Lunch
Tuna & Red Lentil Pasta Salad
Dairy-Free
Gluten-Free
High Protein
Mediterranean-Style
Nutrient-Dense
⏱ 20 min total
🍴 Serves 2
A Mediterranean-style pasta salad with red lentil pasta, tuna and fresh vegetables in a light lemon dressing.
Red lentil pasta provides fibre and plant protein, while tuna contributes omega-3 fatty acids and vegetables add additional fibre and micronutrients.
Ingredients
Servings
Quantities update as you change servings — treat scaled amounts as a guide, not an exact measure.
- 120 g red lentil pasta
- 2 tins tuna in olive oil, drained
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ cucumber, chopped
- 2 tbsp olives, sliced
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Small handful fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Method
- 1 Cook the red lentil pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to the pack instructions — red lentil pasta cooks faster than wheat pasta and can turn mushy if left even a minute too long, so start checking a minute or two early.
- 2 Drain and rinse briefly under cool water to stop the cooking and wash off excess starch, which keeps the pasta from clumping as it cools.
- 3 In a large bowl, combine the drained pasta with the tuna, halved cherry tomatoes, chopped cucumber and sliced olives.
- 4 Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, add the chopped parsley, and season with salt and pepper.
- 5 Toss gently to combine — red lentil pasta is more delicate than wheat pasta, so fold rather than stir vigorously — and serve at room temperature or chilled.
For general information only. This recipe is for general information and is not a substitute for professional medical or dietary advice. Always talk to your GP, dietitian or healthcare team before making significant changes to your diet, especially if you are managing a gastrointestinal condition.