So then, are you looking for a funky spaghetti sauce tonight? Well you most definitely want to try out my easy tuna pasta sauce! Just imagine a bowl of steaming hot al dente penne topped off with a rich and chunky tuna and tomato sauce…
Delicious.
And I have even better news for you: this pasta dinner is ready in 15 minutes flat!
In other words, how easy could it get.
No excuses anymore!
I can still remember the day the hubs and I tried out this tuna pasta sauce for the first time. And we have made it numerous times after that ever since!
Family Favorite
Why?
Well for a start, it is absolutely delicious of course.
And then a second thing is that this pasta sauce is so easy to make. Also because you need literally just a handful of ingredients. And I even bet that you have most of the ingredients that you need in your kitchen and pantry at this very moment.
Well at least I do.
How about you?
Canned tuna for instance. We always have a couple of tins of that stuff in our pantry. And then usually to make other very popular family favorites here. Such as a lush vitello tonnato. Or a fresh and bright niçoise salad.
15 Minute Tuna Pasta Sauce
What are your favorite recipes to make with canned tuna?
Well for us this tuna pasta sauce really is a game changer. Even when you think that you have absolutely nothing in your kitchen cupboards, fridge or pantry, then you will still be able to pull off this tuna pasta sauce.
Garlic, canned tuna, canned tomatoes. Pasta.
Easy.
Maria Landis
But before you get all excited.
Credits for this simple and easy tuna pasta sauce go to someone else.
Because this tuna pasta sauce is inspired by a recipe from Italian chef Maria Landis.
For those who are a bit familiar with Belgian politics (and that is of course totally optional) Maria used to be the personal chef for former prime minister Guy Verhofstadt. You might have heard of him before, now that he is at the European Parliament stirring up affairs from time to time.
So Maria was born in Sardinia, Maria was the one who knew perfectly well how to translate his love for Italian cuisine on his plate.
Italian Chef
Her cookbook was a great success when it was published back in 2009.
And I just had to have that book because I was so excited about her food!
So this quick and easy pasta sauce with chunky tuna and tomatoes is one of her recipes. And it is simple, clean and very easy to prepare but always a winner dish whenever I make it at home.
Another pasta sauce from chef Maria Landis that I love so much is her lemon cream sauce!
That one is also a keeper, believe me.
Tuna Tomato Sauce
Absolutely to die for.
And this chunky tomato tuna sauce for pasta right here below is another reason why I like to stock up on canned tuna from time to time. Just like the tuna, pasta in any shape or form is also an ingredient that you can always find in my kitchen.
And so are canned tomatoes as well, chopped or pureed. Long story short: that entire recipe is a lovely last minute dinner here at home.
Enjoy!
15 Minute (Tasty) Tuna Pasta Sauce Recipe
Looking for a funky spaghetti sauce? Try this easy pasta tuna sauce: al dente penne with a chunky tuna and tomato sauce... Ready in 15 minutes!
- 10,5 oz dry pasta (300 g)
- 17 oz canned whole tomatoes (200 g)
- 5,5 oz canned tuna (155 g), drained
- 1 large garlic clove sliced
- 1 tsp red chili chopped
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp capers in brine
- a handful fresh parsley chopped
- pepper
- salt
-
Cook the pasta until al dente and drain it. In the meantime make the tuna sauce. Pour the olive oil in a large pan. Add the garlic and red chili. Place the pan over medium heat. Gently fry the garlic and chili for 3 minutes.
-
Pour in the canned tomatoes, mash them up a little and cook them in the hot oil for 7 minutes.
-
Season the chunky tomato sauce with a pinch of pepper and salt. Add the drained tuna together with the capers to the tomato sauce.
-
Stir the sauce well and break up the biggest tuna lumps. Cook for another 2 minutes. Check the seasoning. Add extra pepper or salt to taste. Stir in the parsley. Add the cooked pasta and give it all a very good stir. Scoop the pasta and tuna sauce onto deep plates. Sprinkle with extra freshly chopped parsley and serve.
Is the cheapest canned tuna fine for this tuna pasta sauce?
Certainly!
Canned tuna in oil is the way to go for the sauce. If you don’t have tuna in oil, you can use olive oil instead and tip the liquid from the can of tuna into the sauce.
However, not all canned tuna is created equal.
Premium canned tuna in a good fruity olive oil will set you back more than a generic home brand in tasteless canola oil. But also, premium canned tuna piled on crusty bread with a drizzle of the oil from the can is pure joy.
Vitello Tonnato
If there is one thing that I always have in my pantry, then that must be canned fish.
And to be more specific: canned tuna. It might not sound like it but you can make a bunch of recipes and meals with canned tuna, even last minute!
One of the reasons that I always have canned tuna at home, is to make a quick and easy vitello tonnato. That is a dish that the hubs and me absolutely adore. Thinly sliced pork or veal roast covered with a canned tuna and mayo sauce.
Really this recipe looks so delicious.
Thanks for sharing this recipe with…