Pasta With Tuna and Olives Recipe (2024)

My mother often made this dish on Christmas Eve. She mashed several flat anchovies with some of their oil in a hot pan, and then more of less proceeded as directed here. She also used imported Italian tuna but cooked it briefly in the sauce. Like most Italians, she did not use cheese with fish.

I've been making Tonno e Pomodoro all my life. It is wonderful cold standing before an open refrigerator while no one is watching. At 3am.The quality of the tuna is vital to the success of this dish. Mediterranean packed tuna in oil is all I have ever used.Good food rests on the quality of its few ingredients. Capers are nice. A squeeze of fresh lemon to finish brightens. Anchovies? Meh.Remember that tuna fisheries are collapsing worldwide. It is encumbent upon us to choose wisely.

Made as directed it needed more flavor--next time I will add anchovies to the garlic and oil. I also added a bag of spincach--half to the last minute of cooking the pasta and the other half mixed with the garlic and oil and then through the hot pasta on top.

This is a quick and delicious pasta. I used Italian tuna in olive oil, drained. So much tastier than th American style in water. I prefer alio/olio so passed on the tomato sauce. A good amount of parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice really brightens the dish. No cheese! Also I used a great gluten free spaghetti. Summer in a bowl by the Med!

Can be made with 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes and yes, use tuna packed in olive oil vs. water packed. Basil is better than parsley, it plays off the brininess and please use anchovy fillets, paste or sauce, not salt, to season and lots of black pepper. I have had this recipe for many years, got it from Cooking Light.

Following other's advice, I added 1t of anchovy paste to the tomato sauce, broccoli florets to the boiling water of the pasta in the last minute, and the juice of one lemon to the sauce at the end. It was delicious and my whole family enjoyed it.

I made this for the first time a few weeks ago and we loved it. The second time I added marinated artichoke hearts and it was big hit.

Probably because it's too dry - light tuna is juicier. I've made a variation on this recipe for years and I always use imported Italian light tuna packed in olive oil (drained) because the flavor does seem to make a difference.

Easily serves 6 as a starter. In addition to a good marinara I also added cherry tomatoes roasted with olive oil and fresh oregano and thyme. Also used canned tuna in oil. (it was in the pantry). I did cut back about 2teaspoons of oil to offset what was in the can of tuna.

Hi. I usually add a dry and small guindilla(hot paprika) and Cantabrian anchovies and spanish tuna fish. No parmesan.
Marvelous!
Daniel

Wonderful pasta dish. I'd make it the night before next time to let flavors meld. Adding small bites of a green veg gives it an extra edge. I added broccoli florets and thinly sliced stems to the pasta cooking water about 3 min before pasta was done.

Great recipe! I did use Italian tuna (tonna) with oil which has much more flavor. Also made the sauce from fresh tomatoes and used basil instead of parsley. Since I made fresh sauce, I omitted the step for sauteing the garlic and just added to the sauce.

An easy and surprisingly tasty meal from the pantry! Transforms a can of tuna into an elegant dinner.

When friends think it strange that I am using canned tuna in my sauce I let them know that the recipe came from my exchange student from Rome. How much more authentic can you get? His was similar to this.

Tuna packed in water has absolutely zero flavor and is dry. I've made my own version of this for years, always with tuna in olive oil. Makes a big difference.

I took the advice of other commenters and added anchovy paste as I was warming the marinara and olives - but just a little. I skipped the red pepper flakes the first time - don’t! It balances the other flavors so well!! Simple, filling recipe. Love that I can add different greens to round it out a bit.

We found the pasta to be a little dry. We will try adding a little more tomato sauce to the next batch.

Tonight will be the third time I make this! I use gluten free fusilli made from organic Italian corn. The only gluten free pasta which tastes great. We ❤️ this dish!

very good storecupboard lunch. I used tuna in olive oil. And as we had no marinara sauce, I used 2 tins of chopped tomatoes simmered with an onion, sugar, thyme, oregano, and balsamic vinegar and added a lot of chopped-up kale that needed eating. I squished the kalamata olives to remove the pits as I like their cragginess that way. I used nutritional yeast on top which was sadly the cheesiest option we had. Might try adding anchovy or bacon next time.

This is a favorite for my family, including all 3 picky kids under age six! I make it almost as written, but as another commenter mentioned, to keep it warm on the stove I add the pasta and tuna/herb/sautéed garlic mixture into the sauce pan (instead of a large bowl). So simple abf delicious with good pasta, san marzano passata and oil-packed tuna.

This is such a beautifully simple recipe and a weekly favorite for my family, including 3 kids under 6! I imagine I’ll be making for them for many years to come.

This was a very rich and delicious pasta. I’m in the anchovies and no cheese camp. Used bottled Sauce Napolitana.

Quite delicious and easy. Like other comments I added anchovies to the sauce. And no cheese.

added half of a shallot and used some remaining pizza sauce and 1 tbsp tomato paste

My wife asked me to look at this. I like Martha’s recipes, but as someone from an Italian family whose been eating or making a version of this for decades, try this: Cook the fish in the oil (sardines are good) and break up with a fork in to a slurry, then add olives and tomato sauce. This will make it much more hom*ogeneous as the fish thickens the sauce. Herbs just before saucing the pasta. Toss the sauce and pasta on the heat for proper coating. That’s just mandatory for any wet sauce.

For tomato sauce: anchovies and oil from the tin, garlic, red pepper flakes, can of crushed tomatoes plus 1/3 can rinse water

This was so good and so easy! I really liked it with Delallo brand olives. Would definitely make again!

This was delicious! I will definitely make it again. I used high-quality tuna as other people commented. I used a can of Tonnino Solid Pack Tuna in Oil that I got at Whole Foods. Expensive, but not crazy. I also used a local source of marinara that I also found at WF: Frik & Frak KISS- Our Garden Fresh Pomodoro, out of Atlanta. It was great! No weird ingredients, low sodium and low sugar (3g). I added capers, a splash of balsamic vinegar (as somebody recommended), and fresh spinach.

Made it with fusilli, parsley, kalamatas and two cups of marinara I had on my freezer. It tasted great. After reading some comments I do think I'll try adding anchovies next time.

I made this pretty much as-written except I followed another reviewer’s cue and topped with some panko instead of Parm. I am not a purist about fish and cheese (or even fish and tuna! Love me a tuna melt) but it was more about the texture. This is an excellent and easy pantry meal but as others have noted good ingredients are key — I used Rao’s marinara; kalamata olives from the local deli; a generous pour of good olive oil; etc.