This Healthier Tuna Macaroni Salad is only 5 ingredients and super high in protein. It’s perfect for meal prep because it keeps well in the fridge. This was one of my favorite childhood recipes made lighter.

Okay where are all my fellow midwesterners at?! If you’re from the midwest you are probably VERY familiar with “salads” that involve mayonnaise.

This particular mayonnaise salad is extra special to me because it’s a recipe my dad made growing up. He used to make a huge batch of tuna macaroni salad in a bowl and we’d take it on picnics or eat it for lunch.

Of course I’ve since asked him how he made it, and he told me all it took was pasta, tuna, mayonnaise and capers. WHO KNEW?!

At the time all I cared about was how FRICKEN DELICIOUS it was, but now that I’m older I appreciate it for so many reasons.

It’s high in protein – Each serving has 25 grams of protein!
It’s budget friendly – Pasta and tuna are two of the least expensive ingredients, and the whole recipe only calls for 5 ingredients total!
It’s perfect for meal prep – make a big bowl of this at the beginning of the week and it tastes great all week.
Oh and did I mention it’s fricken’ delicious?!

Okay so what makes this 5-Ingredient Healthier Tuna Macaroni Salad so special? It’s the secret ingredient …. capers! Many tuna macaroni salad recipes are made with peas instead, but capers are just so far superior.

If you’ve never had them, they’re like little salty bursts of deliciousness. They have so much more flavor than peas and they make this dish soooo much better. Trust me on this.

The other secret to making tuna macaroni healthier is by using a half and half mixture of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise. It’ll be a tiny bit tangier than you’re used to, but it really helps to cut down on the fat content.

Here’s How to Make Healthier Tuna Macaroni Salad

Boil your pasta. I always salt the water when I’m boiling pasta. Make sure to cook it until al dente then rinse with cold water to cool it off. I love using chickpea or lentil pasta because it’s higher in protein.
Assemble your salad. You’re gonna need a big old bowl for this part. Add pasta, drained tuna, capers, mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, dill and pepper. Mix it allllll up.
Adjust! Giver a taste and add a little salt if it needs it. I like to add this at the end because the capers are pretty salty. If it tastes a little too tangy or isn’t creamy enough for your liking, add more mayonnaise.
Feel free to add anything else you might have on hand. Some tuna macaroni salads include celery, chopped boiled eggs, sweet pickle relish … you really can’t go wrong.

Next time you’re looking for a high protein meal prep recipe or healthier lunch for the week, give this 5-Ingredient Healthier Tuna Macaroni Salad a try. I hope you love it as much as 8-year-old me did.

5-Ingredient Healthier Tuna Macaroni Salad

This Healthier Tuna Macaroni Salad is only 5 ingredients and super high in protein. It's perfect for meal prep because it keeps well in the fridge.

Ingredients

1 box Banza chickpea elbows (or any lentil/chickpea pasta), cooked and cooled
3 (5oz) cans of tuna in water, drained
3 or 4 tablespoons capers
1/2 cup mayonnaise (I like Primal Kitchen)
1/2 cup plain low fat Greek yogurt
3 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
Pepper to taste

Instructions

In a large bowl, combine the pasta, tuna, capers, mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill and pepper. Stir to combine.
Add more mayonnaise if it's not creamy enough for your liking.
Taste and add salt if needed. (The capers are super salty, so it might not need any. That's why I always add at the end.)
Enjoy!

Notes

This would also be great with the addition of celery for a little crunch, or sweet pickle relish for some more flavor.

5-Ingredient Healthier Tuna Macaroni Salad

Here’s How to Make Healthier Tuna Macaroni Salad

5-Ingredient Healthier Tuna Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

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Nutrition Information: