Recipe: Tuna Taragon Salad

Tuna Taragon Salad is one of the most popular and searched-for recipes from Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes. It was served year-round on the salad bar.

The following is an official Souplantation-provided recipe originally printed by the San Diego Union-Tribune in 2009.

Makes about 12 cups.

Ingredients

PASTA

• 12 cups water
• 1 tablespoon table salt
• 5 cups small shell pasta
• 1 1/4 cups penne pasta
• 1 cup spinach fettuccine pasta, in 3″ lengths
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

TUNA & DRESSING

• 2 cans tuna (6 ounces each) with liquid
• 2 cups sweet pickle juice
• 1 3/4 cups mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 cups diced sweet pickle (1/8 inch dice)
• 1 cup diced celery (1/8 inch dice)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons dry tarragon leaves
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper

Instructions

• For pasta: In a pot, bring water and salt to a full boil. Add pasta and cook for approximately 10 minutes in boiling water until al dente (soft, but still firm). Immediately strain pasta and flash-cool in cold water. Drain water completely. Coat pasta with oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.
• For tuna and dressing: Place tuna in a container and break down into small pieces. Add the remaining ingredients and thoroughly whisk to combine.
• Assemble salad: Combine dressing and cooked pasta and thoroughly mix. Allow salad to marinate for 8 hours. Season to taste with salt, pepper or sweet pickle juice.