Salty, briny, garlicky, and bright, this easy tuna pasta is loaded with flavour yet simple enough to whip up on a busy weeknight. Featuring fresh greens and pantry heroes like canned tuna and pasta, this healthy, pescatarian-friendly dinner is one you'll have on firm repeat.
Canned fish never tasted this good.
Oh the great dinner conundrum: you want something delicious, but donโt want to spend all evening in the kitchen. Cue Uber Eatsโฆbut wait! Thereโs a better optionโthis speedy, flavour-packed, tuna pasta.
It comes together fastโ15 minutes, maybe 20 topsโusing Mediterranean-inspired ingredients, like capers, olives, and anchovies, to quickly build flavour. With the light, glossy sauce cooked in the time it takes to boil pasta, it’s one of my go-to’s when I need a delicious dinner in a hurry.
As a Registered Nutritionist, I love seafood dinners for their nutritional perks, including their natural omega-3 content. For more healthy recipes with fish and seafood, check out my Green-Lipped Mussel Pasta or this Smoked Salmon Kedgereeโboth tasty options to add to the rotation๐.
Gather Ingredients
- Canned tuna in olive oil. A long-lasting, convenient, and affordable protein source, canned tuna is a great pantry staple to keep on hand. Look for olive oil on the ingredient list, both for flavour and nutritional benefit.
- Dry pasta. Any kindโregular or gluten-freeโor shape works, but I love a long, twirlable pasta here, like spaghetti, to catch all the flavourful bits.
- Fresh lemon. Juice for brightness, zest for a fragrant citrus kickโtogether, they lift the whole dish.
- Black olives. Go for pitted, or remove the pits yourself by pressing down on the olive with the flat-side of a knife.
- Capers. Briny and tangy, they’re a classic pairing with seafood dishes.
- Flat-leaf parsley. For a pop of freshness.
You’ll also need the basics: aromatics, including red onion and garlic; extra virgin olive oil to round out the sauce; and chili flakes for a smidge of warmth (don’t worry, it’s not spicyโunless you want it to be! Then go heavy-handed๐ฅ).
Step-by-Step: Healthy Tuna Pasta
Kitchen Tips
Keen to give this quick tuna pasta a go? Here are my tried-and-tested tips:
- Don’t drain the tuna oil. During recipe testing, I found that using the oil from the can to fry the aromatics added incredible flavour. This makes culinary senseโthe oil is infused with tunaโs natural umami, briny, and slightly meaty notes, so why throw that liquid gold away? I got approximately 4 Tbsp oil in total from the cans. If less, make up the rest with olive oil.
- Save some pasta water. Before draining, scoop out about a quarter cup. The starch in the water helps emulsify (aka bind together) the oil and liquid, creating a light, silky coating that clings beautifully to the pasta.
- Let the tuna warm through, not fry. Add the tuna at the very end and toss gently. You want it warmed through, not crispy or dry from high heatโblegh!
Serving & Storage
This dish is best enjoyed in its prime, aka freshly made and with a sprinkling of herbs.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. If it becomes a bit dry, loosen with a splash of pasta water or olive oil before serving.
Thanks for reading! If you’re after another speedy pasta number, try my 20-Minute Ricotta Pesto Chicken Pastaโalso total Mediterranean vibes.
Mediterranean Canned Tuna Pasta with Spinach
Rating:
Ingredients:
- 160 g ย dry spaghetti pasta, regular or gluten-free
- 2 x 95g canned tuna in olive oil, not drained
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
- 1 medium red onion
- 2 medium garlic cloves
- 2 anchovies
- โ tsp chili flakes
- ยฝ Tbsp capers, including a splash of their brining liquid
- 2 Tbsp black olives
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 1 lemon (1 Tbsp juice, ยฝ tsp zest)
- ยผ cup flat-leaf parsley
Method:
- Finely slice the red onion, roughly chop the garlic, anchovies, and black olives, zest the lemon, and roughly chop the flat-leaf parsley for garnish.
- Fill a medium saucepan with boiling water and generously salt it. Bring to a rolling boil, then add the spaghetti. Cook until al dente, following the package instructions. Once cooked, reserve ยผ cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta.
- While the pasta cooks, drain the oil from the canned tuna into a medium frypan. Add olive oil. Heat over medium-high. Once up to temperature, add the sliced red onion and sautรฉ for 3-5 minutes, or until softened and translucent.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the chopped garlic, anchovies, and chili flakes. Cook for another 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
- Stir in the capers (including a splash of their brining liquid) and chopped olives. Sautรฉ for another 1-2 minutes to meld the flavours.
- Reduce the heat to low. Add the drained spaghetti and ยผ cup reserved pasta water, tossing to combine. Stir in the tuna, spinach, lemon juice, zest, and parsley, allowing the spinach to wilt slightly.
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If you enjoyed this dish, please consider giving it a star rating when you post a comment. Star ratings help others discover my recipes online (and your reviews make my day! ๐ ). Happy cooking and baking. Danijela x
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