Fish & Seafood/ Main Dishes/ Pasta/ Salads/ Summer

Tuna and Green Bean Pasta Salad (+ Video)

Name: Tuna and Green Bean Pasta Salad
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 6 people
Ingredients: 1 lb (450g) green beans (, trimmed and cut into pieces); 2 large potatoes (, diced); 1/2 lb (225g) tricolor pasta (, or any other short pasta you like); 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice; 2 cloves garlic (, finely chopped); 1/3 cup olive oil; 1 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes; 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil; 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley; 9 oz. (250g) canned tuna (, drained)

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This green bean, potato, and tomato packed Tuna Pasta Salad ticks all the boxes. It’s healthy and super nutritious, it’s light but filling at the same time, and it’s so delicious you will rush to thank me after tasting it. A perfect summer dinner!

With summer approaching, I am in search for light, easy dinner recipes. You don’t want anything too heavy when it’s scorching outside. Usually, that’s something featuring lots of veggies and fish or lean meat such as chicken or turkey. That’s my idea of a light dinner.

I mean, the fact that a dinner is light shouldn’t mean that it’s not filling. Right? The key is the right combination of protein, fats, and carbs and your stomach will feel full but not stuffed or uncomfortable at the same time. In other words, our aim is to feel full in a good way.

Salad is one of the best things to enjoy during summer. Fresh full-of-flavor veggies and fruit are rare nowadays with supermarkets stocking their shelves with “plastic” goods so use your chance and raid farmers’ markets at this time of the year.

However, if I just mix various veggies and eat them my stomach is always asking for more. It’s just not enough for me. Veggies are great but you would really need A LOT of them to fill you up. Unless you throw a few avocados inside. Packed with good fats, these guys are filling as hell!

While I do love avocados, I’m also a carnivore so I want my salads to have at least some meat, fish, or seafood. Canned tuna is one of my go-tos for making salads more filling. It’s relatively cheap and requires no effort whatsoever. Just open a can and put tuna in your salad. No cooking, no cleaning, easy peasy!

If I want to take my salad a notch higher on the fullness scale, I add some pasta. My hubby wouldn’t eat a salad without it or he would need three bowlfuls, ha ha!

For more pasta salads, check out this Seafood Pasta Salad with imitation crabmeat and shrimp or this light and refreshing Broccoli Cranberry Pasta Salad with prosciutto!

Ok, Tuna Pasta Salad sounds great but now we need a fresh and awesome combination of veggies. This time I went with green beans (lots of them), potatoes, tomatoes and my favorite basil (it’s 3 times cheaper here in Tenerife than in Lithuania)! Oh, and parsley is also here.

Why Green Beans Are Good For You?

I will be frank with you. I don’t eat nearly enough of these green guys. That’s too bad because green beans are packed with good stuff! They are an excellent source of vitamins A, C, and K + folic acid and fiber.

Green bean pods are low in calories (one cup has about 31) so it’s a perfect food if you want to maintain a healthy weight. They are also good for your heart, bone health, and help fight depression!

My hubby loves that green beans contain protein so they are beneficial for muscle growth. I somehow need to set a reminder in my head to eat them more often!

This Tuna Pasta Salad is seriously great, guys. One of the best salads I had lately. Not only the combo of veggies, tuna, and pasta is great in this one but the lemon and garlic dressing is awesome too!

I had high expectations of this salad and it didn’t disappoint. Why high? Well, the recipe is adapted from one of my most favorite books ever – Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis. All the recipes I made from it were a success. Not a single fail so far! Can’t recommend it enough.

To sum up, this Tuna Pasta Salad makes a great light but at the same time filling summer dinner. Healthy, refreshing, and super delicious, it’s guaranteed to make you happy!

Tuna Pasta Salad Recipe Video:

5 from 4 votes

Tuna and Green Bean Pasta Salad

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

25 mins

Total Time

40 mins

This Tuna Pasta Salad is light but filling, nutritious, and crazy delicious. It makes a perfect summer dinner!

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 417 kcal

Author: Yummy Addiction

Ingredients

1 lb (450g) green beans , trimmed and cut into pieces
2 large potatoes , diced
1/2 lb (225g) tricolor pasta , or any other short pasta you like
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic , finely chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
9 oz. (250g) canned tuna , drained

Instructions

Cook the green beans in a large pot of salted water for 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.
In the same pot, add the potatoes and cook for about 8-10 minutes until they are tender but still hold their shape. Drain and set aside.
In the same pot, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
In a small bowl, add the lemon juice, garlic, olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine.
Place the tomatoes, basil, and parsley in a large bowl. Add the tuna. Add the cooked green beans, potatoes, and pasta. Pour the dressing over and toss well. Enjoy!