This easy to make tuna pasta recipe is smothered in a sauce made with canned tuna, tomatoes, garlic, shallots, olives and parsley.
Looking for a quick and easy weeknight meal? These Tuna Pasta with Tomatoes and Olives couldn’t be easier to make and come together in 30 minutes, start to finish.
You probably already have not only everything you need for this dish in your pantry, but also the combination of tuna, tomato and olives? Really good.
The best tuna for tuna pasta
Canned tuna is a quick and easy meal, and for this recipe, we prefer tuna in olive oil. The oil enhances the flavor of the tuna and adds moisture to the sauce. If using canned tuna, add a few tablespoons of olive oil to the pasta.
Easier recipes for canned tuna
- Avocado Tuna Salad
- Asian tuna salad
- Pasta with tuna and arugula
- Tuna Patties
- The best tuna salad sandwich ever
From the editors of Simply Recipes
Tuna pasta with tomatoes and olives
If you’re using water-packed tuna rather than oil, add a few more tablespoons of olive oil to the sauce. You can also add a chopped anchovy.
Prepare the ingredients while the pasta water is heating.
ingredients
-
Kosher salt for the pasta water, plus more to taste
-
12 ounces short pasta (like clams, macaroni, rigatoni)
-
3 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil (plus 2 tablespoons if using water-packed tuna)
-
1/4 Cup chopped shallot or onion
-
2 teaspoon chopped garlic
-
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
-
2 (5-ounce) cans Tuna packed in olive oildrained
-
1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
-
1/4 Cup chopped Kalamata olives
-
1 teaspoon capers
-
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
-
1/4 Cup grated parmesan cheese
-
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
method
-
Boil the water:
Bring 4 liters of salted water to a boil (add 1 tablespoon of salt for every 2 liters of water). While the water is heating, prepare the ingredients and start the sauce.
-
Fry shallots, garlic and red pepper flakes:
Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped shallots, chopped garlic, and red pepper flakes to the pan all at the same time. Let cook for about 30 seconds. (If using onions for the shallots, let them cook for a few minutes before adding the garlic and red pepper flakes.)
-
Add tuna:
Drain canned tuna and add to pan. If you’re using tuna in water and not olive oil, add 2 or 3 more tablespoons of olive oil to the pan.
Break up tuna chunks with a fork or wooden spoon. Simmer for 1 minute.
-
Add tomatoes, olives, capers, salt and pepper:
Stir in the mashed tomatoes, olives, capers, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
Bring to a simmer and reduce the heat to the lowest setting to gently simmer while you cook the pasta.
-
Cook pasta:
Place dry noodles in saucepan of boiling salted water. Cook, uncovered, on high simmer until al dente — cooked but still a bit al dente, about 13 to 14 minutes.
Before draining, scoop out 1 cup of pasta water and set aside.
-
Mix pasta, sauce, parmesan and parsley:
Drain the noodles and stir into the sauce. Mix with grated parmesan and chopped fresh parsley. If the pasta seems a bit dry after a few minutes, add some of the reserved pasta water.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 415 | calories |
| 17g | Fat |
| 37g | carbohydrates |
| 29g | protein |
