Today I want to share a quick recipe that has come in very handy on several occasions: my spicy tuna pasta.
It’s ready in less than 20 minutes, it’s flavorful and delicious, and it’s perfect for when you don’t want to spend too much time at the stove. All you have to do is roughly chop some vegetables, and sauté them while you boil the pasta in salted water.
When I was a kid, we used to have pasta with tuna every Friday. My grandmother is an old-school Catholic, and for all her life she observed the old fasting traditions that were prevalent among farmers. One of them was that on Fridays anyone of age could have only one meal during the day, with no meat. Hence, the tuna.
This unwritten rule was so respected in our house that even now that I no longer live with my grandmother, I always crave pasta with tuna on Fridays.
Of course, I customized the recipe.
Those who are familiar with me know that I love spicy food and that I like to flavor pasta with herbs and grated lemon zest (have you tried my lemon pasta?) So, I incorporated these elements to make a simple aromatic dish.
Here’s what you need to do.
What you’ll need
Here are the ingredients I use. As per usual, you’ll find the precise amounts in the recipe card below.
Canned tuna: of course. I use 80 grams for each person.
Garlic & Onions: onions and tuna are such a perfect combination. You can use it for salads, and sandwiches, and today it’s going to be our pasta dressing! I also added a couple of chopped garlic cloves because “why not?“.
Red chili peppers: I’ve used Calabrian peppers, but you can go with anything you like.
Pasta: I often use farfalle or penne, but any type of short pasta is good. Look at the instructions on the box, and choose a type that is ready in 6 to 8 minutes to spare some time.
Grated lemon zest: another perfect thing to mix with tuna.
Extra-virgin olive oil: to sauté the dressing.
Coarse salt and water: to boil the pasta
Freshly chopped parsley (optional): my herb of choice for when I want to add some extra freshness to this recipe. Unfortunately, I didn’t have it around when I made the pictures you’ll see below. But if you have some in your kitchen, go for it!
Method
My spicy tuna pasta recipe has just 4 steps.
Step 1: boil the pasta in a pot.
Step 2: In the meantime, chop the garlic, onions, and chili peppers and add them to an oiled saucepan. You don’t need to dice them finely. Make them sautee for about 45 seconds.
Step 3: Take the saucepan away from the heat, add the canned tuna, and mix well.
Step 4: When the pasta is al dente, take it out of the pot and toss it in the saucepan. Mix everything, and grate some lemon zest on the pasta. If you want, you can also add some lemon juice. Finally, add the freshly chopped parsley.
Your dish is ready. Enjoy it with a simple side salad.
Conclusion & Recipe Card
I hope you like my spicy tuna pasta recipe. Let me know if you try it in the comments. As per usual, here’s the recipe card with the precise amounts for each ingredient. Buon appetito.
Print
Spicy Tuna Pasta Recipe
- Total Time: 18 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
16 oz pasta
1 onion
2 cloves of garlic
3 Calabrian red chili peppers
320 grams canned tuna
Extra-virgin olive oil
lemon zest to taste
freshly chopped parsley to taste
a handful of coarse salt
Instructions
- Boil the pasta in a pot of salted water.
- In the meantime, chop the garlic, onions, and chili peppers and add them to an oiled saucepan. You don’t need to dice them finely. Make them sautee for about 45 seconds.
- Take the saucepan away from the heat, add the canned tuna, and mix well.
- When the pasta is al dente, take it out of the pot and toss it in the saucepan. Mix everything, and grate some lemon zest on the pasta. If you want, you can also add some lemon juice. Finally, add the freshly chopped parsley.
Enjoy with a simple side salad.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 8
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian
