Tuna pasta
I haven’t posted any new pasta recipe for quite some time. This doesn’t mean we have stopped eating pasta. Pasta is always our family “all-time favourite ” especially for my son. He eats a variety of pasta – spaghetti, angel hair, shell, macaroni, fusilli (spiral), penne, linguine & alphabet.
Good news to all the busy mommies and career women!
I am going to share a very simple pasta dish that takes only minutes to prepare. This recipe is adapted from Children’s Healthy & Fun Cookbook. I had slightly modified the recipe by adding extra vegetables to make it a wholesome meal. This is also my usual “fridge-cleaning” exercise. Killing 2 birds with 1 stone??. Hahaha!
The key ingredients for this recipe are tomatoes and tuna, the rest is up to your own creation (either add more vegetables or follow strictly the original recipe). Below are both my version and the original version for your comparison:
(My version)
Ingredients:
85 tinned tuna in olive oil (drained and broken up into chunks) – approx ½ tin
277g tomatoes (I didn’t have enough tinned tomatoes so I topped up with some fresh ones #)
80g shape pasta – I used fusilli (organic durum wheat semolina pasta)
100g red capsicum*
43g carrot*
* – other vegetables: celery, cauliflower, sweetcorns, beans and chickpeas.
1 clove garlic (crushed)
½ red onion (chopped finely)
4 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp olive oil
Dash of dried oregano & basil
½ tsp sugar (to taste)
salt and pepper
cooked broccoli (for garnishing) – Note: Vitamin C in the tomato sauce will help you to absorb the iron in the broccoli.
(Original version)
Ingredients:
200g tinned tuna in olive oil (drained and broken up into chunks)
800g tinned chopped tomatoes
275g pasta bows
2 large cloves garlic (crushed)
2 tsp tomato paste
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano (optional)
½ tsp sugar (optional)
salt and pepper
# Tip on how to peel off tomato skin
– cut a “x” at the bottom of the tomato, put inside the boiling water for 1 min. Drain and let it cool off. Then peel off the skin with a knife .
Methods:
1) Cook pasta according to the packet instructions, until the pasta is tender but not too soft.
2) Heat oil in a large saucepan, over a medium heat. Fry garlic for 1 min. Stir in oregano & basil (if any), vegetables (if any), chopped tomatoes and tomato puree/ paste.
3) Bring the sauce to the boil and reduce the heat. Half cover the pan and simmer for 15 mins or until the sauce has reduced by a third and thickened.
4) Stir the tuna into the sauce. Half-cover the pan and heat through for 2 mins, stirring occasionally. Add some sugar to the sauce if necessary and season.
5) Drain the pasta but save 2 tbsp of the water. Return the pasta to the saucepan. Add the water and stir in the sauce until the pasta is coated.
6) Serve with grated cheese and cooked broccoli.
I am submitting this simple pasta dish to Presto Pasta Nights, founded by Ruth of Once Upon a Feast, and hosted by Inge of Vanielje Kitchen this week.
Hi Chef! What a wholesome meal… great recipe for busy Mommies.
Thanks for sharing with Presto Pasta Nights. Great recipe and I hope you join in the fun often.
Hi bits of life ‘n’ taste,
Give it a try! 😉
Hi ruth daniels,
Tks for dropping by. I feel so excited to take part in PPN. Will definitely come more often.
What a tasty and healthy meal. I am sure my kids would gobble it up.
Very nice meal. I love pasta with tuna!
Looks so yummy! Like the colour combination of the pasta and the veges!
Thanks for the recipe! Once again I love yr photos! What camera do you use? Need some advice on buying a gd compact camera – will it be able to take wonderful pix like yrs? Do I need a tripod and a 10 mega-pix camera?
Hurrah for gender roles?
Hop over from your Guest Chef post at PP’s. Excellent pasta dish. Love your blog.
Wow!!! I love pasta! I love tuna! Looks so yuuummmyyy!!! I’m drooling! 😀
I love pantry pastas and this one looks great.
Hi pam, my cooking hut, dora, jun & selba,
Hello everyone, tks for your wonderful comments!
Hi valtay,
Tks for your compliments. I am flattered!*O* I used Sony Cybershot T7 (5.1 megapixels) but recently switched to Olympus E520 (10 megapixels). So far I didn't use any tripod. I think all the current digital cameras are equivalent good to produce average above results. You can refer to the reviews from the websites ie http://www.dpreview.com/, http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews.php. Try to install Photoshop for photo-editing. Tips on good photography skills – http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/digital-photography-tips-for-beginners/, http://veganyumyum.com/2008/09/food-photography-for-bloggers/. Hope it helps. Feel free to drop me an email at foodfortots@yahoo.com if u need further info. 😉
Many forget how easy filling and inexpensive pasta dinners are! That’s why I love presto pasta nights 🙂
Pasta is a favorite for my family, too. My mom usually makes meat sauce with onions – I guess it’s sort of our tradition.
Hi hilary,
I totally agreed with you! Tks for dropping by.
Hi katie,
Mom’s dish is always the best! It brings back lot of fond memories to us too!
I made tuna pasta recently too! Yours look delicious.
Beautiful, tasty and vivid pictures! A fast and economical dish for busy parents!
looks fantastic. I love to toss tuna into pasta too… but mine don’t have other ‘liao’ … hehe
Thanks so much for info! I will take a look at the sites. Xie xie!
Hi tigerfish,
I am sure yours tasted delicious too!
Hi nazarina a,
Tks for your compliment! You have a GREAT blog with GOURGEOUS photos. I luv it!
Hi noobcook,
It doesn’t matter to me when I need to whip up a super fast dish. At least, it is a better choice than instant noodle, agreed?
Hi valtay,
You are welcome. 😉
Hey those Tuna pasta look yummi,I love eating breakfast and always try new fast food recipes. I would love to try the tuna pasta for breakfast. that looks tasty,pasta is also a snacks food option and can make a satisfying breakfast. The Photos are amazing… I am already feeling hungry.
Rumela: Thanks for your compliments. Hope you have a satisfying breakfast.;)
In the authentic version, you melt a few anchovies in the olive oil before you put in the tuna & tomatoes. And then add some capers when the sauce is cooking down. Give it a try!
Jenny: Tks for the tips!! I will try it out soon! 😉
How clever you tip in removing the tomatoes skin. My kids now eat tomatoes without knowing it.
I have tried the above recipe, the pasta turn out to be not too dry and not too wet.
i am going try the baking recipe on coming weekends.
Cammie: Thanks for your kind feedback. So happy that this tip worked for your kids. Looking forward to hearing more feedbacks from you. 😉
Hi just to check – the original recipe only requires 2 tsps of tomato paste? Seems awfully little…
What is the serving portions of both recipes? Tks!
Pion: The tomato paste is to give a touch of redness to the pasta. You can always increase the amount to suit your palate. You can also add some tomato ketchup to enhance the taste. Both recipes? Which one besides this tuna pasta? For tuna pasta, the serving portion is around 4-5 persons. 😉
Oic tks.. Was Wondering what to do with e rest of the can of tomato paste of we need only 2 tsps… 😀
Oh I meant What is e serving portions of both ur modified recipe n the original as the pasta amt n other ingredient portions all look different.
Pion: There are many recipes in my blog for you to clear the remaining tomato paste. They are spaghetti bolognese, baked eggplants with bolognese sauce, fresh tomato soup, meatballs and pasta and pizza sauce. My recipe can serve 2-3 persons whereas the original recipe can serve 4-5 persons. I had modified the recipe to suit my personal preference. 😉