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-25T20:56:49.000Z
- Author: Lindsay Moser
- Tags: Recipes, celery, cold pasta, creamy, giardiniera, high protein, lunch, mayo-based, pasta salad, pickled peppers, picnic food, potato chips, red onion, savory, side dish, tuna crunch, tuna salad, #Migrated-1792961766483, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-10-25 14:56

## Tuna Crunch Pasta Salad

![](https://opal-trout.pikapod.net/content/images/2026/10/tuna-crunch-pasta-salad-jpeg-1.jpg)

- 4 5 oz cans of tuna (drained)
- 1 cup celery (finely chopped, about 3 large ribs)
- ½ cup red onion (minced)
- 1 cup flat leaf parsley (chopped, stems removed)
- ⅓ cup pickled banana peppers (finely chopped + 1 tbsp pickling liquid (from the jar))
- ¼ cup giardiniera (finely chopped)
- 2 tbsp pickled fresno peppers (minced)
- 1 cup mayo (I like kewpie)
- 1 tbsp celery seed
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 lb short curt pasta (I used shellbows – combo of elbows and shells)
- ½ pint cherry tomatoes (halved)
- Salt and vinegar potato chips (I used kettle cooked)
- Kosher salt (to taste)
1. **Make the tuna salad.** To a large bowl, add the drained tuna and use a fork to break it into small pieces. Then add the chopped celery, onion, parsley, banana peppers (and pickling liquid), giardiniera, fresnos, mayo, celery seed, black pepper and a big pinch of salt and toss to combine. Taste and add more salt if needed. The mixture should be more mayo-y than you’d prefer because we’re gonna add a bunch of pasta (and some tomatoes)!
2. **Cook and add the pasta.** Cook the pasta in a large pot of well-seasoned (salted) boiling water until fully cooked, but not overcooked. You don’t necessarily want al dente pasta for pasta salad, so take it a little bit further than that. Then drain and rinse with cold water immediately to stop the cooking and rinse off the starches. Add the cooled pasta to the tuna salad and toss to combine.
3. **Add the tomatoes and finish.** Toss in the cherry tomatoes, then put the tuna pasta salad in the bowl you’ll serve it in. Crush the chips over top and serve!
- If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, opt for wild skipjack tuna from a brand like Wild Planet to lower the amount of mercury!
- Nutritional info based on using Wild Planet skipjack tuna and does *not* include the chips, since they’re used as a topping and everyone will likely have a different amount.
- If you expect to have leftovers, you can opt for serving the crushed chips on the side for people to top their pasta salad with individually. That way you won’t get any soggy chips in leftovers!
- To up the protein, opt for a higher-protein pasta. These pastas often have higher fiber as well!
- If you’re trying to cut down on not-so-great additives like food dyes, choose pickled peppers that don’t contain them. I didn’t realize the brand I used did! I will be looking out for that from now on.

### Micronutrient Highlights

145% vitamin K, 83% vitamin B3, 65% vitamin B12, 60% selenium, 41% vitamin B6, 27% vitamin C

Main Course, Side DishAmerican, Italian