This is a tasty, nutritious, and ridiculously easy tuna pesto pasta recipe. All the ingredients are pantry staples making it a great option for those days when you are low on supplies or simply don't have time to cook.
Pesto and tuna are a very tasty combination and are packed with protein and healthy fats. This quick meal tastes great with green veggies and can be eaten hot or cold, making it ideal for busy weeknights.
For more quick and easy pesto pasta recipes try my Pesto Linguine Pasta and Pesto Rosso Pasta.
Or for another speedy tuna recipe check out my Tuna Melt Quesadilla Wraps.
The post contains additional information and helpful tips to ensure the recipe turns out great the first time. Please use the link above to jump to the recipe card at the end if you are in a hurry!
✅ 5 reasons why you'll love this recipe:
- A quick and easy weeknight meal - ready in 15 minutes.
- Uses just 5 pantry ingredients - all you need to make this recipe is pasta, pesto sauce and tuna. Everything else is optional.
- Easily customizable - this recipe works well with most pasta types. I often add spinach, but peas, broccoli or beans are all solid choices. You can also omit the green veg if you prefer.
- Delicious and satisfying - pesto and tuna make a yummy pair, but they also provide lots of protein and healthy fats that will keep you full for a while.
- A great make-ahead/meal prep option - pesto tuna pasta tastes great cold. Perfect for a cold pasta salad to enjoy for lunch the next day.
🛒 Ingredients and variations:
This super simple recipe uses just 5 everyday ingredients that you're sure to find at your local grocery store. If you have tuna, pasta, and pesto in your cupboard you've got yourself a 15-minute meal. I add a little anchovy paste and spinach, but these are optional.
- Tuna - I use canned tuna stored in spring water, but you can use tuna stored in oil if you prefer.
- Pasta - choose any pasta shape that takes your fancy (or that you have in stock). I usually opt for penne or fusilli but linguine, spaghetti, tagliatelle or farfalle will also work.
- Pesto - use store-bought pesto, or make homemade pesto from scratch in a food processor using fresh basil leaves. The amount of pesto you need may vary depending on the type and brand you use as well as your personal preference.
- Spinach - because a meal just doesn't feel complete without veg, but this is optional.
Substitutions & Variations:
- Spinach: You can omit it and still have a very tasty plate of pasta on your hands or swap it for another type of green veg such as beans, kale or broccoli. Frozen peas or petit pois also work well if you don't have any fresh green veg in stock.
- Pasta: Use wholewheat, chickpea pasta or gluten-free pasta, or switch for farro or brown rice for a healthier option.
- Spicy: Add red pepper flakes for a spicy kick.
- Tomatoes: Toss in fresh cherry tomatoes or sun-dried tomatoes.
🧑🍳 Recipe steps
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full ingredients list & instructions! *
1. Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water until al dente according to package directions.
Top tip: reserve a little pasta water before draining the cooked pasta. You can use this to add a little additional moisture to the dish if needed.
2. Prep the spinach and pesto: Mix the pesto and tuna in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Wilt the spinach: Set the drained pasta aside, place a large skillet on a medium heat, add the spinach and cook until wilted. Then remove from the heat and stir in the tuna and pesto mixture.
4. Add the pasta: Take the pan off the heat and add the cooked pasta, mix, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water if the pasta needs a little extra moisture and serve immediately.
Serving suggestions
Enjoy this protein-rich pasta as a standalone meal. For something extra top with additional parmesan or pine nuts. When it comes to sides we recommend garlic bread or a refreshing side salad like this Arugula, Parmesan Cheese and Tomato Salad.
👍 Top tips
- Salt the pasta water generously - the water you cook the pasta in should taste salty like the sea. You may feel like you are adding a lot of salt but remember that most of it will go down the drain when you strain the cooked pasta.
- Reserve a little pasta water - set a couple of tablespoons of the starchy pasta water aside before you drain the pasta. You can add this to the pan just before you come to serve the dish if the pasta requires a little extra moisture.
- Adjust the amount of pesto - the amount of pesto you will need may vary depending on the brand and type of pesto you are using. For example, I find I often use more fresh pesto than store-bought pesto.
🙋 FAQs
4 tablespoons should be enough for 2 portions of pasta, but this can vary depending on the type and brand of pesto you are using. Jarred pesto tends to have a stronger flavor than fresh. You may find you need up to half as much as you would with fresh pesto. You will also find that different brands of jarred pesto vary in the strength of flavor and salt content. It's best to add a smaller amount and taste. You can always add more if you need to.
Fresh pesto should always be stored in the refrigerator. Jarred pesto does not need to be stored in the refrigerator until after it has been opened.
📦 Storage
Tuna pesto pasta tastes great the next day and can be stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container. It's best enjoyed cold, but can also be reheated in the stove or in the microwave.
I don't advise freezing it because it will lose its freshness. It only takes 15 minutes to make, so it is best to cook up a fresh batch.
😋 More speedy pesto pasta recipes
If you liked this recipe, you should browse these other pasta recipes. They can all be made in 30 minutes or less - ideal for those days when you need a quick and easy dinner or lunch.
Did you try this recipe? It would be really great if you could leave a comment and a star rating ⭐️. I would love to receive your feedback and know that other readers find it helpful too.
Don't forget to tag #knifeandsoulrecipes on Instagram or @knifeandsoul on Pinterest!
📖 Recipe
Recipe Card
Tuna Pesto Pasta
Equipment
- frying pan
Ingredients
- 7 oz (200 g) pasta (Note 1)
- ⅓ cup (70 g) pesto (Note 2)
- 1 6 oz can (160 g) tuna (Note 3)
- ½ teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
- 2 cups (60 g) spinach (optional) (Note 4)
Instructions
- Place a pan of water on a high heat and salt generously. Add the pasta when the water starts to boil and cook according to the packet instructions.
- Meanwhile, mix the tuna, pesto and optional anchovy paste in a bowl.
- Reserve 1-2 tablespoons of pasta water before draining with a colander.
- Set the cooked pasta aside, place the pasta pan on a medium to low heat (or use a new pan if you prefer), add the spinach and cook for a couple of minutes until wilted.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the pesto, tuna and anchovy paste mixture.
- Add the pasta and mix thoroughly. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if the pasta looks like it could benefit from some additional moisture.
- Serve immediately with freshly ground black pepper.
Notes
- Pasta: Choose any pasta shape that takes your fancy (or that you have in stock). I usually opt for penne or fusilli but linguine, spaghetti, tagliatelle or farfalle will also work.
- Pesto - use store-bought pesto, or make homemade basil pesto from scratch. The amount of pesto you need will vary depending on the type and brand you use as well as your personal preference for how much pesto flavor vs tuna flavor you want.
- Tuna: I use canned tuna stored in spring water, but you can use tuna stored in oil if you prefer.
- Spinach: You can omit it and still have a very tasty plate of pasta on your hands or swap it for another type of green veg such as beans, kale or broccoli. Frozen peas or petit pois also work well if you don't have any fresh green veg in stock.
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