Tuna Red Pesto Pasta

This tuna red pesto pasta is an effortless yet surprisingly tasty dinner made with just a handful of pantry ingredients. It’s just the perfect weeknight meal to whip up when you’re pressed for time, as it only takes 15 minutes to make!

If you’re a tuna fan, this easy tuna red pesto pasta is just the perfect recipe to try on a busy weeknight.

This has been one of my go-to recipes for years, not just because it’s extra tasty but also because I tend to always have the ingredients in the pantry, so I can have dinner on the table in 15 minutes.

I often make this recipe with shop-bought red pesto, but you can easily make your own. This red pesto recipe works perfectly with tuna.

Why you’ll love this tuna red pesto pasta

• It’s super easy to make with pantry ingredients. If you have some pasta, canned tuna, red pesto, olives and capers, you have everything you need to make this pesto tuna pasta.
• It’s ready in 15 minutes. Even though it’s ready in just 15 minutes, this tuna pesto pasta is full of Mediterranean flavour.
• You can easily customize it to make it your own. This is one of those recipes that you can easily customize with other things you may have in the pantry or fridge. Artichokes, sundried tomatoes and spinach are all excellent additions.

What goes into red pesto tuna pasta?

Olive oil — Use the best quality extra virgin olive oil you can and feel free to add more than 1 tablespoon.

Red onion — Tuna pairs perfectly with red onion, but you can also use shallots or just regular brown onion.

Garlic — Freshly chopped garlic is perfect in this pasta sauce.

Red pesto — Use your favourite shop-bought pesto in this pasta. A low-fat version is fine, and you can add more than 100 g.

Capers — Drain the capers but don’t rinse them. Their briny flavour adds extra depth to this pasta.

Kalamata olives — The meaty texture of Kalamata makes them perfect for this pasta recipe, but any other type of olives would do.

Canned tuna — I like to use tuna canned in oil for this recipe because it has more flavour, but you can definitely use canned tuna in water.

Pasta — The pasta you see in the pics is called ruote, and I like it because the tuna sauce remains trapped between the “spokes”. Any pasta shape would work, though.

How to make tuna and pesto pasta

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta al dente according to the directions on the package. Reserve 1-2 cups of pasta water before draining.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large frying pan and cook the onions for 2-3 minutes until they soften a bit.

Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute until fragrant. Next, stir in the red pesto and ½ cup of pasta water and allow the sauce to bubble for a minute.

Stir in the capers, Kalamata olives and tuna.

Add the cooked pasta and parsley, and stir to combine. Season to taste and serve.

Leftovers and storage

• This pesto tuna pasta will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
• You can reheat it in the microwave or serve it cold, pasta-salad style.
• I don’t recommend freezing this pasta with red pesto because it will likely be mushy after thawing.

Recipe notes and tips

• If you feel the sauce is too dry, add some more pasta water until it reaches the desired consistency.
• This tuna pasta is perfect for a cold lunch the next day.
• You may not need to add any extra salt to this recipe because the tuna, pesto, olives and capers are already salty. Adjust the seasoning at the end once you’ve had a chance to taste it.

If you liked this tuna red pesto pasta, you might also like some of my other easy pasta recipes:

• Pasta e Piselli (Pasta and Peas)
• Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Pasta with Walnuts
• Easy Pasta with Lentils (Pasta e Lenticchie)
• Pink Sauce Pasta
• Vegan Cajun Pasta

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