Tuna pasta is quick, delicious, and comforting weeknight dinner that can make in 15 minutes flat from start to finish. Spaghetti is tossed in anchovies, garlic, chili flakes, capers, lemon, and can tuna with Parmesan and parsley for a finishing touch.
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Why you’ll love tuna pasta recipe
Pasta and tuna are a great combination. If you want haven’t tried this combo it’s time you give it a try.
It’s quick and easy to make using minimal ingredients.
Canned tuna is mostly a hit or a miss among many. Can tuna meals don’t have to be bland and crappy! Canned tuna can make a delicious meal. Amp up the flavor and taste with anchovies, garlic, chili flakes, capers, lemon, and can tuna with Parmesan and parsley for a finishing touch.
The only thing that is time-consuming is waiting for water to come to boil, to cook pasta.
Once pasta is cooked it takes 7 minutes for tuna pasta to come together.
Good quality tuna and anchovy fillets make a huge difference. It’s worth investing in good quality ingredients.
If you love seafood, tuna anchovy pasta will quickly become your favorite.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need –
- Spaghetti or linguini
- Can tuna, preserved in oil
- Anchovy fillets
- Garlic
- Red chili flakes
- Capers
- Lemon
- Salt & pepper
- Parmesan cheese
- Parsley
All ingredient’s exact measurements are mentioned in the recipe card below.
- Pasta – spaghetti or linguini is the best choice. You can also use other pasta shapes like penne, macaroni, and fusilli.
- Can tuna – Tuna preserved in olive oil is best.
- Anchovy – anchovy fillet in olive oil.
- Garlic – fresh minced garlic
- Red chili flakes – for heat, if you want it spicy use more. You can also use fresh chili peppers, red chili peppers, or green chili peppers.
- Capers – Baby capers are best. Regular capers can be used too. If you don’t have capers, use pickles (chopped in bits).
- Lemon – both lemon zest and fresh lemon juice
- Salt & pepper – seasoned to taste.
- Parmesan cheese – use freshly grated Parmesan cheese from a block.
- Parsley – for garnish.
Ingredients additions and substitutions
Swap spaghetti pasta with any other shapes like penne, fusilli, or farfalle.
Red chili flakes can be substituted with fresh chili peppers, either red or green chili peppers.
If you can’t find capers, substitute them with pickles or olives, chopped.
Add a splash of vinegar as substitute for lemon.
Want to include veggies? Go ahead and add zucchini and broccoli to the pasta.
How to make pasta with tuna
Boil a salted pot of water and cook pasta until al-dente. Reserve ½ to 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside.
Use oil from canned tuna and can anchovy fillet (up to 2 tablespoons), and heat oil in a large skillet. You can also use olive oil instead of can tuna oil.
Add garlic, chopped anchovy fillet, and red chili flakes.
Sauté and cook for a minute.
Add cooked pasta, capers, and little pasta water. Adjust the amount of water depending on how much sauce you need. Toss well.
Turn off the heat, and add tuna flakes, zest of lemon, and lemon juice. Toss.
Remove skillet from heat, sprinkle Parmesan cheese and parsley. Mix.
Serve immediately hot.
Useful tips to make the best tuna pasta recipe
- I always drain my pasta 2 minutes before the time indicated on the package instructions. Cooking pasta a few minutes less than mentioned, keeps pasta al-dente and cooked to perfection once sautéed in sauce, where pasta continues to cook.
- Anchovy fillets are highly recommended. It adds a nice intense flavor to pasta, making it extra special.
- Tuna preserved in oil is best, it maintains the soft texture of the fish.
- Do not waste the oil of canned tuna and anchovy fillets. Use it to sauté aromatics in the recipe to add intense flavors of tuna and anchovy.
- Don’t skip on red chili flakes. It not only adds mild heat to pasta but helps balance the fatty tuna that is preserved in oil. You can use any fresh chili peppers too.
How to serve tuna pasta
It’s a meal that you can enjoy with a simple salad and a glass of chilled white wine.
Common questions
Well, tuna preserved in oil is best, it maintains the soft texture of the fish. If you can’t get tuna preserved in oil, use tuna in water.
I would not recommend skipping anchovy. It adds a nice intense flavor to pasta, making it extra special. Chopped anchovies melt during cooking adding extra flavor and taste.
Spaghetti or linguini is the best choice. You can also use other pasta shapes like penne, macaroni, and fusilli.
I wouldn’t recommend it. This recipe is very easy and comes together pretty quickly. It’s best made fresh and served immediately fresh.
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📋Quick Tuna Pasta with Anchovy and Capers
Ingredients
- 7- ounce pasta I used linguini
- 2 tablespoons oil I used oil from anchovies and canned tuna, or use olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic
- 3 anchovy fillets
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes
- 10- ounce can tuna drained (tuna soaked in oil is best)
- 2 teaspoons capers
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 ½ teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon parsley
Instructions
- Boil a salted pot of water and cook pasta until al-dente. Reserve ½ to 1 cup of pasta water. Drain pasta and set aside.
- Use oil from canned tuna and can anchovy fillet (up to 2 tablespoons), and heat oil in a large skillet. You can also use olive oil instead of can tuna oil.
- Add garlic, chopped anchovy fillet, and red chili flakes. Sauté and cook for a minute.
- Add cooked pasta, capers, and little pasta water. Adjust the amount of water depending on how much sauce you need. Toss well.
- Turn off the heat, and add tuna flakes, zest of lemon, and lemon juice. Toss.
- Remove skillet from heat, sprinkle Parmesan cheese and parsley. Mix.
- Serve immediately hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe Notes
- I always drain my pasta 2 minutes before the time indicated on the package instructions. Cooking pasta a few minutes less than mentioned, keeps pasta al-dente and cooked to perfection once sauteed in sauce, where pasta continues to cook.
- Anchovy fillets are highly recommended. It adds a nice intense flavor to pasta, making it extra special.
- Tuna preserved in oil is best, it maintains the soft texture of the fish.
- Do not waste the oil of canned tuna and anchovy fillets. Use it to sauté aromatics in the recipe to add intense flavors of tuna and anchovy.
- Don’t skip on red chili flakes. It not only adds mild heat to pasta but helps balance the fatty tuna that is preserved in oil. You can use any fresh chili peppers too.
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
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I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2007 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
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