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Make This Always-in-Season Tuna Pasta Recipe
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This tuna pasta recipe is exactly the kind of always-in-season meal that fits naturally into a California kitchen.
Known as pasta al tonno in Italy, it is quick, affordable, and built almost entirely from pantry staples like olive oil, olives, garlic, and herbs, all of which are grown right here in California.
With no cream, no heavy sauce, and (traditionally) no cheese, this dish relies on high-quality produce to do the work. The result is comforting but not heavy, simple but deeply satisfying. It’s an ideal weeknight dinner when you want something good fast.
Why You’ll Love This Tuna Pasta Recipe
This tuna pasta is a twist on a recipe I first learned to make while living in Italy. My chef friend put a simple tuna pasta on his cafe’s menu as a daily special, and I was intrigued.
Though I had never had it, I quickly became a fan and learned it’s a dish almost everyone makes at home. Some people make traditional garlic-and-oil pasta (aka aglio e olio) and fold in tuna, while others add tuna to their favorite tomato sauce.
After years of making this dish for everything from weeknight meals to quick lunches, I have my own style. I like to make a quick tomato-and-olive sauce reminiscent of puttanesca, with California brightness from fresh tomatoes, plenty of herbs, and a good dose of lemon.
Ingredients You’ll Need
This recipe is popular because it leans on ingredients most home cooks already keep on hand, making it both economical and practical. Garlic, olives, olive oil, lemon, and parsley are always-in-season staples, so the dish works just as well in winter as in summer. It also comes together in about fifteen minutes, making it a go-to for busy evenings.
Because this tuna pasta recipe has a short ingredient list, quality matters most for the olive oil, olives, and tuna.
- Extra-virgin olive oil – Adds richness and imparts flavor throughout the dish.
- Garlic – Perfumes the oil without overpowering the sauce.
- California-ripe olives – Mild and buttery, they add depth without overpowering.
- Tomatoes (fresh or canned) – Bring sweetness and acidity to the sauce.
- Lemon zest and juice – Brighten and sharpen the finished pasta.
- Tuna packed in oil – Stays tender when folded in off the heat.
- Fresh Italian parsley – Lifts the dish with freshness and color.
- Pasta (spaghetti or similar) – The ingredient that ties everything together.
- Kosher salt – Seasons the pasta and sauce from the inside out.
A Word About California Extra Virgin Olive Oil:
Want to be sure your olive oil is fresh, the highest quality, and the real deal? Look for the COOC seal on bottles of California Extra Virgin Olive Oil to make sure you’re getting delicious 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Certified California EVOO uses stricter standards than international requirements, requiring the oil to pass chemical testing and a sensory analysis by a group of experts, called an organoleptic panel evaluation.
Ripe Olives: Classic, Dependable, and Grown in the Golden State
California ripe olives are one of those ingredients most of us keep within arm’s reach, and there’s a reason for that. They’re dependable, versatile, and always ready to use, which is why you’ll find them packed in cans rather than sold fresh.
California produces over 95% of the olives grown in the U.S., so choosing California-grown when you shop means you’re getting olives from a place that truly knows how to grow them well.
Harvest typically runs from early September through mid-November, using a mix of hand harvesting and mechanical harvesters. Once picked, the olives are sent to one of two multi-generational family-owned processing plants where they’re sorted, graded, and stored before curing.
How to Make Pasta al Tonno
The key to this tuna pasta recipe is to build the sauce gently and fold in the tuna off the heat so it stays tender.
- Boil the pasta – Cook in generously salted water until just shy of al dente; reserve some cooking water to form the sauce.
- Warm the olive oil and garlic – Gently heat most of the oil and cook the garlic until fragrant and lightly golden.
- Make the sauce – Add tomatoes, smashed olives, and a splash of pasta water, then simmer until the tomatoes collapse into a loose sauce.
- Combine pasta and sauce – Transfer the noodles directly into the pan and toss with lemon zest, juice, and the remaining olive oil.
- Finish off the heat – Fold in the tuna and parsley away from the heat to keep the tuna tender and silky.
- Taste and serve – Adjust seasoning and serve immediately.
Tips for Making This Tuna Pasta Well
This is a simple recipe, but there are a few key things to know to make it excellent:
- Season the Pasta Water: Generously salting the pasta water ensures the dish is well-seasoned from the start.
- Use Quality Ingredients: California grows most of the country’s fresh garlic, produces the majority of U.S. olives, and makes high-quality extra virgin olive oil. When a recipe is this simple, using high-quality ingredients makes a real difference.
- Add Tuna Off Heat: Adding the tuna off the heat preserves its texture
- No Cheese Needed: You’ll notice there’s no cheese here, and that’s intentional. In traditional Italian cooking, cheese is typically omitted from fish-based pastas to avoid overpowering delicate flavors. That said, at home, taste always wins, so add it if you want it!
Easy Ways to Personalize This Recipe
This tuna pasta recipe is designed to be flexible.
- Use Canned Tomatoes: Swap fresh tomatoes for canned in a pinch.
- Add more tuna: Add an extra can for a more protein-forward dinner.
- Add capers: They complement the olives for a sharper, brinier edge.
- Add Red Pepper for heat: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for a little spice.
What to Serve With Pasta al Tonno
Pasta al tonno pairs well with a simple green salad dressed in lemon and olive oil, roasted California vegetables like zucchini or broccoli, or crusty bread to soak up the olive-oil-rich sauce. It’s satisfying on its own but easy to round out into a complete meal.
Need a new soundtrack for your kitchen? Check out this California Grown Spotify playlist:
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Easy Tuna Pasta Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces of noodle pasta like spaghetti
- 6 TBSP extra virgin olive oil divided
- 6 garlic cloves sliced paper-thin
- 1 can (6-ounces) California ripe olives, drained and smashed
- 12 ounces grape or cherry tomatoes halved (or 1 (15-ounce) can chopped tomatoes)
- Pinch red pepper flakes optional
- Kosher salt
- 1 lemon zest and juice (you need 1 TBSP juice)
- 1 can (5-ounce) tuna in oil, drained and flaked into large chunks
- 1 bunch fresh Italian parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Once it boils, add the pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than the package directions so it is still al dente (reserve 1 cup (235 ml) of the pasta cooking water).
- Meanwhile, heat 1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil in a large frying pan over low heat. Add the garlic, stir to coat in oil, and cook until golden, about 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat and carefully stir in the olives, tomatoes, a pinch of kosher salt, and the red pepper flakes, if using (the mixture may splatter, so keep an eye out). (Note: You could use a 15-ounce can of canned tomatoes in place of the fresh tomatoes, but you will need to cook the sauce for closer to 10 minutes.)
- Return the pan to the stove over medium-low heat. Stir in ⅓ cup (80ml) of the pasta cooking water, smash about half of the tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon, and cook for about 5 minutes, until the tomatoes collapse and the sauce is loose.
- When the pasta is ready, use tongs to add it directly from the frying pan into the sauce (it’s okay if the noodles still have some water on them). Add 1 TBSP of lemon juice, all the zest, and the remaining 2TBSP of olive oil, then toss to coat with tongs. Add more water if needed to make it loose enough to coat the pasta well.
- Remove from the heat, add the flaked tuna and all the parsley, and toss to just incorporate. Taste and add salt or pepper as desired. Serve immediately.
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Get to know our CA GROWN creator, Aida Mollenkamp:
Aida is a food and travel expert, author, chef, Food Network personality, and founder of Salt & Wind Travel. With a career in food travel media and hospitality, she has traveled the globe in search of the best food destinations. Her cookbook, Keys To The Kitchen, is a favorite among home cooks seeking adventure, and her Travel Guides For Food Lovers series is cherished by food travelers.
Influenced by her many adventures and inspired by California’s bountiful produce, Aida’s recipes are fun, fresh, and bursting with flavor. We’re loving her Grilled Artichoke Recipe With Herbed Roasted Garlic Aioli – you will too!
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