High Protein BBQ Pasta Salad with Broccolini and Tuna

Looking for a super delicious, high-protein summer lunch or dinner?
Stop right here and give this amazing BBQ pasta salad with broccolini and tuna a try!

It’s packed with flavor and protein (40g per serving!), deliciously creamy, and perfectly balanced between sweet and smoky. Trust me — it’s so good you’ll want to make it on repeat!

Bonus: it’s great for meal prep! This salad keeps well in the fridge for up to two days, making it a perfect make-ahead option.
Feel free to play around with the veggies, beans, and optional add-ins — you might just discover your new favorite BBQ pasta salad!

Ingredients

For the Barbecue Dressing

• 6 tbsp sweet or smoked BBQ sauce
• 4 tsp mustard
• 4 tbsp white wine or apple cider vinegar
• 4 tsp soy sauce
• 4 tsp maple syrup or honey
• 2–4 tsp lemon or lime juice, to taste
• 6 tbsp Greek or plain yogurt
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• Chili flakes, to taste
• Hot sauce, to taste

For the Pasta Salad

• 200 g Fusilli, Macaroni, or Orecchiette
• 400 g broccolini
• 400 g cherry or grape tomatoes
• 400 g canned tuna
• 100 g canned or cooked corn
• 100 g canned kidney beans

Optional Add-ins

• 120 g mozzarella (cubed or mini balls)
• Pickled jalepeños, to taste (sliced)
• pickled red onions, to taste

Recipe

I. Prepare the Salad Ingredients

• Wash the broccolini and tomatoes. Drain the tuna. Rinse and drain the kidney beans.
• Cut the broccolini into bite-sized pieced and halve the tomatoes.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve a bit of pasta water before draining.
• Blanch the broccolini in a separate pot of boiling water for 3–4 minutes, then rinse under cold water to preserve its bright green color.
• Let the pasta and broccolini cool.

II. Make the BBQ Dressing

While everything cools, whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a bowl until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

III. Finish

• Toss the pasta, broccolini, tomatoes, tuna, corn, kidney beans, and any optional add-ins with the BBQ dressing until everything is well coated. Add a splash of reserved pasta water if needed to loosen the dressing.
• Taste again and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• Serve with nachos on the side — or crumble them over the top for extra crunch!

Notes:

• This salad keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days – perfect for meal prep or summer picnics!
• Use less dressing for a lighter version, or scale up pasta slightly for a more classic salad ratio with more carbs.
• If your BBQ sauce is very sweet, consider reducing maple syrup or honey slightly.

Nutritional Information (per serving, without add-ins)

• Calories: 490 kcal
• Protein: 39.7 g
• Fat: 8.0 g
• Carbohydrates: 63.6 g