↑

Good Dinner Mom

Sharing Love through Good Food

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • The Main Dish
      • Chicken & Poultry
      • Beef & Meat
      • Slow Cooked Meals
      • Meatless Main Dish
      • Fish & Seafood
      • Soups, Stews & Chili
      • One Pot Meals
      • Breakfasts & Brunch
      • Eggs
    • Fresh from the Bakery
      • Bakery
      • Bread & Biscuits
      • Cakes
      • Cheesecake
      • Chocolate
      • Cookies, Bars & Brownies
      • Fruit Desserts
      • Jams, Jellies & Preserves
      • Muffins & Pastries
      • Pastries & Pie
      • Tarts
    • On The Side
      • Salads & Salad Dressings
      • Side Dishes
    • Hors d’oeuvres & Party Fare
      • Appetizers
      • Condiments, Dips & Sauces
      • Snacks
    • Frozen Treats, Drinks & Smoothies
      • Beverages & Smoothies
      • Frozen Treats
    • Even More Healthy
      • Gluten Free
      • Quinoa
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
    • Instant Pot/Pressure Cooker
    • Holiday Recipes
    • 30 Minutes or Less
    • Cuisines
      • Asian
      • Italian
      • Mediterranean
      • Mexican
  • Shop
  • About
    • About Good Dinner Mom
    • Where I Live
    • Backyard Chickens
    • Contact

Good dinner recipeswhen you subscribe for recipes

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.
  • The Main Dish
  • 30 Minutes or Less
  • Fresh from the Bakery
  • Vegetarian
  • Shop

Tuna with Simple Pasta Sauce

6 Comments

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

Tuna with Simple Pasta sauce is complex and satisfying. Pasta gets simmered in the sauce for slow-simmer flavor. Two cheeses, red pepper flakes, capers and olives.

Albacore, simple tomatoes and chunky pasta. These three ingredients combine for a truly fresh and satisfying meal, plus the entire recipe comes together in one pot in just 30 minutes… excellent reasons right there to love Tuna with Simple Pasta Sauce. But the addition of two kinds of cheese, red pepper flakes, olives and capers, now you have really special meal of pasta with tuna.

So many different tastes and textures going on here. The albacore tuna is mild, tender and flaky, rich, saucy tomatoes and garlic have been cooked right into the pasta to add flavor to every chunky bite. Parmesan is sharp and salty while feta is mild and creamy. And the contrast of the briny capers with the subtle bright heat from red pepper flakes… I should have your attention right about now.

Tuna with Simple Pasta Sauce

But I also mentioned that this is a simple one pot meal. Let’s take a look…

Starting with a fresh tomato at the beginning gives a nice sweetness to the dish. The tomato caramelizes easily in the oil, creating a bit of crusty flavor in the sauce. Once the sliced tomato begins to break down…

Tuna with Simple Pasta Sauce

…then we’re ready to add the canned tomatoes, pasta and red pepper flakes. The dried pepper flakes are important and won’t make the dish too hot, I promise…

Tuna with Simple Pasta Sauce

This all gets stirred with a bit of fresh Parmesan and water. Then just cover everything up and simmer till the pasta is al dente’. Use any pasta you like, but since the rich tomato flavor gets cooked right into the pasta, you want something substantial like Ziti…

Tuna with Simple Pasta Sauce

After the pasta has cooked, this dish could be served as is for a nice vegetarian pasta meal. But this recipe is called TUNA with Simple Pasta Sauce. So, along with some good quality tuna, add powerhouse flavors that are capers, kalamata olives and feta.

Tuna with Simple Pasta Sauce

You can mix the tuna into the hot pasta or nest it on top…

Tuna with Simple Pasta Sauce

The dish is simple, but the flavors work so well together that you have a complex, satisfying taste in every bite. Delicious served hot or cold and leftovers are fantastic.

Pin
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Tuna with Simple Pasta Sauce

This is a nice dish to make for a quick, fresh and healthy weeknight meal. Leave off the tuna for a vegetarian meal or replace the tuna with leftover rotisserie chicken. But the combination of tuna with the tomatoes, capers and feta is incredibly satisfying. Use whatever pasta you like or have on hand.
Course Main Dish
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4
Author Good Dinner Mom

Ingredients 

  • 1 vine-ripe fresh tomato
  • 4 cloves garlic crushed and minced
  • 2 tablespoons olive or avocado oil divided
  • 2 15- oz. cans diced tomatoes or one 28 oz. box diced tomatoes
  • 8 oz. dried substantial pasta like Ziti Fusili or Penne
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for topping
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes plus more for topping
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup sliced kalamata or other favorite black olives
  • 1 tablespoon drained capers
  • 1/4 cup Feta cheese
  • 1 6- oz. can good quality Solid Albacore tuna in water or oil - drained

Instructions

  • In a 12-inch deep saute' pan, drizzle 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil and heat to medium. Slice the fresh tomato into very thin slices, about 1/4 inch thick and add to the oil.
  • Mince the garlic and add to the tomatoes. Let cook about 7-8 minutes, until tomatoes start to break down and caramelize a bit.
  • Add one additional tablespoon oil. Add both cans diced tomatoes with their juices.
  • Add the pasta, Parmesan cheese, salt, red pepper flakes and black pepper. Stir all ingredients until well distributed and so that pasta gets well coated with tomatoes.
  • Add one cup water, stir once more. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook about 15 minutes, until pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking to pan.
  • Once the pasta is to your liking, take the pan off the heat.
  • Drain the tuna and set aside.
  • Dish up pasta mixture into individual serving bowls. Divide the tuna among the bowls, nesting on top or mixing into the hot pasta.
  • Divide the olives, capers and feta among each portion, sprinkling with additional Parmesan and red pepper flakes, if desired.
  • Leftovers may be served up to one day later.

 

You might also like

  • Tuna Pasta Salad
  • Red Pepper Pasta and Vegetable Sauce
  • Fresh and on the table in under 30 minutes, One Pot Pasta Primavera mixes vegetables and pasta in a creamy light sauce.
    One Pot Pasta Primavera

Published on February 17, 2015

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. jaclyn k says

    March 14, 2022 at 6:08 AM

    5 stars
    Loved this very flavorful sauce! Full of zest and complexity. I can’t get enough of it. It was very quick and easy to make, too. Do you think this could be made with canned salmon? Thanks Sally!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      March 15, 2022 at 10:19 AM

      Hi Jaclyn, I definitely think this would be fantastic with canned salmon! You’ve got me ready to try that myself, now!

      Reply
  2. marcia pavloski says

    March 14, 2022 at 6:06 AM

    5 stars
    My 6 year old loved it! Will add this into our regular rotation – absolutely delicious and quick and easy to make!

    Reply
  3. Robyn white says

    March 8, 2022 at 5:57 AM

    5 stars
    The whole family scarfed it down! Perfect quick dinner on t-ball night!

    Reply
  4. justin m says

    March 8, 2022 at 5:56 AM

    5 stars
    This is the best tuna pasta salad I’ve ever had. I made it for my family and they absolutely love it! It’s a perfect blend with the olives and capers. Thanks for sharing Sally it was delicious!

    Reply
    • Sally Humeniuk says

      March 9, 2022 at 12:17 PM

      Wow, thanks Justin! Tuna salad can be tricky and sometimes boring. You made my day with your comment!

      Reply

Find a recipe:

Latest Recipes

Strawberry Rhubarb Kuchen

Sour cream blueberry coffee cake covered with light cream on white plate, coffee in background.

Sour Cream Blueberry Coffee Cake

Risotto with Orange Juice

Buffalo Chicken Chili

My Grandma's Baked Macaroni and Cheese recipe.

Grandma Phyllis’ Famous Macaroni and Cheese

Easy Vegetarian Gravy

  • The Main Dish
  • 30 Minutes or Less
  • Fresh from the Bakery
  • Vegetarian
  • Shop
macaroni and cheese with peas asparagus and basil
The best Chinese Chicken Salad is right here with fresh vegetables, tender chicken and amazing Asian peanut salad dressing. Ready in under 30 minutes.
Oven Baked Chowder
Privacy Policy
Copyright ©2022, Good Dinner Mom. All Rights Reserved.
Design by Pixel Me Designs