Equipment
Ingredients
Base
- 250 g dried fusilli or macaroni pasta
Mix-ins
- 160 g canned tuna in spring water or brine, drained weight
- 150 g canned sweetcorn, drained weight
- 4 spring onions, thinly sliced
Dressing
- 120 g mayonnaise
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 3 g fine sea salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 502 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 54 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 663 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 4 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 5 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 14 g
- Cholesterol
- 27 mg
- Potassium
- 318 mg
- Calcium
- 37 mg
- Iron
- 3.2 mg
- Magnesium
- 52 mg
- Phosphorus
- 204 mg
- Zinc
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 20 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 5 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 50 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.59 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.32 mg
- Niacin
- 8.9 mg
- Folate
- 167 mcg
- Water
- 78 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil at 100C/212F. Add the pasta and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until al dente.
Transfer the cooked pasta to a colander. Rinse thoroughly under cold running water to immediately halt the cooking process and wash away surface starches. Shake vigorously to drain excess water.
Place the spring onions on a cutting board, trim the root ends, and slice them thinly across both the white and green sections using a chef knife.
Thoroughly drain the canned tuna and canned sweetcorn using the colander or the can lids. Press out as much moisture as possible from the tuna to prevent a watery salad.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained tuna, sweetcorn, sliced spring onions, mayonnaise, lemon juice, sea salt, and black pepper. Flake the tuna with a spatula and mix vigorously until all ingredients are evenly distributed.
Add the cooled, drained pasta to the mixing bowl. Fold gently with the spatula to coat the pasta completely in the dressing, being careful not to tear the pasta shapes.
Cover the bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
Chef's Notes
- Rinsing the cooked pasta under cold water is crucial; it stops the cooking process immediately and removes surface starch, preventing the salad from becoming claggy or sticky.
- For a lighter dressing profile that still maintains creaminess, substitute exactly half of the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt or sour cream.
- Always flake the tuna thoroughly before introducing the pasta. This ensures the fish distributes evenly throughout the salad without leaving dry, unseasoned chunks.
- To elevate the flavor profile, add a pinch of smoked paprika, a dash of hot sauce, or a handful of chopped fresh dill to the mayonnaise dressing.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container to prevent drying out.
Reheating: Do not reheat. Serve chilled or at room temperature.
Troubleshooting
Salad is too dry after chilling
Cause: The pasta absorbed the dressing while resting, or the pasta was still warm when mixed.
Fix: Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of extra mayonnaise or a small splash of milk right before serving.
Prevention: Ensure the pasta is entirely cold before mixing. Do not overcook the pasta.
Watery dressing pooling at the bottom of the bowl
Cause: The canned ingredients or pasta were not drained thoroughly enough.
Fix: Carefully tilt the bowl to pour off excess liquid, then stir in a small amount of extra mayonnaise to re-bind.
Prevention: Press liquid out of the canned tuna firmly and shake the colander vigorously when draining rinsed pasta.
Cultural Context
Tuna and sweetcorn is a quintessential British flavor pairing, widely found baked in jacket potatoes, stuffed into sandwich triangles, and stirred into pasta salads across the UK. This straightforward dish became a staple of British lunchboxes and summer picnics in the late 20th century due to the convenience and affordability of canned ingredients. Its enduring popularity lies in the perfect textural balance of savory flaked fish, creamy dressing, and crisp, sweet pops of corn.
