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–+ servings
tuna pesto pasta with cherry tomatoes in a white bowl with parmesan
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5 from 5 votes

Easy Tuna Pesto Pasta

Make this Tuna Pesto Pasta that is the perfect hassle-free weeknight dinner. All ready in just 20 minutes and easy to make!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Pasta Salad
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 595kcal
Author: Dalya Rubin

Equipment

  • 1 blender or food processor
  • 1 large pot
  • mixing spoon
  • knife
  • cutting board

Ingredients

For the Pesto

  • 2 cups fresh basil leaves 2 ounces
  • 2 cups fresh spinach leaves 2.6 ounces
  • ¼ cup walnuts
  • ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese I use vegan
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 2 garlic cloves peeled
  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ cup canola oil or vegetable oil
  • ¾ teaspoon salt

For the Pasta

  • ½ pint cherry tomatoes halved (5 ½ oz)
  • 12 ounces pasta of choice (I use Jovial gluten free penne pasta)
  • 10 ounces solid white albacore tuna packed in water, (use two 5-oz cans)
  • 1 tablespoon Grated parmesan as garnish
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon zest as garnish

Instructions

  • Fill a large pot with water and 1 tablespoon salt. Add pasta to the pot, stir occasionally and cook pasta according to package directions. Drain the pasta (no need to rinse) through a colander. Set drained pasta aside (it can stay in the colander).
  • To make the Pesto, blend all Pesto ingredients in a high-speed blender or food processor until smooth for 2 minutes. If it’s having a hard time blending, pause blending every so often and use a spoon to move things around in the blender and blend again.
  • Prepare the tuna by draining the water from the can. Place the tuna into a large mixing bowl and flake it into small pieces using a fork.
  • Add the cooked pasta, cherry tomatoes and pesto to the flaked tuna. Mix together until pasta is well coated.
  • Taste and adjust salt to your liking if necessary.
  • Garnish with lemon zest and grated parmesan before serving.

Notes

  • Reheat: You can microwave a bowl of pasta for 1-2 minutes. Alternatively, reheat on the stove over medium-low heat with a tablespoon or two of water to hydrate it (keeping the pot covered).
  • The pasta can get hard in the fridge overnight so I don’t recommend serving it cold the next day. But if you make this recipe 3-5 hours in advance, you can store it in the fridge and then serve it chilled; which is wonderful! 
  • Swap the walnuts for almonds, pine nuts, pistachios or hazelnuts. 
  • Swap the spinach for parsley or even arugula.  
  • Feel free to swap the tuna with canned or freshly cooked flaked salmon too.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 595kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 38g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 21g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 610mg | Potassium: 364mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1605IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 2mg