Macaroni with Beans & Tuna

This is a riff on the Italian classic tonno e fagioli (tuna and beans), bulked up with elbow macaroni and finished with shredded Swiss cheese for a cold pasta salad that punches above its grocery-list weight. Three protein sources (tuna, kidney beans, cheese) make this a one-bowl meal rather than a side dish.

The dressing is unusually sharp and simple, just white vinegar, salt, and pepper. No oil. The cheese melts slightly into the warm pasta as everything tosses together, providing the richness that olive oil would normally add. A counterintuitive but effective trick.

Chill before serving. The flavors deepen as the salad sits, and the bean-tuna mixture firms up into something cohesive instead of scattered.

Pro Tips

• Drain the tuna thoroughly and flake into rough pieces, finely shredded tuna disappears into the pasta and you lose the protein presence.
• Rinse the kidney beans in cold water before adding, this removes the canning liquid that turns the dressing cloudy.
• Use a sharp aged Swiss like Gruyere for more pronounced flavor, basic deli Swiss works but goes mild fast in cold pasta salad.
• Toss while the pasta is still warm so the cheese melts into the dressing instead of just sticking to the pasta surface.

Variations

• Sub canned chickpeas or cannellini beans for kidney beans for a lighter, more traditional Italian feel.
• Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil if you prefer a more dressed pasta salad, the original is intentionally lean.
• Stir in a tablespoon of capers or chopped olives for a briny Italian kick.