This is the best tuna pesto pasta recipe! It's so easy to make with just four ingredients including pasta, pesto, canned tuna, and tomatoes. This tuna pasta salad can be served cold or hot and is great for meal prep. This healthy recipe can easily be made gluten-free and dairy-free too!
If you love easy seafood recipes like my pan seared shrimp recipe and blackened cod then you are going to love this pesto recipe!
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- This tuna pesto pasta recipe has the most incredible flavour.
- It's so quick and easy to make and takes less than 20 minutes to prepare! You only need 4 ingredients to make it!
- This healthy tuna pasta can be served warm or cold so it's a great option to pack for lunches.
- This simple recipe can easily be made gluten-free, dairy-free and paleo.
- It's a great dish to bring to picnics, barbecues, cookouts or tailgates.
If you love pesto you will also love my citrus arugula pesto recipe and veggie pesto pasta recipe.
Ingredients and substitutions:
For the full ingredient list and exact measurements refer to the recipe card later in this post.
Jump to the Recipe Card.
- Pasta noodles - you can use any type of pasta that you like for this tuna pesto pasta recipe including spaghetti, bow tie, penne, spiral, chickpea pasta, lentil pasta, etc.
- Pesto - you can either use store bought pesto, or make your own homemade pesto, whichever you prefer. I love using my walnut pesto, easy parsley pesto or easy arugula pesto to make this pesto salad.
- Canned tuna - this adds protein to this recipe, making it a complete meal. You can either use canned tuna in oil or canned tuna in water.
- Tomatoes - baby tomatoes (also known as grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes) add such a fun, delicious flavour to this healthy pasta salad. You can use any color of tomato that you prefer, and if you don't like tomatoes simply omit them from the recipe.
Recipe variations and add ins:
- To make this recipe dairy-free: use a dairy free pesto.
- To make gluten-free: use gluten-free pasta noodles.
- Feel free to double or triple this recipe if you are serving a crowd or if you want to have leftovers for meal prep.
- Feel free to add other vegetables such as chopped cucumber, zucchini, spinach, broccoli or mushrooms. This recipe is a great way to use up veggies you have in the fridge.
How to make tuna pesto pasta:
- Step 1: First, cook the pasta noodles as per the package directions, until the noodles are al dente (just under cooked).
- Step 2: Next, drain the water from the cooked pasta noodles and transfer them to a large bowl.
- Step 3: Then add the pesto to the bowl with the noodles and toss everything well to coat.
- Step 4: Now add in the chopped tomatoes and drained can of tuna and mix well to combine. Then serve and enjoy! If you prefer a cold pasta salad, refrigerate it for 1 hour before serving.
Top Tips:
- For best results be sure to drain the can of tuna before adding it to the pasta.
- Don't overcook the noodles. You don't want them to be soggy.
- This easy recipe can be served warm or cold so it's also a great pasta salad.
Tuna pesto pasta FAQs:
Pesto pasta is a healthy, delicious meal. How healthy it is will depend on the exact ingredients used but you can make it even healthier by adding protein such as cooked chicken or tuna and topping it with fresh vegetables such as tomatoes or cucumber.
Pesto goes really well with pasta, rice, meat dishes and fish dishes. It can also be used as a dip, dressing or marinade. You can also use pesto as a spread for sandwiches, as a topping for pizza or two mix in with eggs.
I don't recommend trying to freeze this recipe as the noodles turn out rather mushy if you try to eat them after they've been frozen.
Store any leftover pasta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Other fish recipes you will love:
Recipe
Tuna Pesto Pasta
Equipment
- Pot or saucepan
- Colander
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta noodles
- 1 cup pesto (more or less to taste)
- 1 cup chopped baby tomatoes
- 1 can tuna, drained and broken into pieces (142 grams)
Optional
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta noodles as per the package instructions, until the noodles are al dente.
- Drain the water from the noodles and transfer them to a large bowl.
- Add the pesto to the bowl with the noodles and toss everything well to coat.
- Add in the chopped tomatoes and tuna and mix well to combine.
- Serve and enjoy! If you prefer a cold pasta salad refrigerate it for 1 hour before serving.
Notes
- Nutritional values are as estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
- You can use any type of pesto that you prefer for this recipe.
Erik
This pesto is amazing! Good combo!