Cavatappi Salad with Tuna and Olives

3 Reviews
ADD YOUR REVIEW
Photo: Hector Sanchez; Styling: Claire Spollen
Hands-on Time
30 Mins
Total Time
30 Mins
Yield
Serves 4 (serving size: about 2 1/2 cups pasta salad and 1/4 cup tuna)
By Adam Hickman
June 2015
RECIPE BY Cooking Light

This big, fresh, juicy dinner-in-a-bowl is our kind of easy summer eating. For intense flavor impact, we look to bold-flavored ingredients like kalamata olives and lemon juice. To get this dinner done in 30 minutes, marinate the tomato mixture while the pasta water comes to a boil; this allows those bold flavors plenty of time to mix and mingle.

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces uncooked cavatappi pasta
  • 12 ounces green beans or yellow wax beans, trimmed and halved
  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 3/8 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups tomato wedges
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
  • 20 pitted kalamata olives, halved
  • 4 cups chopped romaine lettuce
  • 5 ounces canned or jarred sustainable white tuna packed in oil, drained and flaked

Nutritional Information

  • Calories 487
  • Fat 28.2g
  • Satfat 4.1g
  • Monofat 19.8g
  • Polyfat 3g
  • Protein 16g
  • Carbohydrate 45g
  • Fiber 6g
  • Cholesterol 13mg
  • Iron 2mg
  • Sodium 645mg
  • Calcium 69mg

How to Make It

Step 1

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta; cook 5 minutes. Add beans; cook an additional 3 minutes or until beans are crisp-tender and pasta is done. Drain and rinse under cold water; drain.

Step 2

While pasta water comes to a boil, combine oil, juice, pepper, and salt in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk. Add tomato, oregano, and olives; let stand 10 minutes. Stir in pasta mixture and lettuce. Divide among 4 plates; top evenly with tuna.

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Ratings & Reviews

3 1/2 stars

DEA
September 16, 2016
Quick and easy to  make.  Good flavors.  Would make again and I agree with Ellen, use some quality tuna here for best results.  Great way to use up some garden tomatoes.

Loved it!!

daneanp
July 21, 2015
Great quick dinner for hot summer days - have already made it 3 times this season.

Very good, satisfying dinner for summer

EllenDeller
July 02, 2015
We really liked this.The cavatappi pasta is perfect for this, as the ridges in the pasta capture bits of fish and dressing. My only change was to use about half the amount of green and yellow beans and make up the difference with sliced gold bell pepper and marinated artichokes, which I think was a great idea.  I also added some fresh basil.  The key here is a really good quality tuna in olive oil--this is the time to spend more than you would on what goes into a tuna sandwich!  All we needed on the side was a toasted french roll half with a dash of goat cheese. 

Easy version of Salade Nicoise

sedutta
May 26, 2015
This is a great and easy version of Salade Nicoise. While I prefer something closer to the original, this was a great meal for a hot day. Followed the recipe exactly except I used tuna packed in water. I think the dressing could use more flavor- maybe a touch of mustard or more lemon juice? But overall, this was pretty good with a crusty loaf of bread and a dry rose.