Garlic Lemon Tuna Pasta (2024)

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

If you’re a fan of quick 10-minute dinners, this Garlic Lemon Tuna Pasta has you covered. It’s full of flavor, but you really only need a handful of ingredients to make it. Including canned tuna, a little lemon and garlic, and, of course, pasta! I love how tasty it is, practical for weeknights, and overall, Tuna pasta is a pretty cheap meal to feed the family when you don’t have many fresh ingredients on hand.

This easy canned tuna pasta is one of those meals that actually looks more fancy than it is. You’d be surprised how little effort goes into making the recipe. Feel free to adjust the garlic and lemon juice to your taste. Either way, you’re going to love this tuna pasta recipe, and you’ll never look at canned tuna the same way ever again!

“This was SOOOO good, easy, and filling! Omg. Literally had to stop myself from eating out the pot. 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I tossed in some sun dried tomatoes along w/ the tuna and other base ingredients. 10/10, chefs kiss, will make again. Lol.” – Zephaniah

Recipe at a glance

Cuisine Inspiration: Mediterranean/American
Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop
Dietary Info: Fish based, contains gluten (can be made gluten free), dairy optional.
Key Flavor: Zesty lemon, garlic, tuna
Skill Level: Easy

Summary

• Quick and Easy: Ready in just 10 minutes, this tuna pasta recipe is perfect for a last-minute or quick meal.
• Budget Friendly: Utilizes pantry staples like canned tuna and pasta for an affordable yet delicious dinner.
• Customizable: Easily adaptable with various add-ins like beans, peas, greens, or tomatoes. For a burst of color add thinly sliced peppers.
• Mediterranean Flair: Offers a burst of Mediterranean flavors with ingredients like Olive oil, garlic, and lemon.

Ingredients you’ll need to make canned tuna pasta

• Spaghetti/Pasta: Provides a hearty base and soaks up all the flavors of the sauce.
• Olive Oil: Enhances the Mediterranean flavor and adds richness.
• Garlic: Offers a strong, aromatic flavor that pairs excellently with tuna and lemon.
• Tuna in Olive Oil: Higher quality tuna in oil lends a richer, more nuanced flavor compared to water-packed tuna.
• Lemon Juice and Zest: Adds a fresh, zesty kick that brightens the overall dish.
• Salt and Pepper: Basic seasonings to enhance all the flavors.
• Capers: Introduce a tangy, slightly briny taste that contrasts nicely with the lemon and tuna.
• Fresh Parsley: Brings a fresh, herbaceous element to the dish.
• Grated Parmesan: Adds a salty, umami flavor that rounds out the dish beautifully when served.

Popular substitutions & additions

• Flavor rich add-ins: Sun-dried tomatoes or kalamata olives, both offering a different intense flavor, can bring this dish to another level.
• Gluten Free pasta: For those with gluten sensitivities, swapping regular pasta with gluten-free varieties maintains the dish’s structure while catering to your dietary needs.
• Chicken or Salmon: For a different protein, canned chicken or salmon can be used in place of tuna. The flavors will vary some.
• Spice: For a very subtle spice, toss in fresh arugula, or for a bolder spice flavor, mix in red pepper flakes or chili oil.

How to make lemon garlic tuna pasta

Heat some olive oil in a large pan, then sauté the garlic until it’s fragrant, making sure not to brown it so it doesn’t get bitter. Next, add the tuna, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Cook those together for a couple minutes just to warm up the tuna and mix in the flavors.

And then you’re ready to add the spaghetti, chopped parsley and capers, which are totally optional. Add some reserved pasta water as well at this point to stop the spaghetti from drying out.

Give the tuna and pasta a stir and serve it immediately. I would definitely recommend adding some parmesan cheese when you serve it. It just brings the flavors together wonderfully!

Watch this video to learn how to make garlic lemon tuna pasta.

“Super good, super easy! I doubled the garlic, free poured the capers, was liberal with parmesan, and cream, and also added a couple of chopped anchovies just for the added umami. It was gobbled up by my whole fam. It’s a keeper for a fast dinner out of the pantry.” – Christi

Tips for making the best tuna pasta

1. Check out myHow to cut garlic post for tips on the easiest way to cut garlic for this recipe.
2. Use tuna in extra virgin olive oil for best flavor. If using tuna in water, make sure to drain all the water out for best flavor so it doesn’t dilute the pasta. I use the StarKist E.V.O.O.™ Wild-Caught Yellowfin Tuna.
3. Have all the ingredients prepped next to the stove top. The recipe moves pretty fast and you want to make sure that you’re not burning the garlic or overcooking the tuna. So make sure the pasta is ready along with all the ingredients before heating the oil.
4. Cook pasta al dente.Since you’ll be adding the pasta to the tuna and mixing it all together under low heat, it’s best not to fully cook it. It will get slightly softer as it warms up again with the other ingredients.
5. Make it more creamy by swapping pasta water with milk or cream. I love how light and fresh this tuna pasta is with the Mediterranean flavor. The pasta water mixed with the olive oil and lemon juice creates a fresh sauce for the recipe. But you can easily make it more creamy if you’d like.
6. Make it more hearty by building on to the base tuna pasta recipe. You can add some drained white beans to bulk it up or a handful of spinach or kale that will wilt down with the warm sauce.

What to serve with your tuna pasta

• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts or Vegetables
• Garlic Cheese Bread
• Chickpea Salad
• Oven Roasted Carrots

How to store & reheat your tuna pasta

Before storing, allow your tuna pasta to cool to room temperature before transferring it to an airtight container.

How long will tuna pasta last in the fridge?
Tuna pasta will last about 3 to 4 days in the fridge when stored properly in an airtight container.

Can I freeze tuna pasta?
You can freeze any leftovers, but if you’re doing so, make sure the pasta is cooked al dente because if it’s too soft, it will get even softer when frozen. Toss the pasta with some olive oil before freezing to make sure they don’t clump together. This is one of those dishes though that you can easily double or halve, to accommodate any servings, without worrying about leftovers.

Reheating tuna pasta: To reheat the tuna pasta, gently warm it on the stovetop over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally to ensure even heating. Add a small amount of water or olive oil to the pasta if it seems a bit dry.

Frequently asked questions

For more pasta recipes:

• Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
• Vegetarian Stuffed Shells
• No Boil Baked Spaghetti
• Pesto Spaghetti
• Scallops and Pasta
• Arrabiata Pasta with Shrimp

Now when you’re in a pinch at dinner time, just turn to your pantry, grab a box of pasta and can of tuna and get cooking. I love the bursting Mediterranean flavor in this tuna pasta recipe, but also that you can customize it to add beans, greens and even tomatoes. Hope you try it soon for your family!

If you’vetried this healthy-ish feelgood Garlic Lemon Tuna Pastarecipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget torate the recipeand leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me onInstagram so I can repost on my stories!

preorder MY book

The Feel Good Foodie Cookbook is now available everywhere books are sold!

Amazon Barnes & Noble Books A Million Hudson Booksellers BookshopSCHULER Books (SIGNED)