This tuna pesto pasta is positively far too preposterously delicious to pass up. Phew, that tied my tongue up almost as much as a mouthful of this truly terrific pesto pasta.

Jump to Recipe

WTF is Tuna Pesto Pasta

Don’t overthink it Susan, tuna pesto pasta is exactly what it sounds like. Its a bomb dot com easy to make a most bodacious weeknight meal. Just choose a pasta, grab some canned tuna, make the pesto and presto you got meal perfect for a priceless party with your peers.

WTF is Pesto?

Pesto is a famous Italian sauce that hails from northern Italy. It’s known for its fresh green color and robust flavor. Main ingredients include fresh basil, which give it a peppery taste and bright green look, pine nuts add a creamy texture, and Parmesan cheese brings a salty, cheesy taste.

Olive oil holds everything together and makes it smooth while a bit of salt and pepper enhances the flavor. The traditional recipe sticks to these basics while some versions, like this tuna pesto pasta, take a some liberties. Like swapping out walnuts instead of pine nuts and using more fresh herbs.

---

Tuna Pesto Pasta Recipe

---

---

Equipment You Need to Make Tuna Pesto Pasta

Nothing crazy here, you should already have everything you need to make this recipe. But, just to review, you’ll here’s a list of the equipment you’ll need:

• Large Pot: You’ll need a large pot to cook the pasta. The pot should be spacious enough to accommodate the pasta and allow it to cook evenly. A pasta pot with a built-in strainer is handy for draining the pasta.

• Colander: To drain the pasta.

• Can Opener: Unless they have an easy open pull tape top or you have the strength of a post spinach Popeye, you’ll need a can opener to get to that tuna.

• Grater or Food Processor: You’ll a food processor to prepare the pesto for the tuna pasta. It’s possible to chop and mince all the ingredients, but you don’t want to. Get a food processor.

---

Tuna Pesto Pasta Ingredients

Here’s a list of all the ingredients you’ll need to make this recipe. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding everything at your local supermarket.

• Fresh Herbs: We use a mix of fresh parsley, oregano, and basil.

• Tuna: We use a can of high quality Tuna in water. It’s the star of the show (the pesto just side eyed me), so spend a few exta bucks on a good one.

• Walnuts: We swap out the traditional pine nuts for walnuts. Toast them and pulse them before adding everything else to the blender.

• Cheese: Parmigiano Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, the pecorino adds a really nice spicy pop to this pasta recipe.

• Olive Oil: Use a high quality extra virgin olive oil.

• Spices: Red Pepper Chili Flackes, Sea Salt, and Black Pepper.

• Jalapeño: Optionally, you can toss in a chopped jollopAno and bring the heat up on this tuna pesto pasta. Com’on

• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic.

---

How to Make Tuna Pesto Pasta

Here are step by step instructions for how to make this tuna pesto pasta recipe. It should take you less than half an hour to complete, with the major wait time being the pasta boiling.

Step 1: Make the Pesto

Heat a skillet over medium heat and toast the walnuts. Stir frequently in order to avoid burning the walnuts. Transfer to the blender and pulse to crumble.

De stem the fresh herbs and add them to the blender. Pour in the olive oil, salt, black pepper, red chili pepper flacks, parmesan and the chopped jalapeño. Blend all the ingredients until combined but not so much the texture is smooth.

Taste and add more salt, chili pepper, or olive oil based on taste and texture.

Step 2: Cook the Pasta

Cook the pasta per the package instructions. Our fussilia pasta calls for salted water to come to a rolling boil before adding in the pasta. Once added we maintain a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. We like our pasta al dente so we cook it for 12 minutes instead of the prescribed 14.

Strain and rinse under cold water. Set the cooked pasta aside while you prepare the rest.

Step 3: Combine

In a large mixing bowl, add the canned tuna, cooled pasta, and the pesto. Gently fold the ingredients into one another. Transfer to a serving dish or air tight container and store in the fridge.

Step 4: Garnish & Serve

If serving immediately, top the tuna pesto pasta with fresh herbs, lemon zest, and some flaky sea salt. Enjoy!

---

Spicy Tuna Pesto Pasta Variations

This recipe is super customizable. For example, simply swapping the pasta with egg noodles and replacing the basil & parsley with Thai basil, you can create an entirely new Thai tuna pesto pasta. Here are some more ideas for ways you could create a spicy variation.

• Pasta: The possibilities here are only limited by wha kind of pasta you an get your hands-on. Bucatini is a fun pasta for this recipe. It looks like greeen spagetti!

• Pesto: Use the more traditional pine nuts instead of the toasted walnuts we use in this recipe. Or opt for almonds or cashews.

• Herbs: Try using mint or cilanto in your pesto mix.

• Spice: Take the heat up or out all together and omit the red pepper flakes and jalapeños. Simply do a drama free tuna pesto pasta.

The possibilities are endless, go wild!

---

Tuna Pesto Pasta Leftovers

If, by some miracle you don’t inhale all of the tuna pesto pasta, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The tuna pesto pasta will be fine stored in the refrigerator for 4 or 5 days.

I don’t recommend freezing this pesto pasta.

---

More Pasta Recipes

We hope you enjoyed this recipe, check out some more from us and let us know what you think in the comment section! Cheers and happy eating.

Wild Mushroom Arancini (FLAVOR BALLS)

Chanterelle and Sage Risotto Recipe (Flavor Blasted)

JUICY Ground Bison Meatballs w/ Ricotta Cheese

---