Tomato tuna pasta is a quick, simple & delicious meal featuring a silky tomato sauce, capers and canned tuna; less is definitely more!
Cooking this easy pasta recipe takes just 20 leisurely minutes, making it a perfect light midweek meal.
Tuna Pasta That Ain't a Bake
Quick and easy pasta recipes are often the bedrock of many a cook's repertoire... I am not all that different.
Sub 30-minute dinners are a breath of fresh air, even for folk like me who love being in the kitchen.
It does not matter whether it is my chorizo and leek pasta, tuna pesto pasta, nduja pasta, crab linguine or my pasta foriana recipe; they are typified by a few ingredients with little done to them.
Pasta in tomato sauce is a magical combination, one that has straddled the world, and there are countless examples.
I have three other distinct pasta in tomato sauce recipes on my site.
This tomato tuna pasta recipe joins a spaghetti alla puttanesca, penne arrabbiata, tomato and mascarpone pasta and a take on bacon and tomato pasta.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is tomato passata?
Tomato passata in the purest sense is nothing more than sieved tomatoes. I prefer to use it in this recipe as it delivers a silky smooth sauce.
Depending on where you are, it could be called tomato puree or tomato sauce, but passata should be hidden on the label somewhere. Mutti and Cirio are fairly global brands, and in the UK, all of the major supermarkets have home-brand passata.
You can use tinned tomatoes, but they are better blended and strained for this recipe, in my opinion.
Can I use different types of pasta?
Yes, I almost always make this a tuna spaghetti recipe, but it is a versatile sauce. You can pretty much get away with most shapes of pasta.
This is a clingy sauce rather than a runny sauce, so pasta like penne or rigatoni is not as good as tagliatelli or even conchiglie.
What sort of oil should I use?
If you are not using the oil from the tin of tuna, you are missing a huge trick!
But if, for some reason, you choose not to, use olive oil
Can I add cheese?
Of course, it's your dinner.
I am not a fan of cheese and fish at all, but some grated Parmesan would work for those who like the combination. You could also add some buratta!
Serving Suggestions
This tomato tuna pasta recipe is a simple one-bowl dinner, and anything you pair with it should be equally easy.
For me, that usually means bread of some description, some warmed ciabatta or focaccia is perfect.
Another great option would be garlic bread or cheesy garlic bread if you prefer.
Equipment Used
I do not recommend specific brands of equipment unless I think that it makes a material difference to a recipe. But if you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments section below the recipe.
- Hob/stovetop.
- 25cm ot 10" frying pan.
- 20cm or 8" sauepan.
- Colander.
- Chopping board.
- Kitchen knife.
- A combination of weighing scales, a measuring jug, measuring cups and spoons.
Tomato Tuna Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 200 g Spaghetti 7oz
- 175 ml Tomato Passata ¾ Cup
- 160 g Tin of Tuna in Olive Oil 5½oz
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil (I always use the oil from the tuna tin)
- 2 Garlic Cloves
- 1 Small-Medium Echalion or Banana Shallot 35g
- ¼ Salt (plus extra for boiling pasta)
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Sugar
- 30 g Capers ¼ Cup
- 10 g Fresh Parsley ⅓-½ Cup
Instructions
- Bring a 20cm or 8" saucepan of well-salted water to a boil; I use 1½-2 teaspoons in a pan of this size.
- Peel and dice the shallot as finely as you can.
- Peel and chop the garlic as finely as you can.
- Heat the oil in a medium (24cm or 10") frying pan over a medium heat, then add the shallots and garlic and cook gently for 2 minutes.
- Pour in the tomato passata, and add the salt, pepper and sugar, then reduce the heat to low and allow to gently simmer whilst the pasta cooks.
- Add the spaghetti to the boiling water and cook as per the instructions on the packet or until it is al dente.
- Chop the parsley as finely as you can.
- Drain the pasta, reserving around 75ml (⅓ Cup) of the cooking liquid.
- Add the tuna and capers to the sauce, followed by the drained pasta.
- Stir to coat, adding as much of the cooking liquid as needed to make a silky smooth sauce.
- Finally, stir through the parsley before serving.
Sue R
Thursday 25th of August 2022
This was simple, tasty, cheap and I totally loved it so it is one I hope to never to forget to make again and again. Thank you Mr.
Brian Jones
Sunday 11th of September 2022
You are more than welcome Sue, so glad you enjoyed it :)