We all have those nights when you don’t have much in your pantry, or you’re on a budget, but you want to level up your dinner game. This Simple Tuna Pasta might just be your saving grace. It only takes a few simple ingredients, and you have a fancy meal that is delicious enough for a dinner party. Plus, it’s Italian-approved, and you won’t have to feel guilty about eating pasta! This simple, healthy, and practical recipe is perfect for making no fuss and delicious meals.
Is Simple Tuna Pasta healthy?
You might look at the nutrition information and be overwhelmed with 700 calories, but these are “clean calories.” This recipe contains lean-protein and healthy fats, which are nutrients for your body that help store less fat and boost your metabolism. Tuna is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids essential to keeping your liver healthy and your eyes, brain, and heart. It’s also high in Vitamin B12 and can help prevent your risk of anemia. And along with salmon, these fatty fishes boost vision health.
Yes, you can still reap nutritional benefits from the inexpensive canned tuna if you buy those packed in water instead of oil. Canned tuna packed in oil tend to be higher in calories and fats.
Is the Recipe kid-friendly?
Pasta has always been either a comfort or a celebration meal for me. Simple tuna pasta is close to my heart because I’ve been eating this at home since I was a kid. When my brother and I would crave pasta, but we didn’t have red or white sauce ingredients, my mom would pull out canned tuna or sardines from our pantry and cook them with whatever type of pasta we had. I prefer olive oil-based pasta sauces over the previous dressings I’ve mentioned just because it’s light and fresh on the palate.
What do you serve with Simple Tuna Pasta?
Since I’m familiar with this recipe, I’ve created versions and modifications depending on my mood or what we have at home. We don’t always have arugula, so I’d add in spinach or whole basil leaves. You can also add nutritional yeast if you don’t want to incorporate dairy in your meal, but you still want that cheese flavor. I have also discovered that thyme complements tomatoes really well, so it works amazingly well in this sauce. My family is not big on wasting food, so we’re huge fans of eating leftovers. We usually make the tuna pasta for dinner and would still have some left for breakfast, which in my opinion, even tastes better the next day.
To accompany the already filling pasta, I usually make simple salads with uncomplicated vinaigrettes for any type of side dish. The freshness from the greens balances out the richness of this pasta.
Turning Affordable Ingredients to an Elegant Dish
It’sIt’s hard to believe that simple tuna pasta can be so delicious, but it is! This unpretentious and healthy recipe will help you feel full without feeling guilty. It only takes a few ingredients, and the result is a fancy meal for a dinner party or just at home with your family. You can expect a well-rounded meal with the Simple Tuna Pasta ingredients checking off multiple colors in the rainbow food chart. Since it’s such a beautiful dish, plate it for social media to impress your friends and family. This recipe will definitely provide health benefits (with moderation on serving, of course) and a satisfied appetite. What are some of your favorite recipes that remind you of your childhood? Share them in the comments below!
Note:
Our team researched and personalized 3-week breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes. Although we tailored the meal plan for those battling chronic liver diseases, the meal plan is actually perfect for a gluten-free, anti-inflammatory diet and healthy eating in general. If you want more recipes like the Simple Tuna Pasta, check out our 21-Day Meal Plan for Fatty Liver and 7-Day Liver Cleanse Diet posts. Click on the link to know more about fatty liver and which foods to eat or avoid.
Simple Tuna Pasta
Ingredients
- 7 oz gluten free pasta
- 1 tsp sea salt (to taste)
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1/2 fresh red chilli (optional)
- 2 pcs anchovy fillets (optional)
- 4 pcs ripe cherry tomatoes
- 1 tbsp baby capers (rinsed)
- 6 oz quality tuna in olive oil
- 1/2 lemon (juice)
- 100 g arugula (washed)
- nutritional yeast (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the bucatini or any pasta of your choice in a large pan of boiling salted water until al dente or until the time stated in the pasta box instructions.
- Meanwhile, finely slice the garlic and chili, then roughly chop the anchovies and tomatoes.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil (use the oil from the tin of tuna for added flavor, if you can) in a frying pan over a medium heat, then add the garlic, chili, anchovies and capers. Fry for 2 minutes, then add the tomatoes and toss well.
- Reserving some of the cooking water, drain the bucatini and add to the frying pan with the sauce you just made. Toss well over the heat (you can use tongs for easier navigation) until lovely and glossy, adding a splash of the cooking water to loosen, if needed.
- Add in the tuna, then some lemon juice and most of the arugula. Toss well to warm the tuna through and wilt the arugula, then season carefully with salt and more lemon juice depending on your preference. Serve with a drizzle of oil, and top with the remaining arugula.
Notes
- Any type of gluten-free pasta works for this recipe.
- Tuna can be substituted with other healthy fats such as salmon, mackerel, and krill.
- Sardines could replace anchovies or even tuna altogether.
- For meal planning, you can cook the pasta and sauce before freezing them separately. Portion the cooked pasta per serving and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just grab how many portions you want to eat, put them in a bowl along with the sauce, and pop it in the microwave.
