The quick canned tuna pasta is the simplest canned tuna pasta recipe on the blog.
It’s the kind where you just open the can and go.
It’s a bit like the classic student’s pasta that still tastes good even when you’re no longer a student and you have no time or no desire to cook.
Seemingly trivial, when prepared with care it becomes a surprisingly satisfying dish.
You can complete and customize it as you like by adding other fresh ingredients from capers to cherry tomatoes to arugula.
It takes 10 minutes to prepare, keeps in the fridge and saves lunches and dinners.
To dress my pasta I used a light canned tuna.
Light, perfect for summer and beyond, it is also ideal for packed lunches or work meals.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Budget-friendly
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2Servings
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 6 oz short hollow fusilli
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil (for finishing (added raw))
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (freshly ground)
- tuna (light canned tuna – weight according to dietary plan)
- 12 pcs green olives in brine (pitted)
- to taste lemon juice
- leaves basil
Suggested tools
- Salad bowl with lid
Preparation
Cook the pasta al dente, rinse it quickly under running water to reduce surface starch and drain it.
After draining well, place the pasta in a bowl or a large salad bowl.
Drizzle with a tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil (added raw), grind the pepper and toss.Drain the tuna well.
If you use a light tuna this is not usually necessary.
I use a light canned tuna, preserved with very little olive oil, with fewer fats compared to traditional canned tuna.
Break it into pieces.Rinse and drain the olives.
You can add them whole, halved or sliced according to your taste.Add to the pasta:
– the tuna;
drizzle with lemon juice;
– the olives;
drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil (added raw);
and toss.
Wash and dry the basil leaves by gently patting them with kitchen paper.Plate the pasta.
Grind a little more pepper, add the basil leaves.Your quick canned tuna pasta is ready.
Enjoy your meal!
It is a complete dish; add your portion of vegetables so as to compose a balanced meal or one-dish meal that helps keep blood sugar stable.
Storage, tips and variations
Storage
Store cooked pasta in the refrigerator in a closed container for 1 day, maximum 2.
Tips and variations
Use whole-wheat pasta to increase fiber content.
Add a sprinkle of grated lemon zest.
Add other fresh ingredients from capers to cherry tomatoes to arugula.
You can replace the tuna with mackerel fillets in oil, well drained and patted dry with kitchen paper.
FAQ – Questions and Answers
Canned tuna
Tuna in oil has a higher caloric content than the product preserved in water due to the preserving liquid.
You can choose tuna in water or drain tuna preserved in oil very well and then dress it with a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
I use a light canned tuna, preserved with very little olive oil, with less fat compared to traditional canned tuna.
In addition, I find it has a more pleasant texture than tuna in water.
As with all canned products, it should be consumed occasionally.Can I prepare it in advance?
You can prepare it the evening before for lunch the next day, even to take out of the house.
Do not leave cooked pasta at room temperature for more than 1–2 hours [to prevent the growth of the bacterium Bacillus cereus, which can cause foodborne illness].
