WW Recipe of the Day: Quick Tuna Olive Pasta Salad for Two
Pasta salads first arrived on my plate during the '80s. Since then they have become as common as pesto and sun dried tomatoes. Every deli, cafe and bistro has a version.
Whenever I make pasta for dinner, I save a scoop or two of noodles (except spaghetti!) for a quick lunch the next day.
This salad "happened" when we were moving and I wanted to whittle away at the pantry. With just a few ingredients I made a savory, super yummy lunch amidst the boxes and packing materials.
Pasta, a jar of tapenade, and delicious tuna in olive oil are all you'll need for this one.
Tuna Pasta Tapenade Salad
These days tapenade comes in all colors. Black olive, green olive and even dried tomatoes are made into pesto. ANY of these will make a tasty salad, although I favor the traditional black olive one available at Trader Joe's and most supermarkets.
With the olive oil already flavoring the tuna and vice versa, there's little need for much else except a few herbs for the final touch.
The tapenade is seasoned with plenty of salt and spices so that's adds all you'll need for flavor.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Tuna Salad with Pasta?
According to my calculations, each serving has 298 calories and:
7 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
7 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
7 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
7 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
To save WW Points you could opt for tuna packed in water, though it won't be quite as nice. Those following the WW Purple Plan can also shave points by opting for whole grain pasta.
How to Make this Quick and Easy Tuna Pasta Salad
Step 1: Gather and prepare all ingredients.
Step 2: If you are using uncooked pasta, bring 2 quarts water to a boil and cook the noodles for about 10 to 12 minutes or until tender. Drain and place in a large mixing bowl (affiliate link).
Ready to mix salad ingredients together
Step 3: Stir in tuna, tapenade and herbs, mixing thoroughly.
Step 4: Serve immediately, or cool and serve cold or at room temperature.
Quick Tuna Pasta Tapenade Salad
Recipe Notes
If you can, let the salad sit for at least 20 minutes so the tuna and tapenade sink into the pasta.
No leftover pasta to start with? The herbs can be chopped and the rest of the dish made ready to mix while the noodles are boiling.
Dry farfalle pasta
Use plenty of water to boil the noodles to remove any excess starch. It's usually marked on the package however if it's not, use a filled medium-sized pot to cook them.
Serving Suggestions
A bed of fresh greens is pretty and serves a great purpose. It catches any juices from the salad and make it tasty as well as crunchy. A few baguette slices would round out the menu along with a glass of dry white wine.
Ways to Use Leftovers
Leftovers should be stored, covered, in the fridge. I took ours and actually heated it up in the microwave (affiliate link) for a few seconds for a warm snack. The warming brought the salad back to a tepid room temperature and the result was super. I may try serving the whole dish hot next time; my guess is it's a winner either way.
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Quick Tuna Pasta Tapenade Salad
Ingredients
- ¾ cup cooked farfalle pasta
- 1 can (6 ounces) tuna in olive oil
- 2 tablespoons prepared olive tapenade
- 2 tablespoons chopped mint, parsley, chives or combination
Instructions
- If you are using uncooked pasta, bring 2 quarts water to a boil and cook the noodles for according to the package instructions (usually about 10 to 12 minutes or until tender). Drain and place in a large mixing bowl.
- Stir in tuna, tapenade and herbs, mixing thoroughly.
- Serve immediately or cool and serve cold or at room temperature.
Recipe Notes
*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.
More Easy Healthy Tuna Recipes for Weight Watchers
- Easy Tuna Nicoise Salad
- White Bean Tuna Salad
- Classic Tuna Noodle Casserole Lightened Up
- English Muffin Tuna Melt
Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Hallie is a chef-teacher who eventually found her way to Provence, France, where she gave food and wine tours of the region.
In addition to writing more than a dozen cookbooks, she has also been teaching both professional and recreational cooking classes since 1978.
Hallie looks forward to sharing some of her favorite easy, healthy recipes with you here on Simple Nourished Living.
This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!
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