Souplantation Tuna Tarragon Salad Recipe
A refreshing and creamy tuna tarragon pasta salad featuring a mix of shell and spinach fettuccine pasta, combined with a tangy mayonnaise and sour cream dressing enhanced with sweet pickle juice and dried tarragon. This salad is packed with diced sweet pickles, celery, and tuna, making it a perfect dish for a light lunch or picnic.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 1 pound medium shell pasta
- 1/2 pound spinach fettuccine, broken into 2 inch pieces if possible
Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup sweet pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground pepper
Mix-ins
- 1 cup diced sweet pickles
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1/4 cup chopped celery leaves
- 1 (6 ounce) can tuna, drained
Instructions
- Cook the shell pasta: Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the medium shell pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 10 minutes. Use a small strainer to scoop out the pasta and transfer it to a large mixing bowl, leaving the water in the pot.
- Cook the spinach fettuccine: Add the broken spinach fettuccine pieces to the boiling water and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta into a colander in the sink and add it to the mixing bowl with the shell pasta. Set the combined pasta aside to cool.
- Prepare the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, sweet pickle juice, dried tarragon, kosher salt, and ground pepper until well combined.
- Combine pasta and dressing: Pour the dressing over the cooled pasta. Add diced sweet pickles, diced celery, chopped celery leaves, and drained tuna, breaking the tuna into smaller pieces.
- Toss and serve: Gently toss the pasta mixture with a large spoon until all the pasta is evenly coated with the dressing. Serve immediately or chill in the refrigerator before serving for enhanced flavor.
Notes
- For best texture, make sure to cool the pasta before adding the dressing to prevent it from becoming soggy.
- Using sweet pickle juice adds a subtle tang and moisture to the dressing.
- This salad can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
- Feel free to substitute tuna with canned salmon or chicken for variation.
- Be sure to drain the tuna well to avoid excess liquid in the salad.
Keywords: Tuna Tarragon Salad, pasta salad, tuna pasta salad, creamy pasta salad, Souplantation recipe, spring salad, summer salad
