Healthy Pasta

Greek Yogurt Tuna Pasta Salad

Name: Greek Yogurt Tuna Pasta Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 10 oz rotini or shells; 4 quarts water; 1 tablespoon kosher salt; 2 (5 oz) cans solid white tuna in water, drained; 2 celery ribs, finely diced; 1/2 small red onion, finely diced; 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed; 3/4 cup plain greek yogurt; 2 tbsp light mayonnaise; 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice; 1 tbsp dijon mustard; 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill; 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley; 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided, or to taste; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided, or to taste

By Better Plate Recipes

Published Jul 14, 2026

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Greek Yogurt Tuna Pasta Salad combines rotini or shells with tuna, celery, red onion, peas, and a creamy Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, lemon, Dijon, dill, and parsley dressing.

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Total Time

25 minutes (plus optional 30-minute chill)

Servings

Difficulty

Easy

Best For

Lunch, Meal Prep

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

You will love Greek Yogurt Tuna Pasta Salad because it gives you a full pasta meal without making the cooking feel stressful. Greek yogurt keeps the dressing creamy while adding protein, and a small amount of mayo keeps the classic deli flavor. The flavor is specific, not generic, so every ingredient has a reason to be there. The pasta is tender, celery adds crunch, peas add a pop of green, and tuna makes the salad filling. It is also practical for real life: it holds well in the fridge when the pasta is drained properly. The method gives you clear cues for heat, timing, texture, and doneness, so you are not guessing at the stove. That makes it friendly for a brand-new cook, but still satisfying for someone who already knows their way around a skillet.

What Makes This Recipe Work

Greek Yogurt Tuna Pasta Salad works because the recipe has a clear balance: a hearty base, a flavorful sauce or dressing, and a fresh finish. Tuna, pasta, and Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt, light mayo, lemon juice, Dijon, dill, salt, and pepper make a creamy dressing. The final layer matters too; celery, red onion, peas, and parsley. None of those details are just decoration. They keep the pasta from tasting flat and help every bite feel complete. The important part is pacing. Pasta should be cooked just until tender, proteins should come off the heat as soon as they are done, and sauces should be loosened slowly so they cling instead of turning watery. When those small pieces are handled carefully, the recipe tastes polished without needing complicated techniques or restaurant equipment.

Greek Yogurt Tuna Pasta Salad preparation

Ingredient Notes & Easy Swaps

Rotini or shells: Spirals and shells both trap the creamy dressing in their curves, which is why they beat smooth shapes here. Regular enriched pasta matches the timing given. Gluten-free rotini works but turns soft and can crumble once chilled, so cook it at the shortest package time, rinse it well, and dress it the same day.
Canned tuna: Two 5-oz cans give roughly 8 oz drained. Solid white albacore holds bigger flakes that stay visible after folding; chunk light is softer and cheaper and will break down more. Drain thoroughly by pressing the lid against the fish, because packing water is the fastest way to end up with a runny dressing.
Celery, red onion, and peas: Dice the celery small, about 1/4 inch, so it adds crunch without dominating a bite. Finely dice the onion, and rinse it under cold water and dry it if it tastes sharp. The peas only need thawing, not cooking, and must be patted dry; if you dislike peas, an extra 1/2 cup diced cucumber or celery keeps the salad fresh.
Greek yogurt: Use plain, unsweetened yogurt, never vanilla. Whole-milk or 5% Greek yogurt gives the creamiest, most stable dressing; nonfat works and is what the nutrition below assumes, but it tastes tangier and tightens more in the fridge, so expect to loosen it before serving.
Light mayonnaise: Just 2 tablespoons rounds off the yogurt's tang and adds the familiar deli richness. Full-fat mayo makes a richer dressing and raises the fat above the numbers listed. You can use all yogurt instead, but the result tastes noticeably sharper.
Complete dairy-free and egg-free swap: Both the yogurt and the mayonnaise must be replaced. Use 3/4 cup unsweetened plain almond, cashew, or coconut yogurt plus 2 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise. Alternative yogurts are thinner and less tangy, so cut the lemon juice to 1 tablespoon at first and add the rest to taste, and chill the salad at least 30 minutes so the dressing firms up to a normal creamy texture.
Fresh dill and parsley: Dill goes into the dressing so its flavor spreads through the salad, while parsley is folded in at the end for freshness and color. Dried dill is a weak substitute; if it is all you have, use 2 teaspoons and let the dressing sit 10 minutes before mixing. Chives can replace the parsley.
Nutrition estimate: Nutrition is an estimate per 1/4 recipe, not a lab measurement. It assumes regular enriched rotini, about 8 oz drained solid white tuna from two 5-oz cans, nonfat plain Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, the listed lemon juice and Dijon, no optional swaps or toppings, and about 10% absorption of the pasta-water salt.