Spicy Tuna and Tomato Pasta

My Spicy Tuna and Tomato Pasta is a full-flavoured dish that is easily made from store cupboard ingredients. Tinned tomatoes, garlic and onion are the basis of the sauce, with tinned tuna, capers, olives, and chilli flakes providing great flavour. This a meal which is perfect for days when you don’t have the time or energy to go to the grocery store and is certain to become a regular addition to your meal plans.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Total Time 30

Servings people

Calories 665kcal

Author Alexandra Cook - It's Not Complicated Recipes

Ingredients

340 g (12 ounces) dried penne rigate pasta See Note 1
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil See Note 2
1 large brown/yellow onion – finely chopped
3 large cloves of garlic – finely chopped
2 tablespoon parsley stalks – finely chopped
1 teaspoon red chilli pepper flakes - or to taste
800 g (28 oz) tinned crushed tomatoes
370 g (13 oz) tins of tuna in olive oil - drained
1 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoon baby capers - drained
⅓ cup Kalamata olives – pitted and halved
⅓ cup fresh flat leaf parsley - finely chopped
sea salt and pepper – to taste, if necessary See Note 3
1 cup pasta water – reserve before draining pasta – you may not need to use it all
lemon wedges – to serve (optional)

Instructions

Put a large saucepan of water on the stove and bring to the boil. Once boiling, salt your water.
In a large, deep frying pan on a medium-high heat, add your olive oil, onion, parsley stems and chilli flakes. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for a further 1-2 minutes, being careful to not let the garlic burn.
Add in your tinned tomatoes and tuna – I swish about ¼ cup of water into the tomato tins too. Break the tuna up with a wooden spoon if there are big chunks. Add in your dried oregano. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally so the sauce doesn’t stick to the pan.
While the sauce is cooking, add your pasta to your boiling water, stirring regularly ensuring it does not stick together. Cook the pasta until just al dente. Reserve some pasta water.
Add your olives, capers and fresh parsley to your sauce, and allow to warm through.
Add your cooked pasta to the sauce, and stir to combine, adding a little pasta water until you achieve the desired consistency. Check that the seasoning is to your liking.
Serve with some additional chopped fresh parsley and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. For freshness, I also like to squeeze a little fresh lemon over the dish.

Notes

Pasta: I like a short pasta with this sauce such as penne, ziti or small shells. However, you could use a longer pasta such as spaghetti or linguine if you prefer.
Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt flakes for the best flavour. Add more red chilli pepper flakes if you like the heat.
Make this gluten-free: simply use a good quality gluten-free pasta. Many gluten-free pasta absorbs more moisture than regular pasta, so you may find you need to add plenty of pasta water.
Storage: the pasta is best when eaten freshly cooked. However, if you have any leftovers, store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating: the pasta can be reheated in the microwave or gently in a frying pan. You may need to add a small amount of water.
Freezing: the sauce can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Reheat on the stovetop and toss through your freshly cooked pasta and a little pasta water if needed.

Nutrition