Tuna Pesto Pasta

This quick and easy tuna pesto pasta is about to become your new favorite! Spaghetti is tossed with simply seasoned tuna and a flavorful pesto sauce for a simple weeknight dinner you will make over and over again.

Note: that links to products you find in this post are Amazon affiliate links which means I do make a small amount of money when you click and make purchases. 

Pasta is a regularly requested dinner-time favorite in our house but sometimes we want to change things up from standard spaghetti with tomato sauce.

This delicious tuna pesto pasta recipe is a great solution!

Using pantry staples, you can have an easy weeknight dinner ready in 15 minutes that is loaded with flavor and has a punch of added protein, too!

Top it with fresh parmesan cheese and serve up with some warm bread and you have a simple meal the whole family will love. Three-ingredient beetroot salad and fresh asparagus make simple side dishes to serve along with a bowl of pesto pasta with tuna.

Want to use homemade pesto to make this dish? I've got you covered with three different ways to make pesto sauce. This nut-free pesto is great if you have any nut allergies in the family. Want a cheaper way to make it? Try this almond pesto or cashew pesto instead!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• How to Make Pesto Pasta with Tuna
• Variations
• Storage
• Expert Tips and FAQS
• More Easy Pasta Recipes
• Tuna Pesto Pasta

Ingredients

Aside from the flavor, my favorite thing about this tuna pasta recipe that is uses all pantry staples! This is a recipe you can plan in advance and stock up on the ingredients when there is a sale.

All you need for this recipe is:

• Spaghetti: I love the shape and texture of spaghetti with the pesto and tuna.
• Olive oil: Used to cook the garlic and tuna adding extra moisture and flavor.
• Garlic: Fresh cloves of garlic are best to flavor the oil and tuna.
• Salt and pepper: Adjust to suit your taste.
• Canned tuna: I like solid white albacore and keep it in large chunks as if it were chicken.
• Pesto sauce: You can use jarred or your favorite fresh pesto recipe like our Fresh Coast favorite nut-free pesto recipe

Substitutions

Once this becomes a favorite in your house, you can change things up a bit by making these swaps:

• Spaghetti: You can swap out spaghetti for any other noodle shape, long or short.
• Olive oil: You can replace this with your preferred cooking oil.
• Garlic cloves: Fresh is best, but in a pinch, you can use jarred garlic or garlic powder.
• Tuna: Solid white albacore keeps its shape well for this recipe, but you can use whatever variation of tuna you prefer.
• Pepper: Lemon pepper is a great substitution for pesto pasta with tuna.

Equipment

• Stockpot for boiling the noodles.
• Strainer to drain the water.
• Skillet for cooking oil, garlic, and tuna.
• Spatula or wooden spoon for cooking.

How to Make Pesto Pasta with Tuna

The first step when making tuna pesto pasta is boiling the noodles.

Fill up a large stock pot with salted water. Boiling is the first chance you get to season the noodles and bring flavor to the dish - so don't skip on salting the water!

Once the water is boiling, cook the noodles according to the package directions to reach an al dente texture.

While the noodles are cooking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Once the oil is heated, add the garlic and cook for a minute or two or just until tender and fragrant. Overcooking or toasting the garlic can result in bitterness, so just give it a quick toss in the oil to prevent overcooking.

Next add the tuna, salt, and pepper. This step is going to really flavor your tuna nicely. The garlic oil will keep the tuna moist and the salt and pepper will give it a nice flavoring for when it's combined with the pesto.

You will want to stir this until well combined and heated through and then toss in the pesto sauce.

The quantity in the ingredient list is just a guide, you can make your pasta as saucy as you like!

Use a spatula to move everything around, just until heated through.

By now, your pasta should be cooked. Drain the noodles well and toss the cooked pasta in the desired amount of sauce.

You can top the pasta with parmesan cheese and extra basil for extra flavor and beautiful presentation.

Variations

Giving the visitor ideas on how they can change this recipe to better suit their dinner guests or their cultural cuisine, is a great way to increase the chances they make the recipe

• Spicy: Add chili pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the tuna, oil, salt, and pepper to give this dish some extra heat.
• Make it very veggie: Feel free to add some cherry tomatoes or extra vegetables for extra flavor and nutrients.
• Try different noodles: I love this recipe using linguine or penne, too!

Storage

Have leftovers? Here's the best way to store pesto tuna pasta leftover!

• You can store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
• When you're ready reheat in the microwave or a hot skillet.
• These ingredients don't stand up well to freezing.

Expert Tips and FAQS

Ready to make this pesto tuna pasta for dinner? Remember these tips:

• Cook the pasta just until al dente for optimal texture.
• Heating the tuna in garlic-flavored oil adds moisture and flavor.
• Keep the tuna in larger chunks so it stands out in the pesto.
• Top with parmesan and fresh basil for extra freshness and flavor.

More Easy Pasta Recipes

Did you try this recipe?  Please leave a star rating in the recipe card right below! You can also write a review in the comment section further down the page I always appreciate your feedback. And don’t forget to tag me @freshcoasteats in your photos on social media, I'd love to see your results!