The tuna pasta, or pasta with tuna cream, is a simple, quick, and incredibly versatile dish. Great to enjoy both hot right after preparing and cold after a short time in the fridge, it is ideal for those seeking a fresh, creamy, and flavorful dish. If you love creamy first courses and have little time to spend in the kitchen, this recipe is the perfect solution. In the heat, cold first courses are among the smartest choices: whether it’s rice salads or cold pasta, what matters is the freshness of the ingredients and the speed of preparation. And tuna pasta excels in this: the sauce is prepared in 5 minutes, even faster than the pasta takes to cook. Capers, tuna, and a bit of cream cheese create a flavorful and enveloping cream, without the need for cooking. A dish that combines taste and practicality, perfect for those who, in this season, seek fresh recipes without giving up the pleasure of good food. Whether you serve it for a family lunch, a quick lunch break, or a cold dinner with friends, tuna pasta never disappoints: it’s easy, tasty, and wins everyone over at the first bite!
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Cheap
- Preparation time: 5 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Boiling
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
- Energy 486.89 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 65.53 (g) of which sugars 2.02 (g)
- Proteins 27.30 (g)
- Fat 13.94 (g) of which saturated 0.88 (g)of which unsaturated 3.35 (g)
- Fibers 1.69 (g)
- Sodium 474.18 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 250 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for Pasta with Tuna Cream
- 12.7 oz penne rigate (or other short pasta; for me gluten-free)
- 6 oz tuna in oil (drained)
- 4.2 oz cream cheese (Philadelphia, ricotta, robiola…)
- 1 tbsp salted capers
- 1 sprig parsley
- to taste coarse salt
Tools
- 1 Mixer
- 1 Pot
- 1 Spoon
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Saucepan
How to Prepare Tuna Pasta, Hot or Cold
To prepare tuna pasta, start by boiling the pasta in plenty of lightly salted water. A few minutes before draining it, take a saucepan of cooking water (1) and set it aside. Then prepare the tuna sauce: put the washed and dried parsley and the capers, after desalting them under running water (2), in a mixer.
Chop until everything is finely minced (3). Then, add the drained tuna and the cream cheese; also add 4 or 5 tablespoons of pasta cooking water, useful to achieve the right consistency of the sauce (4).
Blend until you get a smooth and creamy sauce (5). Drain the pasta and transfer it to a large bowl. Season it with the tuna cream (6).
Toss the pasta off the heat for about a minute, adding a little more pasta cooking water if the sauce is too thick (7). It should blend well with the pasta without becoming too dense (8).
Serve the tuna pasta immediately or, if you prefer, let it cool to room temperature and then in the refrigerator for an hour.
Storage
You can store tuna pasta in the refrigerator for a couple of days. Even the tuna sauce alone, if left over, can be stored in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days and can also be used to garnish crostini or sandwiches.
Tips and Variations
Pasta with tuna cream can be prepared with your favorite cream cheese: I used Philadelphia, which has a slightly tangy taste; alternatively, cow’s ricotta or robiola also work well to prepare the tuna sauce.
