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    Home » 30 Minute Meals

    Tuna Pesto Pasta

    AU$2.89 | £1.47 per serve
    By Robyn | Published: Feb 26, 2022 | Modified: Oct 6, 2022

    TO THE RECIPE
    pin for 15 minute tuna pesto pasta showing the pasta served and a close up image

    Tuna pesto pasta is a quick and easy pasta meal which takes just 15 minutes from start to finish. Made from just a handful of ingredients, it is a dinner the whole family loves. Leftovers taste great as a cold tuna pasta salad too!

    overhead photo of tuna pesto pasta in a pale pink bowl scattered with fresh basil and black pepper, ready to eat
    Jump to:
    • Why we love this recipe
    • Ingredients Notes and Substitutions
    • How to make this recipe
    • FAQ
    • My Recipe Tips
    • Storage
    • Serving Ideas
    • Variations
    • More family friendly pasta recipes
    • Tuna Pesto Pasta

    Why we love this recipe

    • Pesto pasta with tuna is a kid friendly dish – my son always asks for seconds, despite not being the biggest fan of tuna.
    • It is made with canned tuna, that budget friendly store cupboard favourite that is the saviour of dinner time for me on many busy weeknights and is so adaptable: from simple tuna nachos, to comforting tuna cauliflower pasta bake, and quick lunch favourite tuna croissants.
    • You can serve this tuna pasta recipe hot or cold.
    • Quick and easy – make the pesto while the pasta cooks and dinner is on the table in 15 minutes.
    • Versatile dish – there are numerous vegetable additions to this tuna pasta: add a tin of sweetcorn, some cooked broccoli florets, a handful of baby spinach, or halved cherry tomatoes to name a few.
    • The pesto is made with cashew nuts for a more budget friendly dish.

    Ingredients Notes and Substitutions

    • Pasta – any pasta shape works well, the ones I often use are: penne, rotini or fusilli, farfelle (pasta bows) or pasta shells. You can even use spaghetti or macaroni if that’s what you have in.
    • Tuna – I like to use tinned / canned tuna in water or oil.
    • Fresh basil – I would not recommend using dried basil in this recipe, but have a look at this post for basil alternatives if you don’t have any.
    • Parmesan cheese – parmesan adds a salty savoury flavour to the homemade pesto. If you don’t have any, I often use a sharp cheddar as a parmesan substitute.
    • Cashew nuts – I like to use unsalted cashew nuts, however you can use roasted or raw cashews.
    • Olive oil – try to use extra virgin olive oil in the pesto as you aren’t cooking with it and want the flavour in your pesto, but it doesn’t need to be an expensive olive oil.
    • Lemon – fresh lemon juice and zest are used in the pesto for a touch of fresh sharpness. If you don’t have a fresh lemon, you can add a small splash of white vinegar, or leave it out altogether.
    • Garlic – fresh garlic is cooked before adding the tuna to make the flavour more mild. You can use minced garlic from a jar if you don’t have any fresh.
    ingredients weighed and measured out in to individual bowls on a blue background

    How to make this recipe

    • Boil pasta according to the packet instructions, but cook 1 minute LESS. Save ½ cup pasta water.
    • Make the pesto: add cashew nuts, parmesan, fresh basil, olive oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice to a mini blender.
    • Blend until smooth.
    • Fry crushed garlic in a little olive oil.
    • Add drained tuna to the garlic and heat through.
    • Add cooked pasta.
    • Stir through pesto, adding a little of the pasta water if it’s too thick. Check for seasoning, and serve.
    step by step process shots making and assembling the dish
    pan of tuna and cooked pasta, with a spoonful of pesto about to be mixed in.

    FAQ

    Can I make this with bought pesto?

    Yes you can make tuna pasta with bought pesto. Stir the pesto through the tuna and cooked pasta and heat through. For this recipe I would use 2-3 tablespoons of bought pesto.

    Should pesto be refrigerated?

    Fresh homemade pesto should be stored in the fridge, in an airtight container or bowl covered with cling film to prevent the air getting in to it. With bought pesto, once the jar is opened the pesto should be stored in the fridge. If the bought pesto was in the chilled section at the shop, store it in the fridge before opening.

    Is pesto pasta served hot or cold?

    Pesto pasta can be served hot, or once cooled stored in the fridge and eaten cold.

    My Recipe Tips

    • Pasta water – keeping a little starchy pasta water back when you drain the pasta allows you to loosen the pesto sauce without making the whole dish watery.
    • You can make the pesto smooth, or leave it slightly chunky, depending on which you prefer.
    • Don’t try to mix the tuna and pesto in the pan you cooked the pasta in as it can stick to the bottom of the pan.

    Storage

    • Fridge: the pasta will keep covered in the fridge up to 2 days. Gently reheat or enjoy cold as a tuna pasta salad. Any leftover pesto will keep, covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
    • Freezer: You can freeze the pasta for up to 6 weeks, but it tastes best when it hasn’t been frozen.

    Serving Ideas

    • For extra carbs, a slice or two of Air fryer Garlic bread goes well.
    • Salad – a simple salad like this pear and walnut salad, rocket salad or spinach caprese salad

    Variations

    • With olives – roughly chop a handful of black or green olives and stir through the pasta before serving, you could always throw in some semi dried tomatoes too for a Mediterranean twist!
    • Creamy pesto pasta – make this dish with cream cheese stir 2 tablespoons of cream cheese through the pasta with the pesto.
    • With tomatoes – slice some fresh tomatoes or halve cherry tomatoes and stir through just before serving.
    • Mushroom pesto pasta – slice a handful of button mushrooms and fry for 2 minutes before adding the garlic and then the tuna.
    • Add a handful of rocket / arugula or baby spinach to the pesto before you blend it.
    • Make pesto tuna pasta with different pesto – if you fancy a change from basil pesto on your tuna pasta, try dill pesto, Thai basil pesto, or nut free broccoli spinach pesto.
    • Gluten free – use a gluten free pasta.
    • Dairy free – leave out the parmesan cheese.
    side view of two bowls of pasta ready to be served, a small bowl of extra basil pesto on the side

    More family friendly pasta recipes

    • Penne Pomodoro
    • Spaghetti alla Nerano
    • Cauliflower Tuna Pasta Bake
    • Pasta al Pomodoro

    Tuna Pesto Pasta

    Author: Robyn

    This easy tuna pesto pasta with homemade cashew basil pesto and tinned tuna is a quick and easy midweek meal on the table in 15 minutes, and is loved by both kids and adults.
    4.84 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Course dinner
    Cuisine modern italian
    Servings 4 people
    Calories 336 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 350 g (12 oz) dried pasta ($0.70 / £0.53p)
    • 60 g (2 c) fresh basil, larger stalks removed ($3.00 / £0.55)
    • 40 g (½ c) parmesan cheese, grated ($1.00 / £0.62p)
    • 4-5 tablespoons olive oil ($0.64 / £0.32)
    • 40 g (¼ c) cashew nuts ($0.99 / £0.39p)
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice ($0.79 / £0.30p)
    • 1 tablespoon lemon zest
    • 1 tablespoon olive oil ($0.16 / £0.08p)
    • 2 cloves garlic, crushed ($0.26 / £0.05)
    • 370 g (13 oz) tin / can tuna, in oil or water, drained ($4.00 / £3.00)*
    • sea salt / kosher salt ($0.01 / £0.01)
    • cracked black pepper ($0.01 / £0.01)

    Instructions
     

    • Cook pasta in boiling water according to packet instructions less 1 minute.
    • While the pasta is cooking, make the pesto: In a small blender/mini food processor place the basil, grated parmesan, cashew nuts, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 4 tablespoons olive oil.
    • Blend until smooth, adding a little more olive oil if it seems dry. Place to one side.
    • Drain the pasta keeping 120ml (½ c) of the pasta water.
    • Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium frying pan and fry the crushed garlic over a medium heat for 1 minute.
    • Add the drained tuna and heat through.
    • Stir through the cooked pasta and then the pesto, adding a little of the pasta water if it seems dry.
    • Check for seasoning, adding a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and black pepper to taste.
    • Serve straight away.

    Notes

    Estimated costs: Australia: $11.56. Per person $2.89.
    UK: £5.86. Per person: £1.47 (this is using 3 x 110g tins of tuna. If you want to use 2 x 145g tins it will be £4.44 or £1.11 per serving.)
    Pasta – any pasta shape works well, the ones I often use to make this tuna pasta are: penne, rotini or fusilli, farfelle (pasta bows) or pasta shells. You can use spaghetti or macaroni if that’s what you have in.
    Tuna – tinned / canned tuna in water or oil is best for this recipe. * I use 2 x 185g tins of tuna. In the UK it is easier to buy 3 x 110g tins tuna.
    Fresh basil – do not use dried basil in this recipe.
    Parmesan cheese – parmesan adds a salty savoury flavour to the homemade pesto. If you don’t have any, I often use a sharp cheddar as a parmesan substitute.
    Cashew nuts – I like to use unsalted cashew nuts, however you can use roasted or raw cashews.
    Olive oil – try to use extra virgin olive oil in the pesto as you aren’t cooking with it and want the flavour in your pesto, but it doesn’t need to be an expensive olive oil.
    Lemon – fresh lemon juice and zest are used in the pesto for a touch of fresh sharpness. If you don’t have a fresh lemon, you can add a small splash of white vinegar, or leave it out altogether.
    Garlic – fresh garlic is cooked before adding the tuna to make the flavour more mild. You can use minced garlic from a jar if you don’t have any fresh. If you like a strong garlic flavour, you can add garlic to the pesto rather than cooking it in olive oil.
    Pasta water – keeping a little starchy pasta water back when you drain the pasta allows you to losen the pesto sauce without making the pasta watery.
    You can make the pesto smooth, or leave it slightly chunky.
    Don’t try to mix the tuna and pesto in the pan you cooked the pasta in as it can stick to the bottom of the pan.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 336kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 24gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 391mgPotassium: 299mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 924IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 170mgIron: 3mg
    Keyword 15 minute, family dinner, tuna pasta

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    I’d love to see your creation!

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    Tag me! @atmrsjoneskitchen

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    Robyn Jones, Recipe Developer & Food Photographer

    Robyn Jones

    Recipe Developer | Food Photographer | Writer

    Hi! I'm Robyn, a toddler mum with a passion for all things food! Having moved internationally 7 times in the past 12 years I have developed a love of making international recipes into family friendly ones you can make in your own home, with local ingredients; wherever you live!

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