Tuna pasta is such a great dinner to make when you don’t have much in the cupboard. For canned tuna recipe cynics out there – it’s time to take a leap of faith! This is seriously tasty, very economical and super fast – it comes together in 15 minutes flat, from start to finish.
Yes – canned tuna CAN be delicious!
I feel like the words “tasty meal” and “canned tuna” aren’t usually in the same sentence. Bad memories of poor cash strapped university days and crash diets, hastily thrown together tuna and rice, bland tuna salads, mayo-laden tuna sandwiches.
But you can make canned tuna delicious!!! Just a little bit of thought, a bit of imagination, a smidge of effort and a lot of anticipation for a hot, tasty meal as your reward.
Today’s reward in question? Tuna pasta. A spritz of lemon, a sprinkle of capers, and using the oil from the tuna can. You never knew a canned tuna pasta could be so delicious!!!
Ingredients in canned tuna pasta
No capers? Chop pickles instead. No lemon? Add a dash of vinegar. No anchovies? Still worth making! We get a really good (free) flavour boost by using the oil from the cans of tuna. Anchovies just makes it that little bit more special!
Garlic missing from the photo – oops! 🙂
Canned tuna – Tuna in oil is the go here! We use the oil from the can of tuna for the sauce to sauté the garlic until golden. No tuna in oil? It’s ok! Just use olive oil instead and tip the liquid from the can of tuna into the sauce.
TIP – Not all canned tuna is created equal. Premium canned tuna in a good fruity olive oil will set you back more than a generic home brand in tasteless canola oil. But also, premium canned tuna piled on crusty bread with a drizzle of the oil from the can is pure joy. I hope you try it one day. 🙂
Anchovies – Anchovies make everything taste better! Finely minced then sautéed in oil so they dissolve and lose the fishiness, just leaving great savouriness into the dish. I always have a jar in the fridge. Always! Anchovy paste – use 1 teaspoon.
Capers – For a pop of fresh tang! I like to use baby capers. If you only have large ones, give them a rough chop. No capers? Chop pickles instead!
Lemon – Juice for sour and zest for lemon flavour. It really does lift the dish so I hope you have it! Lemon is a staple ingredient I always have on hand. But if you don’t, this dish is still worth making. Add a dash of vinegar instead.
Chilli flakes / red pepper flakes – For a hum of warmth. This isn’t a spicy pasta. Substitute with finely chopped fresh chilli or a smidge of chilli paste or sauce (add this at the end). Or leave it out for no spiciness at all.
Parsley – For freshness. Not critical.
Pictured below is the tuna I’ve used, a mid-range one sold at supermarkets in Australia. I use 3 x 95g/3.5oz small cans which I feel is the right amount of protein for a pasta which serves 2 people. However, the recipe can take more or less tuna so don’t get too hung up on exact tuna quantity!
How to make canned tuna pasta
Get the pasta cooking then start preparing the ingredients for the sauce. That’s how you’ll get this on the table in 15 minutes flat, from start to finish!
Cook the pasta in salted water per packet directions minus 1 minute. The pasta will be slightly under al dente (ie underdone) but that’s ok. The pasta will finish cooking with the sauce, during which time it will absorb the tasty flavours of the sauce!
Reserve pasta cooking water – Just before draining, scoop out 1 cup of cooking water then drain the pasta. Why? Because we will be using this to make the sauce for the pasta. The starch in the pasta cooking water will react with the oil in the sauce to make it thicken so it clings to the pasta strands instead of remaining as a watery sauce at the bottom of the pan.
Tuna oil – Pour the oil from the tuna can(s) into the same pot and heat over medium heat.
Sauté garlic, anchovies and chilli flakes for 1 minute.
Pasta and water – Add the pasta, capers and 1/3 cup of reserved pasta water. Toss using 2 spatulas for 2 minutes. During this step, the oil and the starchy pasta cooking water will thicken into a sauce that clings to the pasta. Also during this step the pasta will finish cooking from just under al dente to al dente. If the pasta is still too firm for your taste, add more of the pasta cooking water and keep cooking the pasta.
Add tuna – Turn off the heat. Add tuna, parsley, lemon zest, juice, salt and pepper. Toss gently so the tuna stays in chunks and doesn’t crumble into tiny little bits.
Then serve immediately!
As with all pastas, this is at its prime freshly made, right off the stove, when the pasta is hot and slippery with sauce! If it’s sitting around for a while and the pasta cools down and dries out, it can be easily rejuvenated with a splash of the reserved pasta cooking water and a toss on the stove for 30 seconds or so, to reheat the pasta and make it slick with sauce again.
To make it a complete meal, don’t hesitate to throw in a couple of handfuls of rocket/arugula or baby spinach at the end. Else, serve it with a simple garden salad or whatever leafy greens / steam vegetables you’ve got tossed with an everyday salad dressing.
Enjoy! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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The most amazing canned tuna pasta!
Ingredients
- 200g / 7oz spaghetti , or other thin long pasta
- 1 tbsp cooking salt , for cooking pasta
Tuna sauce:
- 285g/ 10 oz (approx) canned tuna in oil , drained, oil reserved (I use 3 x 95g/3.5oz cans, Note 1)
- 2 clove garlic , finely minced
- 2 anchovy fillets , minced (Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp chilli flakes / red pepper flakes (can skip, Note 3)
- 2 tsp baby capers (or finely chopped pickles)
- 1 tbsp parsley , finely chopped (ok to skip)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 2 tbsp lemon juice (sub 1 tbsp apple cider or sherry vinegar)
- 1/4 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta – Bring 3 litres / 3 quarts of water to the boil with the 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook pasta per the packet time minus 1 minute. Just before draining, scoop out ~1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- Sauté aromatics – In the same pot, heat the reserved oil from the tuna cans over medium heat. Add the garlic, anchovies and chilli flakes. Cook and stir for 1 minute.
- Toss pasta – Add the pasta, capers and 1/3 cup of reserved pasta water. Toss using 2 spatulas for 2 minutes.
- Add tuna – Turn off the heat. Add tuna, parsley, lemon zest, juice, salt and pepper. Toss gently to mix through – try to keep some tuna chunks.
- Serve immediately!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Got canned tuna? Dinner’s half done!
Life of Dozer
At my local coffee shop, Zubi in Newport (Sydney Northern Beaches). Best coffee in my area – I searched wide and far!!
I’ve made this dish and it’s delish!
I have been making a similar dish almost same ingredient. I also add parmesan at the end.
This recipe is so much better. I think the anchovies made it better and cooking in the oil from the tuna.
I was mixing the tuna and oil together and adding lemon juice and zest.
Just made the recipe tonight because it uses all my favorite ingredients. I used angel hair pasta and only made it for one and got a much lower calorie count! Will make this often. Thank you.
I’ve made a tuna pasta very much like this for some time now. I add coarsely chopped green olives and some sun-dried tomatoes. Full confession – I love canned tuna and can eat it out of the can.
Absolutely yummy! No need to say more.
Love this recipe! I didn’t have lemon juice so I subbed it with non alcoholic rice vinegar, and it tasted great! Going in the repertoire, for sure ✨️
Had serious misgivings about this recipe, but decided to make it based on the outstanding reviews. My mind is blown! The fresh flavor blew me away!!! Wow….so, so delicious.
Thank you for the recipe, Ms Nagi! My husband and I like it very much. Just a question about the leftover 2/3 cup of salted pasta water. We threw it away because recipe only called for 1/3 cup to be added. Did we miss out anything?
Perfect. I used serrina tuna in chilli oil. Absolutely divine. Big thankyou 🙏
Just passing through, trying to get ideas for toasted sourdough topping for tomorrow’s lunch… Would this work? Or too strong? I suppose I could take cold pasta, if it wouldn’t. I have fresh dill, tuna, anchovies and capers… also a glut of baby plum tomatoes.
Amazing flavours. So different, so easy yet so delicious.
Ads are starting to take over the website. Unable to see all the recipe instructions but in saying that, this is one of my favourite things to make.
Perfect, easy dish for one. I love chilli and umami flavours so doubled the anchovies and used Sirena tuna in chilli oil. Didn’t have parsley but added peas. I made this instead of the Uber eats I was planning tonight so also saved myself some money!
This was delicious, another winner by Nagi. I also added some halved grape tomatoes to the garlicky oil. We used Sirena tuna in oil, it stays lovely and chunky when tossed through the pasta.
I wouldn’t have thought of using the tuna oil for cooking but it works and the meal was quick, easy & delicious
I make as version of this (all my dishes end up being versions of things) when I can’t be bothered cooking, Sometimes I stir through some fresh shredded basil at the end, sometime I add a few semi-dried tomatoes, or a few fresh grape tomatoes – sometimes a few bits of artichoke or some peas. Gorgeous!
This is really good and so easy to tweak a little. Second time I did this I added some finely sliced red capsicum. Sirena tuna in oil is perfect for this dish and so easy to make for one,
Nagi you are a genius, we are travelling in our motorhome through France. All stores closed sunday but had all the ingredients for this. Only had rice noodles but your recipe packed a punch of flavour. Thank you once again for saving us on our journey.
Nagi you are a genius, we are travelling in our motorhome through France. All stores closed sunday but had all the ingredients for this. Only had rice noodles but your recipe packed a punch of flavour. Thank you once again for saving us on our journey.
I never leave comments, but listen-this is REALLY REALLY GOOD. I’m a big pasta fan, but not a great cook. I made this tonight and I am IMPRESSED. I made one substitution: I used sardines instead of anchovies bc that’s what I had. Still awesome. Thank you for this I’ll be making it again for sure
Sardines are a good idea I buy them as a dog treat and for her coat. I’ll just have to ask her if it’s OK to use some of “hers” 🙂
5 🌟 stars