Published: Mar 4, 2016 · Last Updated: Jan 12, 2023 by Dr. Sonali Ruder · This post may contain affiliate links · 29 Comments

Quick & Easy Canned Tuna Pasta

Name: Quick & Easy Canned Tuna Pasta
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces spaghetti or other pasta; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2-3 cloves garlic, (minced); Pinch of red pepper flakes; 2 cans (5 ounces each) tuna packed in oil, drained; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 2 tablespoons capers ((optional)); 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, (chopped); Kosher salt and pepper; Chopped parsley, lemon zest, grated parmesan cheese

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My Quick & Easy Canned Tuna Pasta is simple dish that will make you look at canned tuna in a whole new way. This is a delicious, budget-friendly dish that you can make with a handful of ingredients in just 15 minutes! It's the perfect family-friendly recipe for busy weeknights.

I love having an arsenal of quick and easy dinner recipes for busy weeknights when I need to get a delicious and healthy dinner on the table fast. Some of my favorite 30 minute meals are my Marry Me Chicken, Crispy Baked Panko Chicken, and Juicy Air Fryer Turkey Burgers.

Now I'm so excited to bring you this delicious Quick & Easy Tuna Pasta recipe. After a long day, simple recipes like this can be a lifesaver!

This tuna pasta is very different from the tuna casserole you may have grown up eating. This dish will make you look at canned tuna in a whole new way!

There are so many things to love about this tuna pasta recipe. It's simple, delicious, healthy, and budget-friendly. And it can be made in 15 minutes! All you need is a couple of cans of tuna and a few simple ingredients. If you're looking for a vegetarian version of this dish, try my delicious Mediterranean pasta.

While the pasta is cooking, you make the tuna sauce in a skillet. It's a simple sauce that's full of lemony flavor. Then, just toss the cooked pasta with the sauce and dinner is ready!

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Why You'll Love This Dish
Doctor's Tips
Ingredients
How To Make Tuna Pasta Step-By-Step
Chef's Top Tips
Recipe FAQs
More Easy Weeknight Dinners
Recipe
Reviews

Why You'll Love This Dish

Quick and easy- make this canned tuna pasta in just 15 minutes! The sauce comes together while the pasta is boiling.
Budget-friendly- made with simple, inexpensive ingredients, most of which you may already have in your pantry or fridge.
Healthy- incorporates nutritious seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin D.
Tasty- this delicious recipe is a great way to get your kids to eat seafood!

Doctor's Tips

The US Dietary Guidelines recommend eating at least 8 ounces of a variety of seafood per week for those following a 2,000 calorie-per-day diet. Why? Because among other things, seafood is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, which have numerous health benefits.

Tuna is low in calories, low in saturated fat, and is packed with a variety of important nutrients! It’s an excellent source of high quality protein, healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. I love using canned tuna to make tasty dishes like my tuna tostadas.

Tuna and other fish are among the few natural food sources of vitamin D, which is a nutrient that many of us are deficient in. 42% of Americans and about 1 billion people worldwide are vitamin D deficient.

Seafood is a key ingredient in the Mediterranean diet. Numerous studies have shown that a Mediterranean-style diet can help reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, certain types of cancer, depression, and cognitive decline.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes and substitutions (see recipe card below for full ingredient list):

Canned tuna- I recommend using a good quality canned tuna (yellowfin tuna or albacore tuna) packed in oil rather than water; you can also buy a jar of Italian tuna fillets preserved in oil (tonno sott'olio). Tuna packed in oil is richer, creamier and more flavorful and works better in pasta dishes like this.
Pasta- I like to use a long pasta like spaghetti or linguini in this tuna pasta but any type of pasta will work including penne or bow tie pasta.
Capers- I love capers in this dish- they add a nice salty bite that complements the tuna. If you don't like them, you can leave them out or substitute chopped olives.

How To Make Tuna Pasta Step-By-Step

Step 1- Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving about a cup of pasta water. While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat and add the chopped garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

Step 2- Add the drained tuna, fresh lemon juice, capers, and parsley and stir to break the tuna up. Cook 2-3 minutes to heat the ingredients through.

Step 3- Add the cooked pasta to the skillet along with about ¼ cup of the reserved pasta water. Toss everything together until a smooth sauce forms coating the pasta. Add more pasta water as needed.

Step 4- Season the pasta with kosher salt and black pepper. Garnish the pasta with fresh parsley, lemon zest, and a drizzle of olive oil. Although it's not traditional to mix pasta and seafood, you can also add some grated parmesan cheese for extra flavor.

Overhead shot of tuna pasta in a dark gray bowl with a copper fork on the side.

Chef's Top Tips

Be sure to set aside some of the pasta water from the pot to add to the sauce. The starches in the water help create a silky smooth sauce that coats the pasta.
Use a good quality canned tuna with large chunks that's packed in olive oil rather than water. Tuna packed in oil is richer, creamier and more flavorful and will work better in this dish.
To make this dish even heartier and add a boost of protein, you can stir in a can of white beans (tuna and white beans is a traditional Italian pairing).
To add some veggies to this canned tuna pasta, stir in some baby spinach, arugula or peas. You can also add cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes or sun-dried tomato pesto for a pop of flavor and color.
I love the light, lemony sauce that's made with the olive oil, lemon juice and pasta water. However, if you want a richer dish, you can stir in some cream cheese to form a creamy sauce.

Recipe FAQs

How do you store tuna pasta?

This easy tuna pasta can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Is tuna pasta healthy?

Yes, this tuna pasta dish is healthy. Tuna is low in calories, low in saturated fat, and is packed with a variety of important nutrients. It’s an excellent source of high quality protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins (including vitamin D) and minerals.

Should tuna pasta be hot or cold?

Although this tuna pasta can be served hot, cold or at room temperature, I recommend serving it hot.