Southern Tuna Macaroni Salad

Name: Southern Tuna Macaroni Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 0.5 cup diced red onion; 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni; 1 cup mayonnaise; 0.5 cup chopped pimento peppers; 5 tablespoons dill pickle relish; 2 tablespoons chow-chow (optional); 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard; 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 3 ribs celery, diced; 2 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped; 2 (6.5 ounce) jars tuna packed in oil

4.5

(2)

2 Reviews

1 Photo

Creamy from eggs and mayonnaise, tangy and acidic from mustard, pickles and chow chow, with a nice crunch from celery and onion. The Cajun spice just rounds it out with a blend of spices, the pimentos add a pop of color and sweetness, and tuna complements and ties all the flavors together in this Southern macaroni salad. Could top with some parsley for added color! Put this in a tortilla or melt some cheese on toast and make an open-faced sandwich!

Recipe by Ali Ramee

Updated on July 12, 2021

Prep Time:

15 mins

Additional Time:

5 mins

Total Time:

20 mins

Servings:

8

Yield:

8 servings

Jump to Nutrition Facts

Ingredients

½ cup diced red onion
1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup chopped pimento peppers
5 tablespoons dill pickle relish
2 tablespoons chow-chow (optional)
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 ribs celery, diced
2 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped
2 (6.5 ounce) jars tuna packed in oil

Directions

Place diced onion in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 5 minutes. Drain into a colander.
While onion soaks, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain into the same colander as red onion and run under cold water to stop cooking and cool to room temperature.
Place mayonnaise, pimentos, relish, chow-chow, mustard, Cajun seasoning, and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add pasta, red onion, and celery and stir to combine. Gently fold in tuna and eggs to combine.

Cook's Notes:

Getting high-quality tuna packed in olive oil is going to make or break this dish. I would splurge on the Tonnino brand.

You can use chopped pepperoncini instead of chow-chow.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

523	Calories
28g	Fat
46g	Carbs
22g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 523
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 28g	35%
Saturated Fat 5g	23%
Cholesterol 71mg	24%
Sodium 775mg	34%
Total Carbohydrate 46g	17%
Dietary Fiber 3g	10%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 22g
Vitamin C 12mg	59%
Calcium 42mg	3%
Iron 3mg	17%
Potassium 341mg	7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.