Nando's PERinaise contains peri-peri peppers aged in Portuguese salt caves for 40 days before bottling—that's the secret tang.
Spicy Tuna Mayo Pasta Salad
Dive into this zesty Spicy Tuna Mayo Pasta Salad that packs a punch with every bite! With just 487 calories and a whopping 35g of protein, this vibrant dish combines tender pasta, creamy mayo, and bold spices for a quick, flavor-packed meal in under 20 minutes. Perfect for lunch and guaranteed to become your new go-to!
Prep
10
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
The Story
This culinary mongrel was born in 1990s British university kitchens when cash-strapped students discovered that South African Nando's perinaise could transform leftover pasta into something resembling actual food—it's what happens when Portuguese peri-peri meets Japanese mayo-obsessed convenience culture, filtered through the desperate creativity of broke English students who'd rather eat beans on toast than admit defeat.
Regional Twist
In Melbourne's Carlton district, they swap the Nando's perinaise for sambal oelek and toss in diced avocado with the sweetcorn, turning this student survival meal into proper café fare.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 medium carrot
- 20 g cream cheese
- 1 handful lettuce
- 30 g nando’s perinaise
- 140 g pasta
- 20 g sweet chilli sauce
- 70 g sweetcorn
- 2 tins tuna
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- mayonnaise (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
- 2
In a large bowl, combine the drained tuna, Nando’s perinaise, cream cheese, mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce, sweetcorn, grated carrot, and mix well.
- 3
Add the cooked pasta to the bowl and mix until everything is well combined.
- 4
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 5
Serve on a bed of lettuce.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook pasta 1-2 minutes less than package directions (to 85% doneness) since it will continue absorbing moisture from the dressing and become mushy in pasta salad.timing85% doneness
- ✓Rinse cooked pasta with cold water immediately to stop carryover cooking and remove excess starch that would make the salad gluey.technique
- ✓Bring cream cheese to room temperature 30 minutes before mixing to prevent lumps - cold cream cheese won't emulsify smoothly with mayonnaise-based dressings.ingredient30 minutes
- ✓Drain tuna thoroughly and press with paper towels to remove excess moisture - water content above 15% will dilute your dressing and create a watery salad.technique15% moisture
- ✓Grate carrot on the smallest holes of your box grater to create 1-2mm pieces that distribute evenly and won't overpower the tuna texture.equipment1-2mm pieces
Share this recipe
Prep
10
min
Cook
10
min
Serves
2
people
Level
beginner
Share this recipe
Nando's PERinaise contains peri-peri peppers aged in Portuguese salt caves for 40 days before bottling—that's the secret tang.
Spicy Tuna Mayo Pasta Salad
Dive into this zesty Spicy Tuna Mayo Pasta Salad that packs a punch with every bite! With just 487 calories and a whopping 35g of protein, this vibrant dish combines tender pasta, creamy mayo, and bold spices for a quick, flavor-packed meal in under 20 minutes. Perfect for lunch and guaranteed to become your new go-to!
The Story
This culinary mongrel was born in 1990s British university kitchens when cash-strapped students discovered that South African Nando's perinaise could transform leftover pasta into something resembling actual food—it's what happens when Portuguese peri-peri meets Japanese mayo-obsessed convenience culture, filtered through the desperate creativity of broke English students who'd rather eat beans on toast than admit defeat.
Regional Twist
In Melbourne's Carlton district, they swap the Nando's perinaise for sambal oelek and toss in diced avocado with the sweetcorn, turning this student survival meal into proper café fare.
📝 Ingredients
Shopping List
- 1 medium carrot
- 20 g cream cheese
- 1 handful lettuce
- 30 g nando’s perinaise
- 140 g pasta
- 20 g sweet chilli sauce
- 70 g sweetcorn
- 2 tins tuna
Pantry Items
Amounts also listed in instructions below
- mayonnaise (to taste)
- pepper (to taste)
- salt (to taste)
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente.
- 2
In a large bowl, combine the drained tuna, Nando’s perinaise, cream cheese, mayonnaise, sweet chilli sauce, sweetcorn, grated carrot, and mix well.
- 3
Add the cooked pasta to the bowl and mix until everything is well combined.
- 4
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- 5
Serve on a bed of lettuce.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓Cook pasta 1-2 minutes less than package directions (to 85% doneness) since it will continue absorbing moisture from the dressing and become mushy in pasta salad.timing85% doneness
- ✓Rinse cooked pasta with cold water immediately to stop carryover cooking and remove excess starch that would make the salad gluey.technique
- ✓Bring cream cheese to room temperature 30 minutes before mixing to prevent lumps - cold cream cheese won't emulsify smoothly with mayonnaise-based dressings.ingredient30 minutes
- ✓Drain tuna thoroughly and press with paper towels to remove excess moisture - water content above 15% will dilute your dressing and create a watery salad.technique15% moisture
- ✓Grate carrot on the smallest holes of your box grater to create 1-2mm pieces that distribute evenly and won't overpower the tuna texture.equipment1-2mm pieces