Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Tuna, Broccoli and Kale Caesar Pasta Salad
Browned broccoli gives this Caesar pasta salad a lovely savory edge. Underneath, tuna and ribbons of kale catch the dressing between the pasta spirals. A few slices of Parmesan on top make it feel like a bowl worth clearing a little space for at lunch.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 20 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 9 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Fish
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
- Dish type
- Pasta salad · Salads · Pasta
A few quick notes
1. Keep the pasta al dente
Cook the rotini according to its package, then drain it before mixing the salad.
2. Brown the broccoli
Cook the florets in shimmering oil until tender and browned, then set them aside.
3. Toss in a roomy bowl
Combine kale, drained tuna, cooked pasta and dressing before dividing it between plates.
Get to know the ingredients
Finely sliced kale
Slice the lacinato kale finely before tossing it with the pasta and dressing.
Tuna in water
Drain the tuna and break it up before adding it to the mixing bowl.
Sliced Parmesan
Save the cheese for topping the plated salad with the cooked broccoli.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 4 steps completeMake room for Tuna, Broccoli and Kale Caesar Pasta Salad
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Broccoli across the top
Top each portion with browned broccoli and Parmesan after the dressed pasta mixture is plated.
A little more help as you go
Cook alongside the pasta
The broccoli cooks separately in the skillet while the rotini boils.
Season in the skillet
Add salt and pepper to the broccoli when it goes into the hot oil.
A few questions you might have
Do I cook the kale?
The finely sliced kale is tossed directly with the tuna, cooked pasta and dressing.
Should the broccoli stay raw?
No, cook it in the skillet until tender and browned before using it as a topping.
When do I add the Caesar dressing?
Toss it with the kale, tuna and cooked pasta in the large mixing bowl.
Does the tuna need draining?
Yes, use the tuna drained and broken up as listed.
Should I mix the Parmesan into the bowl?
The directions use sliced Parmesan over the plated salad, alongside the broccoli.
Any more cooking tips?
Recipe reprinted with permissions from Feeding Littles and Beyond.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: eatingbirdfood.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.