Because of its popularity, the recipes for pasta with tuna are many, each one with its unique creative touch and different added ingredients. Depending on the recipe, in fact, tuna pasta can be creamy, spicy and may or may not include tomato sauce.

One of my favorite tuna pasta recipes is made with tuna, fresh cherry tomatoes, capers, fresh herbs and olive oil. The sauce does not require any cooking and can be prepared in just minutes while the pasta is boiling.

Ingredients and Instructions (serves 4-6):

• 2 cans (6 ounces - 170 grams each) of tuna packed in olive oil, drained

• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

• 1/2 pound (250 grams) of small cherry or grape tomatoes, chopped

• 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained

• 1 tablespoon of Italian parsley, chopped

• 1 tablespoon of fresh basil, chopped

• sea salt and black pepper, freshly ground

• 1 pound (500 grams) of fusilli or penne pasta


1. Open the cans of tuna, drain the packing oil and then transfer the tuna to a large mixing bowl; flake the tuna with a fork, pour the extra virgin olive oil on it and then mix.

2. Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil.

3. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the cherry tomatoes. Rinse and drain the capers, then finely chop them. Finely chop the fresh Italian parsley and the fresh basil. Add all the ingredients to the bowl with the tuna and oil, mix to combine and set aside to let all the flavors blend together.

4. When the water boils, add one tablespoon of sea salt and stir; add the pasta, stir and cook it al dente, which means that the pasta must be cooked but still a bit firm to the bite. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes, depending on the type of pasta. Remember to stir occasionally while cooking.

5. When the pasta is ready, drain it and reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water. Add the pasta to the bowl with the tuna and tomato mix, toss and evenly coat the pasta, adding as needed a bit of the reserved water to help combining all the ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Buon appetito!

Cinzia Aversa 2013