Sharing is caring!

The Tuna Noodle Casserole flavors that you love are in this pasta salad, which is perfect for summer.  Tuna Noodle Casserole Pasta Salad is perfect for summer gatherings.

I don’t know about you, but when it starts to get hotter, my salad repertoire grows exponentially. I make a lot of green based salads, but when we grill burgers we like to make sides like this sour cream cheddar pasta salad and this summer vegetable pasta.  I don’t know many people who enjoy being in a hot kitchen when it’s hot outside. If you do, then kudos to you! Now that I have two dogs, one being a puppy, sometimes it’s a struggle to even want to heat anything up in the microwave!

This Tuna Noodle Casserole Pasta Salad is a tribute to a favorite lunch buffet we used to frequent when I was a growing up. Joe’s Pizza and Pasta had many delicious items on their buffet. Their breakfast pizza is one I talked about recently for my individual breakfast pizzas. But I also loved their tuna pasta salad. It is another dish I looked forward to every week.

Who invented tuna salad?

The first recipe appeared in 1907 and called for Italian imported tuna called tonno in the recipe. There’s actually a brand called Tonno that you can purchase in stores now. They have delicious tuna! I know because I’ve tried it. Their lemon flavor is my favorite, I think, but they’re all delicious.

Just a few short years later, the recipe was published in many places with dozens of variations. The popularity rose as women started getting out of the house and attending lectures and visiting museums. They needed something to eat for lunch so luncheonettes, for lack of a better word, popped up to feed these women.

Since they usually had leftovers tossed with mayonnaise on lettuce for lunch at home, these lunch places served up something similar. Except instead of using leftovers, they created everything from scratch. The most popular of these salads is seafood based. Either fish or shrimp.

Fast forward several years later and the introduction of canned fish to Industrial America. The demand started around the 30’s. And unfortunately, this led to some issues with overfishing and dolphins. I don’t really want to get into that. I just know that now there are more restrictions on the canned fish industry to prevent things like that from happening.

 

Who invented tuna noodle casserole?

The first publication of a similar recipe appears in Sunset Magazine around the 30’s. They published a Noodles and Tuna Fish en Casserole. In another publication, they share a tuna fish with noodles casserole. Two years later a German Noodles and Tuna Fish recipe surfaces. It has a lovely pimento garnish.

When Campbell’s introduced their cream of mushroom soup in the mid 30’s it forever changed the tuna noodle casserole. That’s when the recipe that we’re familiar with today becomes almost set in stone. The combination of the tuna, soup, and cheese topping locks in. Of course, there’s variations based on what people want to add to theirs. We put pimentos on ours.

The popularity of this dish continues. It’s a simple recipe that doesn’t require you to be a chef. It’s budget friendly as mayonnaise, tuna, and noodles are rather inexpensive ingredients. And usually something most have in their pantry. I know we do. And it’s something you can scale up or down depending on the need. Tuna casserole is perfect for family dinner or family reunions.

 

What does tuna noodle casserole pasta salad taste like?

Tuna noodle casserole pasta salad has all the elements of tuna noodle casserole. At least the version that we make. There’s tuna, peas, red onion, and Parmesan cheese. And for the pasta salad part, there’s radish, celery, and hard-boiled eggs. I’m convinced that every pasta salad and potato salad that is mayo based must have hard boiled eggs. But that’s just me. I like the way the yolk blends with the mayonnaise making it super delicious and creamy.

Fourth of July Barbecue Party

• Blueberry Strawberry Cheesecake Parfait from Art of Natural Living
• Bobby Flay’s Cole Slaw from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
• Creamy Cucumber Salad from Cheese Curd In Paradise
• Firework Oreo Cheesecake Bites from The Spiffy Cookie
• Grown Up Watermelon Slushies from That Recipe
• Hawaiian Plantation Iced Tea from Palatable Pastime
• Pearl Couscous Salad from Magical Ingredients
• Tuna Noodle Casserole Pasta Salad from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures

We share Recipes From Our Dinner Table! Join our group and share your recipes, too! While you’re at it, join our Pinterest board, too!