• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Cooking Compass
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
    • Quick and Easy
    • Mediterranean Diet
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Main Dishes
    • Side dish
    • Soup
    • Dessert
    • Beef
    • Chicken
    • Fish
    • Lamb
    • Pasta
    • Gluten free
    • Keto
  • Topics
    • Mediterranean Diet
    • keto
    • Healthy Eating
    • Kids
    • Meal planning

Quick Tuna Garlic and Chilli Pasta

October 15, 2024 by Liz Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

If you’re looking for a quick and tasty meal, this Tuna Garlic and Chilli Pasta is the perfect solution. Made with simple pantry staples like canned tuna, tinned tomatoes and garlic, this easy tuna pasta dish comes together in just 20 minutes. It’s a spicy, budget-friendly pasta recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights!

Tuna and pasta served on a plate garnished with parsley

Why you should make this easy canned tuna pasta

  • Quick and easy: This pasta dish takes just 20 minutes to make, perfect for a quick weeknight dinner or a lazy weekend lunch.
  • Budget-friendly: Using affordable ingredients like canned tuna and tinned tomatoes makes it a very economical option.
  • Healthy and filling: It’s packed with lean protein from the tuna and full of the fresh flavour of tomatoes and parsley.
  • Customisable spice level: You can easily adjust the amount of chilli to suit your taste preferences!

Variations

There are a number of ways you can switch up this recipe according to your tastes. Here are some ideas to try:

  • Add some leafy green veggies such as spinach or kale for a vitamin boost
  • Swap the tuna for prawns or leftover cooked salmon
  • Leave out the chilli if you don’t like spicy pasta
  • Use any other type of pasta, or if you want to reduce the carbs, swap for spiralised courgette (zucchini). 

FAQs

Which is better, tuna in oil or water?

f you’re watching your calorie intake, tuna packed in water is a great option. Tuna in oil is a lot higher in calories but may have a softer texture.

Is it okay to eat a can of tuna every day?

Tuna contains a higher level of mercury than other fish and this can be harmful if you consume too much. The recommendation on fish consumption in the UK is to eat two portions of fish per week, one of which should be oily. Oily fish include tuna, mackerel, sardines and salmon.

Ingredients

Tuna pasta ingredients

Canned tuna – try to buy tuna in spring water if you can to keep the calories down.

Tinned tomatoes

Pasta – any pasta shape will suit this dish. Try to use wholewheat pasta if you can.

Garlic – you need fresh garlic for this recipe.

Chilli – fresh chilli is great but you could swap with dried chilli flakes.

Olive oil – I like to use extra virgin olive oil for it’s flavour and nutrient profile.

Parsley – the fresh parsley compliments the garlic and adds vibrant flavour to this dish.

How to Make Tuna Garlic and Chilli Pasta

Pasta in a pan with water

Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. 

garlic and oil in a pan

Sauté Garlic: While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over a low to medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant and softened. Be careful not to overcook the garlic.

Tomatoes in pan with garlic and oil

Add Chilli and Tomatoes: Add the tinned tomatoes and chopped chilli, stir and leave to simmer for 5-7 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with the salt and pepper to taste.

tuna added to the tomato sauce in a frying pan

Add Tuna: Add the tuna to the tomato sauce and break it up. Stir gently to combine and allow the tuna to heat through for 2-3 minutes.

pasta and parsley added to tuna and tomato sauce in pan

Combine with Pasta and Parsley: Add the drained, cooked pasta and chopped parsley to the sauce and toss to combine.

Finished pasta dish served on a plate

Garnish and Serve: Serve the pasta hot and garnished with freshly chopped parsley if desired.

Storage Instructions

Refrigeration: Allow leftovers to cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheating: When you’re ready to enjoy the leftovers, reheat the pasta in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of water or olive oil to help loosen the sauce.

Alternatively, you can microwave it in a covered dish, stirring occasionally until heated through.

Finished tuna pasta dish served on a plate

Quick Tuna Garlic and Chilli Pasta

Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 20 minutes mins
Course lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Italian, Mediterranean
Servings 2

Ingredients
  

  • 200 g wholewheat pasta
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large clove of garlic, crushed
  • 1 tin chopped tomatoes
  • 1 fresh chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
  • 1 tin tuna in spring water
  • 1 small bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • black pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. 
    Pasta in a pan with water
  • Sauté Garlic: While the pasta is cooking, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pan over low to medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant and softened. Be careful not to overcook the garlic.
    garlic and oil in a pan
  • Add Chilli and Tomatoes: Add the tinned tomatoes and chilli, stir and leave to simmer for 5-7 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. Season with the salt and pepper to taste.
    Tomatoes in pan with garlic and oil
  • Add Tuna: Add the tuna to the tomato sauce and break it up. Stir gently to combine and allow the tuna to heat through for 2-3 minutes.
    tuna added to the tomato sauce in a frying pan
  • Combine with Pasta and parsley: Add the drained, cooked pasta and chopped parsley to the sauce and toss to combine.
    pasta and parsley added to tuna and tomato sauce in pan
  • Garnish and Serve: Serve the pasta hot, garnished with freshly chopped parsley if desired.
    Finished pasta dish served on a plate

Notes

Storage Instructions:
Refrigeration – Allow leftovers to cool to room temperature before storing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheating – When you’re ready to enjoy the leftovers, reheat the pasta in a pan over low heat, adding a splash of water or olive oil to help loosen the sauce. Alternatively, you can microwave it in a covered dish, stirring occasionally until heated through.
Keyword Easy, family, Fish, healthy, pasta, quick, tomatoes, tuna

More easy dishes to try…

Final dish served on a plate with parsley.

Mediterranean Salmon Tray Bake


Chicken quinoa salad

Lemon Chicken Quinoa Salad


Parsnip and carrot soup served in a bowl

Spiced Carrot and Parsnip Soup

Filed Under: Fish, Lunch, Main Dishes, Mediterranean Diet, Pasta, Recipes Tagged With: easy, healthy, quick, weight loss

Previous Post: « Mediterranean Salmon Tray Bake
Next Post: Pasta with spinach and sundried tomatoes »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Welcome to Cooking Compass

Hi! I’m Liz. Here you’ll find easy recipes and information to help you feed your family nourishing and tasty meals.
Please take a look around for some meal inspiration so that you remain cool, calm and collected when you hear the words “what’s for dinner?”

Categories

Popular Posts

Mango Smoothie Bowl with toppings

Mango Smoothie Bowl No Banana

Chocolate Orange Overnight Oats

Vanilla oat and quinoa porridge

Vanilla Oat and Quinoa Porridge

Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

The Best Savoury Quinoa Breakfast Bowl

Recent Posts

  • 7 Keto Diet Myths Debunked
  • 8 Mediterranean diet myths debunked
  • Cherry Almond Overnight Oats
  • Greek Orzo Pasta Salad with Feta Cheese
  • Pasta with spinach and sundried tomatoes
save 20% at feastdesignco.com

Footer

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Contact me
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Snapchat
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2025 Cooking Compass on the Foodie Pro Theme