Tuna puttanesca is a rich, flavoursome tomato sauce with olives, capers and tuna. A tasty twist on traditional pasta puttanesca that will become a family favourite dinner!
“This is the best thing you’ve made for ages!”
So spake DH as he tucked into a bowlful of this delicious savoury pasta. My daughter Kipper, I’m sure, would have voiced her approval too, but she was too busy stuffing saucy pasta into her mouth.
Not a bad result for something I threw together quickly after getting home from a playdate with Kipper.
Last minute decisions -> tuna puttanesca pasta
I had intended to make a simple tomato sauce, but spotted some olives in the fridge and decided to up the ante a bit and give our pasta dinner the puttanesca treatment.
Puttanesca is an Italian pasta dish from Naples, typically made with tomatoes, olives, garlic and capers. It’s sometimes given a kick with anchovies and a little chilli too. It’s quick and tasty and usually comes served with spaghetti or other noodles.
Having tarted up the tomato sauce, I then decided we all needed some protein! A quick look for something suitable turned up a can of tuna, so in it went. There was slightly more thought to this delicious tuna puttanesca than that, but probably not much. It is really delicious though!
What type of pasta?
I am not a stickler when it comes to pasta shapes. Some people will tell you that certain shapes go with particular sauces, but I say just pick the one you like the most! We ate our tuna puttanesca sauce with tagliatelle – medium wide noodles – as you can see in the photos.
That said, I think a chunky sauce like this needs something to stick too, so short pasta shapes with lots of nooks and crannies, or an even wider noodle like pappardelle or mafalde would be terrific.
Meltdown cure!
Kipper had been having a mega-meltdown as I put the finishing touches to this tasty pasta sauce, largely because a) she was really tired, b) she was really hungry, and c) her Dad had just taken away the iPad so he could set the table.
Fortunately the promise of some extra olives in her portion of pasta puttanesca was enough to calm her down. Once she’d actually eaten some, thus solving problem b (above) she was transformed into a much more pleasant dinner companion.
Up the umami?
I thought that this tuna puttanesca sauce was rich, deep, savoury and delicious just as it was, but DH does like to go in for an umami overload sometimes, so he splashed some Worcestershire sauce onto his as well. He encouraged Kipper and I to do the same, but we both agreed that we were enjoying it just fine without.
Maybe he doesn’t get enough salt in his diet? Who knows. You are of course welcome to follow his lead if you feel the tuna puttanesca needs a little extra oomph. A few good grinds of fresh black pepper will also give a punchy flavour boost to the rich tomato sauce.
Tuna puttanesca – ingredients
I was really pleased with this dish, especially since it was ready in only just over half an hour, and largely from store cupboard ingredients. To make it yourself, you will need:
- Onion – a delicious savoury base
- Tinned tomatoes – can’t make a tomato sauce without!
- Garlic – of course!
- Olives – black or green, just try not to use ones with the pits still inside.
- Capers – for little bursts of tangy goodness
- Lemon zest
- Tinned tuna – or leave it out to make a ‘normal’ puttanesca sauce, which also has the advantage of being vegetarian and vegan.
- Vegetable stock – or use hot water and some extra salt and pepper.
- Seasonings – I used chilli flakes/crushed chilli and dried basil.
- Olive oil – or you can use the oil drained from the tuna if you have tuna in oil.
- Pasta – to serve!
Tuna puttanesca pasta – Plenty to go around
This made three good sized servings, and would probably stretch to four if you had a side dish of vegetables or a salad to go with it.
We enjoy it with roasted Mediterranean vegetables such as aubergines (eggplant), courgettes (zucchini) and peppers. It’s also great with fresh peas and beans or some steamed tenderstem broccoli spears.
Family favourite pasta
I hope your family enjoy this yummy puttanesca pasta as much as mine did!
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📖 Recipe
Tuna puttanesca pasta
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small-medium onion
- ½ teaspoon crushed chilli
- 400 g tin peeled tomatoes
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 100 ml vegetable stock
- 10-12 pitted black olives
- 2 teaspoon capers drained
- 185 g tin tuna in sunflower or olive oil
- ½ lemon – zest only
- 400 g Cooked tagliatelle or other pasta to serve
Instructions
- Peel and dice the onions. Heat the oil in a large pan over a medium heat, and add the chopped onions and crushed chilli. Fry for a few minutes until the onions are soft and beginning to brown.
- Add the tinned tomatoes to the pan and crush in the garlic. Use a spoon to break up the tomatoes. Add the basil and vegetable stock, mix well, and bring to a simmer. Cook, covered, for 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in the olives and capers and cook for another few minutes. The sauce should be starting to thicken.
- Drain the oil from the tuna into the sauce, then flake in the fish. Mix well to combine. Add the lemon zest, stir and, cook until the tuna is just heated through – about 3 minutes.
- Serve hot with tagliatelle or other pasta of your choice.
Nutrition
More delicious recipes using tinned tuna
If you’re looking for more recipes that use a tin of tuna, you’re in luck! Try these:
- Tuna ‘meatballs’ with courgetti, spaghetti & tomato sauce
- Zesty tuna pasta, which can be served hot or cold
- Overstuffed bagel toast, which is delicious when you include tuna as a filling
Tuna puttanesca FAQ
Puttanesca is an Italian pasta dish containing tomatoes, olives, anchovies, garlic, capers, and sometimes chilli, usually served with spaghetti or other noodles. Tuna puttanesca is a variation on this dish which also contains canned tuna to increase the amount of protein.
The tuna puttanesca sauce is a delicious gluten-free pasta sauce. However pasta is not suitable for celiacs or those who are gluten-intolerant. You can switch out the pasta for a gluten-free alternative, or try serving the sauce with rice instead, to make it suitable for these diets.
Tuna puttanesca is not suitable for vegans or vegetarians.
The puttanesca sauce can absolutely be prepared in advance! Allow to cool, the store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When ready to eat, reheat the sauce while your pasta is cooking, then serve!
Renee
Made this years ago for our meatless Friday dinner and it has since been on the rotation regardless of what day it is. Yes it’s THAT good. I add anchovies and use the anchovy oil for sautéing since hubby loves the explosion of flavours. Might as well go fishy all the way! Thanks heaps Helen .. such a tasty quick recipe!
Helen
That’s so great to hear Renee! I’m so happy that you love this dish, and that’s for reminding me about it – we haven’t had it for ages 🙂
Andrea
Thanks for the recipe. This looks like something the whole family would love! We’ll have to try it soon.
Helen
You’re welcome Andrea! I hope you all enjoy it as much as we do.
Carrie Robinson
Such a great pasta dish! Adding this to my weekly dinner rotation soon. 🙂
Helen
Thanks Carrie. So pleased to hear that you enjoyed it so much.
Kate
Puttanesca is my absolute favourite way to eat pasta, so many big punchy flavours. Haven’t tried it with tuna before – great twist.
Helen
Thanks Kate. If you love Puttanesca, and you also like tuna, I’m sure you’ll love this version!
Beth
This is one of the best tuna recipes I’ve made in quite some time. I made it last night for the family, and it went over so well!
Helen
Thanks Beth, that’s great to hear! My family loves it too, and it does make a change from ‘ordinary’ tuna pasta.
Kali Alexandria
This is such a great dish. Highly recommend making this!
Helen
Thanks Kali – so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Sarah Klinkowitz
Fantastic! Love this recipe!
Helen
Thanks Sarah! You and my DH – I think this is his all time favourite thing I’ve ever made 🙂
Camilla
I love it when a dish you just throw together works and the family rave about it! Love the sound of this pasta and all those flavours, I only recently discovered that I liked capers in pasta dishes when I’d always picked them off pizzas! Thanks for linking to my dish:-)
Helen
Thanks Camilla! We love capers in just about anything 🙂
choclette
I reckon olives in tomato sauce can only be a good thing. You’re daughter has very good taste. Wondering what I could sub the tuna for other than cheese – hmmm.
Helen
Thank you! I’m sure she would agree with you!
You can just leave the tuna out and have it without. I’m not sure you need to sub something else in. H x.
Riz
I’ve been craving tuna for about a week now. I think you’ve just helped me decide what I cook next!!! It looks delicious!
Riz
Chocolates & Chai
http://www.chocolatesandchai.com/
Helen
Thanks! I hope you enjoy it
Madeleine Morrow
I adore puttanesca sauce and realise now that I haven’t made it in ages. Thanks for the tasty reminder.
Helen
Thanks Madeleine – my pleasure!
sarah
Yummy! I don’t enough tuna so this is nice recipe to get back into eating more. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Helen
Thanks Sarah. It’s such a great ingredient – easy, tasty, versatile and full of protein.
Foodie Quine (@foodiequine)
My daughter absolutely loves tinned tuna. This will make a fab quick easy family tea although I will have to leave out the olives and capers from her portion!
Helen
We have to put extra olive INTO my daughter’s portion! Kids, eh?!
Ceri @Natural Kitchen Adventures
Lovely. You can’t beat a tin of tuna. I always have some in my cupboard and could eat it every day if I could! You’ve got me craving pasta now.. Of on the hunt for some gluten free magic!
Helen
Thanks Ceri. Yes, we always have a few tins on standby in case of emergency too!