Tuna Pesto Pasta
Tuna Pesto Pasta is my absolute favorite when I need something quick, warm and comforting. Well not just me but my whole family loves Pesto Pasta! It’s the dream thirty-minute meal and I make it at least once a week.
This dish is one of my pasta arsenal along with Charlie Chan Pasta, Black Pasta, and Aligue Pasta. The perfect recipe if you’re craving fast flavor. Just toss together store-bought pesto, tuna, and olives—voila! A simple pasta meal is ready in under 30 minutes.
What sets this apart from other pesto pasta recipe is the brined olives. We just love the contrast in flavor the olives gives to the dish. Making this takes no time at all to make, it’s very flavorful and can be eaten warm or cold! In fact, my husband brought some for lunch the following day and ate it cold!
And this recipe doesn’t just taste good but healthy too. It really is good for you since it contains around half of your daily protein and fiber, whilst still being low in fat. Not bad for a quick meal that you can throw together in under 30 minutes. This tuna and pesto pasta are so simple that even kids can make it! Ideal for packed lunches.
How to Make
This is a pretty straight forward recipe, after choosing what type of pasta to use (I used Torti), cooked it as per packaging instructions. While the pasta is cooking, you can start chopping garlic and cutting the olives into rings. Drain the canned tuna and save the oil for sauteeing later.
Separate the tuna meat with a fork to loosen from being packed in the can. In a cooking pot pour around 3 tbsp of oil saved from the canned tuna. When the oil is hot enough, saute garlic then add the tuna meat and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add store-bought pesto and simmer for 3 minutes. Tip in the cooked pasta and mix until coated with pesto. Throw in the cut green olives and mix to distribute. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with some parmesan for good measure.
The secret ingredient is always LOVE
Tips for Tuna Pesto Pasta
- Aside from spaghetti pasta, you can also use fusilli, rotini, penne, or farfalle.
- Use the oil from the canned tuna to cook the garlic. It’s not only smart but also economical.
Tuna Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 500 grams pasta of choice (cooked according to package)
- 2 cans 280 grams oil-packed tuna (drained, store bought)
- 2 cloves garlic (chopped)
- 390 grams 2x180g bottled pesto sauce (store bought)
- ¼ cup brined green olives (drained)
- ¼ cup parmigiano cheese (grated)
- salt and pepper (seasoning)
- 3 tbsp saved oil from canned tuna
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain the water using a colander and set aside
- Heat 3 tbsp of saved oil from canned tuna in a cooking pot over medium heat. Saute garlic until fragrant. Add tuna and cook for 2 minutes then add pesto and mix. Let simmer for 3 minutes.
- Tip in cooked pasta into the pesto and mix until pasta is coated with sauce. Season with salt and pepper according to preference. let simmer for 3 minutes.
- Add green olives and parmigiano and serve. Bon Appetit!
