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Mediterranean Canned Tuna Pasta Toss

*Updated* / By: 130 Comments

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Need dinner ready in under 30 minutes? Mediterranean Canned Tuna Pasta Toss is for you!

Pasta and tuna go hand in hand. With a little inspiration from Jamie Oliver, this simple canned tuna recipe is easy to make.

Overhead shot of Mediterranean Canned Tuna Pasta Toss in a bowl ready to eat.

Remember that tuna noodle casserole from my childhood? This recipe takes canned tuna up a notch.

We all need easy quick recipes, especially for busy weeknights. If you don’t already have this *awesome cookbook, check it out.

Cookbook where I got the inspiration to this Mediterranean Tuna Pasta recipe from.

Easy Smoked Salmon Plate was the first recipe I tried from Jamie’s book (well this book). I have several of his fabulous cookbooks in my vast collection.

Since we LOVE the tuna and noodles combination, I knew I had to give this easy tuna recipe a try. We all need some quick meal ideas.

Speaking of noodles, have you ever tried Egg Noodle Casserole? Another recipe using simple ingredients. Baba was a master at this one.

CANNED TUNA PASTA TOSS INGREDIENTS

You really only need a few simple ingredients to make this healthy tuna recipe.

  • canned tuna (in oil)
  • capers
  • Italian seasoning
  • cherry tomatoes
  • salt & pepper
  • olive oil
  • pasta
  • feta cheese
  • black olives

For the most part, everyone will have the majority of these ingredients as staples in their kitchen cupboards. That is why this is such an easy meal to make.

CANNED TUNA IN WATER vs CANNED TUNA IN OIL

Really the choice is YOURS. Both are totally delicious. For me, it all comes down to the recipe I am making. 

In our house, if I am making a cold tuna pasta salad, (especially if I am adding may) I prefer canned tuna in water. I will say however this tuna pasta toss recipe does taste delicious cold as well.

Tuna packed in water has fewer calories and retains more omega-3’s. 

If I am making a hot tuna pasta recipe, I prefer canned tuna in oil. It also works beautifully in a no mayo tuna salad recipe like Mediterranean Tuna Salad.

Canned tuna is also available in solid and chunk form. Either option works for all recipes. Solid tuna tends to be more expensive. Sometimes I do find the chunky tuna can be on the mushy side (depending on the brand).

WHAT TYPES OF TUNA ARE CANNED

Canned tuna is usually classed as WHITE and LIGHT.

White tuna is Albacore. Light tunas consist of Skipjack, Yellowfin, and Tongol.

Close up of the cookbook recipe page for the Tuna Pasta recipe.

Now let’s talk about the best canned tuna for a moment. Do you have a favourite brand? For me, *Riomare is my number one choice. Packed in olive oil, it is the perfect addition to any Mediterranean food recipe.  I love the fact that Riomare has 100% traceability on their products too.

PASTA SALAD WITH TUNA

This healthy canned tuna recipe comes together quickly. Perfect for busy weeknights. You can even make it gluten-free too.

  • Get your pasta water boiling.
  • Wash your tomatoes and cut them in half.
  • Open the canned tuna, drain and set aside.

Canned tuna and tomatoes getting cooked for the tuna pasta toss.

See, so much done in just 5 minutes.

  • Heat a pan with olive oil. I used a *flavoured olive oil just to elevate this recipe.
  • Now fry those capers. Such a great touch!

By now your water is boiling. Add your pasta of choice. Have fun with this. Use any kind or any shape you wish. In my opinion, there is NO wrong pasta, EVER! BONUS, gluten-free pasta works well, and that is what I used in this tuna pasta recipe.

Gluten free pasta getting added to the pan, Tuna Pasta Toss is almost ready to eat.

The rest is easy peasy (see recipe instructions).

  • Take out the capers and set aside.
  • Add the tomatoes, tuna and seasonings to the pan.
  • Cook for a few minutes.
  • Drain your pasta, add to the pan and TOSS!
  • Dinner is ready.

See, told you it is quick and easy.

Mediterranean Canned Tuna Pasta Toss is all cooked, and ready to eat.

I happen to love puttanesca pasta sauce, so I took Jamie’s recipe a just a little further. Garnishing with black olives and feta cheese elevates the flavours in this recipe even more.

This is the best canned tuna recipe we have ever eaten. What an economical way to feed your family. So much cheaper than take-out. Nutritious, delicious and easy to make. Who says tuna from a can is not delicious?

Mediterranean Canned Tuna Pasta Toss garnished with black olives and feta cheese.

Next time you are in need of a quick meal, give this Mediterranean Canned Tuna Pasta Toss a try.

Here are few other totally delicious recipes with canned tuna you might like to try:

What is your favourite way to use canned tuna?

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Mediterranean Canned Tuna Pasta Toss Pin Image 1

Overhead shot of Mediterranean Canned Tuna Pasta Toss in a bowl ready to eat.

Mediterranean Canned Tuna Pasta Toss

Mediterranean Canned Tuna Pasta Toss is easy to make, economical, delicious and can be made gluten-free too. BONUS leftovers make a great tuna pasta salad for lunch the next day.
5 from 58 votes
Print Rate
Course: Main Course, Main Dish
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: Canned tuna
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 402kcal
Author: Gloria | Homemade & Yummy

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces dried pasta (I used gluten-free pasta)
  • 4 tsp capers (drained)
  • 1 pound cherry tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp olive oil (I used flavoured olive oil)
  • 8 ounces canned tuna (packed in oil)
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1/4 cup black olives (sliced)
  • 1/4 cup feta cheese (crumbled)
  • salt & pepper (to taste)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Put on a large pot of water to boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until your desired level of doneness.
  • Wash the tomatoes, cut in half. Set aside.
  • Open the tuna, drain, flake and set aside.
  • Heat a large (non-stick) skillet to medium-high. Add the olive oil.
  • Fry the capers until crisp, and remove from pan. Set aside.
  • To the pan add the tomatoes, tuna, and seasonings. 
  • Drain the pasta, reserving a cupful of water.
  • Add the water to the pan. Cook until ingredients are heated through.
  • Add the pasta and capers. TOSS!
  • Place in serving bowls and garnish with olives and feta cheese.
  • ENJOY!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 402kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 448mg | Potassium: 518mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 675IU | Vitamin C: 25.8mg | Calcium: 102mg | Iron: 3mg

Notes

If you are lucky enough to have leftovers, lunch the next day is made. This tastes great cold too.
Feel free to use canned tuna in water if you want to cut down on calories.
 
Tried this recipe?Take a picture and tag @homemadeandyummy
Nutritional information on this site is generated via a plugin. I am not responsible for the accuracy of the plugin information.

Mediterranean Canned Tuna Pasta Toss Pin Image 2

 

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Tracy

    Thanks for saving us for dinner last night! We had no time but these ingredients – it was perfect! Can’t wait to try out that book, too! Thanks for always having such great recipes!

    Reply

  3. Renee Goerger

    I adore an easy seafood pasta salad in the summer. This tuna pasta toss one is one my family requests, often!

    Reply

  4. Debra

    This is definitely a HUGE step up from the tuna casserole we had as kids. Love the flavor profile with olives and capers. I will definitely be enjoying this one cold. On the list for this weekend…a great find to take to the beach!

    Reply

  5. Jenni

    This is such an easy pasta recipe and it’s full of big flavors. I love the maximum flavor for minimal effort, and so does my family! Thank you!

    Reply

  8. Amanda Mason

    I love this recipe! So delish!And I love Jamie Oliver!! The flavors in this dish just pop! Perfect mediterranean taste and super versatile! I love that!!

    Reply

  14. David

    I really don’t get canned tuna much, but this recipe motivates me to get some! This looks so much more interesting than the tuna casserole concept.

    Reply

  19. Courtney

    Oooh I love this recipe. I mistakenly purchased tuna in olive oil and wasn’t exactly sure what to make with it as we usually do a mayo based tuna salad. We did have all the ingredients in our house! Love the black olives and feta cheese with the tuna, delicious!

    Reply

  22. Kirsten

    A good tuna pasta recipe is a must in any kitchen arsenal. I love that Riomare tuna has 100% trace-ability! That is very good information to know. I also love your addition of feta! Feta is an absolute must with tuna salads for me.

    Reply

  25. Amanda

    I love all of the delicious mediterranean flavors in this dish, Gloria! The olives, feta, tomatoes, and capers (not to mention that fried capers are one of my most favorite things ever) – YUM. I also love that this dish can be served warm or cold, making it so versatile during prime entertaining season. So easy to make!

    Reply

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