The quick pasta with canned tuna is the simplest canned tuna pasta recipe on the blog.
One where you just open the can and go.
It’s a bit the classic out-of-town student’s pasta that still tastes good even when you’re no longer a student and are in a hurry or have zero desire to cook.
Apparently trivial, 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’s ready in 10 minutes, 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’s also ideal for packed lunches or work.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 2People
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients
- 6 oz short broken fusilli
- 1 drizzle extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)
- 1 pinch mixed peppercorns (with grinder)
- canned tuna (light canned tuna – weight according to dietary scheme)
- 12 green olives in brine (pitted)
- to taste lemon juice
- leaves basil
Suggested tools
- Salad bowl with lid
Preparation
Cook the pasta al dente, drain it and rinse it thoroughly under running cold water so it cools down.
After draining well, pour the pasta into a bowl or a large salad bowl.
Drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil, grind the pepper and mix.Drain the tuna well; if you use a light tuna this may not be necessary.
I use a light canned tuna preserved in very little olive oil — with less fat compared to traditional canned tuna and I also find its texture more pleasant than tuna in water.
Break it into pieces.
Rinse and drain the olives.
You can add them whole, halved or sliced according to taste.
Combine with the pasta:
– tuna;
drizzle with lemon juice;
– olives;
drizzle with a little extra virgin olive oil;
and mix.Wash and dry the basil leaves by gently patting them with kitchen paper.
Plate.
Grind a little more pepper, add the basil leaves.Your quick pasta with canned tuna is ready.
Enjoy your meal!
Pasta with canned tuna 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
Use whole-grain pasta to increase fiber content.
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.
Pasta with tuna keeps in the fridge in an airtight container for 1 day, at most 2.
It’s perfect to take outside the house.
Do not leave cooked pasta at room temperature for more than 1–2 hours [to prevent growth of the bacterium Bacillus cereus, which can cause food poisoning].
FAQ (Questions & Answers)
Canned tuna
Tuna in oil has a higher calorie content than the fresh product because of the preserving liquid.
You can choose tuna in water or drain the tuna in oil well and then dress it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
I use a light canned tuna preserved in very little olive oil, with less fat compared to traditional canned tuna; I also find it has a more pleasant texture compared to tuna in water.
As with all canned products, it should be consumed occasionally.Can I prepare it in advance?
You can prepare it the night before for the next day’s lunch, even to take outside the home.
