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My Tuna Pasta is So Good!
This easy canned tuna pasta is one of those meals that actually looks more fancy than it is. You’d be surprised how little effort goes into making the recipe. That’s because I developed it one day when I barely had anything in my fridge and really wanted a meal that felt fresh and filling without too much effort.
After boiling the water for pasta, the recipe is ready in just 10 minutes and you really can’t beat that at dinner time. Best of all is that it uses pantry staples like pasta, canned tuna and jarred capers. I’ve actually had something similar at a restaurant made with white fish toss in a light and lemony sauce with spaghetti, so this is a budget-friendly version of that recipe that you can whip up with minimal time and effort.
Summary
- Quick and Easy: Ready in just 10 minutes, this tuna pasta recipe is perfect for a last-minute or quick meal.
- Budget Friendly: Utilizes pantry staples like canned tuna and pasta for an affordable yet delicious dinner.
- Customizable: Easily adaptable with various add-ins like beans, peas, greens, or tomatoes. For a burst of color add thinly sliced peppers.
- Mediterranean Flair: Offers a burst of Mediterranean flavors with ingredients like Olive oil, garlic, and lemon.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Spaghetti: Use any pasta you’d like here. Spaghetti works well and I always have it in my pantry!
- Olive Oil: For cooking
- Garlic: Adds a strong, aromatic flavor that goes well with tuna and lemon.
- Canned tuna: Use any kind you like and pay attention to the ounces on the can because some are 4 ounces and others are 5 ounces. You can use up to 3 4-ounce cans.
- Lemon Juice and Zest: Don’t just use the juice, use the zest too because it really brightens up the whole dish!
- Salt and Pepper: Basic seasonings to enhance all the flavors.
- Capers: This is one of those pantry staples for me that I always like to have because it can really add something special to a recipe especially when I’m looking to add a Mediterranean vibe.
- Fresh Parsley: To garnish the dish.
- Grated Parmesan: Adds a salty, umami flavor that rounds out the dish when served.
“This was SOOOO good, easy, and filling! Omg. Literally had to stop myself from eating out the pot. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I tossed in some sun dried tomatoes along w/ the tuna and other base ingredients. 10/10, chefs kiss, will make again. Lol.” – Zephaniah
Popular Additions
- Mediterranean add-ins: Instead of capers, try sun-dried tomatoes or kalamata olives, both are briney and tangy and add great flavor to the tuna pasta.
- Gluten Free pasta: For those with gluten sensitivities, swapping regular pasta with gluten-free varieties maintains the dish’s structure while catering to your dietary needs.
- Chicken or Salmon: For a different protein, canned chicken or salmon can be used in place of tuna. The flavors will vary some.
- Spice: For a very subtle spice, toss in fresh arugula, or for a bolder spice flavor, mix in red pepper flakes or chili oil.
How to Make Lemon Garlic Tuna Pasta
My Best Tuna Pasta Tips
- Be careful not to burn the garlic. Check out my How to cut garlic post for tips on the easiest way to mince garlic for this recipe. But because of how finely minced it will be, keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn. You just want it to be fragrant before adding the tuna in.
- Have all the ingredients prepped next to the stove top. The recipe moves pretty fast and you want to make sure that you’re not burning the garlic or overcooking the tuna. So make sure the pasta is ready along with all the ingredients before heating the oil.
- Cook pasta al dente. Since you’ll be adding the pasta to the tuna and mixing it all together under low heat, it’s best not to fully cook it. It will get slightly softer as it warms up again with the other ingredients.
- Make it more creamy by swapping pasta water with milk or cream. I love how light and fresh this tuna pasta is with the Mediterranean flavor. The pasta water mixed with the olive oil and lemon juice creates a fresh sauce for the recipe. But you can easily make it more creamy if you’d like.
What to Serve
Recipe Help & Common Questions
Before storing, allow your tuna pasta to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container. Tuna pasta will last about 3 to 4 days in the fridge when stored properly in an airtight container. To reheat the tuna pasta, gently warm it on the stovetop over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating. Add a small amount of water or olive oil to the pasta if it seems a bit dry.
I would opt for Yellowfin Tuna or Albacore tuna that comes in the larger thick-cut chunks that’s sustainable and packed in olive oil. It’s higher quality and will lend itself to a better tasting dish overall. For this tuna pasta recipe, I use the packaged tuna that comes in extra virgin olive oil.
Yes, but make sure to drain it thoroughly. Tuna in oil has a lot more flavor, so consider adding an extra drizzle of olive oil to the dish for richness.
Saute garlic on low heat and watch it very closely. If it starts to brown too quickly, lower the heat or add a bit more oil.
“Super good, super easy! I doubled the garlic, free poured the capers, was liberal with parmesan, and cream, and also added a couple of chopped anchovies just for the added umami. It was gobbled up by my whole fam. It’s a keeper for a fast dinner out of the pantry.” – Christi
More Pasta Recipes:
- Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Vegetarian Stuffed Shells
- No Boil Baked Spaghetti
- Pesto Spaghetti
- Scallops and Pasta
- Arrabiata Pasta with Shrimp
If you try this Tuna Pasta recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
This tuna pasta recipe was originally published on March 4, 2020 and has recently been updated with new photography and step-by-step images to better help make the recipe.
Garlic Lemon Tuna Pasta
Video
Ingredients
- 8 ounces spaghetti or other pasta
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 (5-ounce) cans tuna drained
- 1 lemon zest and juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup capers drained
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley plus for serving
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water, drain and return back to the pot to keep warm.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the tuna, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt and pepper and toss to combine.
- Add the cooked pasta, capers, and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water, and toss to fully coat and heat through for 1-2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley and grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately and garnish with more parsley and parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
- Instead of pasta water, you can use any milk or cream.
- Instead of olive oil, you can use butter
- To make it gluten-free, you can also make this with gluten-free pasta.
- Leave out the capers if you don’t like them.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
This lemon tuna pasta sounds magnificent. I’ll try this one next without delay, thanks for recipe. Do you think salmon would be good substitute for tuna until I can order tuna? Thanks
Yes, absolutely!! Hope you enjoy!