by Penne Pasta With Tomato Tuna Sauce is a simple yet delicious Italian tuna and pasta dish. It’s one I grew up with as a child and is still, very much a favourite to this day!
It’s made with just a few good quality, staple ingredients and packed full of wonderful flavours. This recipe is one you will turn to, again and again.
As is common in most cultures and at a time when food was scarce, families made do with the very few ingredients they had on hand.
With so little they created simple comfort foods we so crave and love. In Italy this philosophy is known as La Cucina Povera, or otherwise “the poor man’s kitchen”. And truly born out of necessity!
This concept is far easier to embrace during summertime when gardens are lush with fruits and vegetables. However in the Fall and wintertime we needn’t look any further then our own kitchen pantries.
The Star Ingredients For This Tuna Tomato Pasta Recipe Are:
- Tuna, canned or jarred fillets (oil or water packed)
- Passata, strained tomatoes
- Pasta, of your choice
Canned tuna or even the tuna fillets sold in glass jars, are one of those staple items I always keep in my pantry. It’s ready at a moments notice for quick sandwiches as my son can attest…he just adored tuna sandwiches for his school lunches!
They’re also wonderfully delicious tossed with green leafy salads and legumes for an extra protein kick.
But it also makes a rather enticing tuna sauce simply begging to be tossed over freshly cooked pasta. You will so appreciate the simplicity of tuna in a tomato sauce.
A good quality oil packed canned tuna is much more flavourful than the water packed variety and will elevate this simple sauce.
Also, don’t be too concerned about the oil which you will be draining out anyhow. But if this is still an issue for you then by all means go for the water packed.
What Is Passata?
Tomato passata is a purée of uncooked strained ripe tomatoes with a thick, velvety smooth consistency.
My parents, as with most Italian households, would traditionally make their own in the late summer season when tomatoes are at their ripest!
The ripened tomatoes go through a straining process in order to remove all its seeds and skins.
It’s an Italian pantry must have, as Passata is an excellent base for tomato pasta sauces or stews. And at my house, it’s never far from reach when making a quick no-cook pizza sauce.
Nowadays, store bought passata is readily available on most grocery store shelves. Look for jarred or boxed passata with a short ingredient list consisting of tomatoes and salt.
So far I’m loving the Mutti and La San Marzano brands (not sponsored) but I’m looking forward to testing and trying others.
Now let’s get started in making an easy and delicious tuna sauce!
How To Make Tuna and Tomato Pasta Sauce
Step 1: Heat the olive oil in a medium sized stock pot and add in the chopped onions, minced garlic and the chilli flakes.
Step 2: Sautée on low heat for about 5 minutes or until the onions take on a translucent appearance.
Stir often while taking care not to burn the garlic.
Step 3: Stir in the strained tomatoes.
Step 4: Fill the empty bottle of strained tomatoes with water, about 3 quarters full while giving the bottle a good swirl and add it to the pot along with the dried basil, crushed black pepper and salt.
Stir well.
Step 5: Bring the sauce to a boil then lower the heat and allow to simmer for about 45 minutes.
While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and cook your pasta of choice according to package directions
Step 6: While the pasta cooks, stir in the tuna, kalamata olives and fresh basil to the sauce.
Sauce and Serve Pasta
When it comes to serving pasta with a tomato sauce, I’ve always followed in mamma’s footsteps.
- I first drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
- Stir in a few ladles of tomato sauce and give it a good stir to combine.
- Plate the pasta and top with some more tomato sauce and a sprig of basil.
Voilà! A gorgeous and delicious plateful of pasta!
I happen to love penne rigate or the smaller pennette rigate with this tuna and tomato sauce. The crevices and hollow centres make the perfect vehicle to hold a chunkier sauce. But feel free to use any pasta of your choice!
Impress your family or friends and make Penne Pasta with Tomato Tuna Sauce tonight!
Or try another delicious pasta dish using canned sardines, Sardine Spaghetti with Chives.
If you make this recipe remember to tag @marisasitaliankitchen on Instagram so I can see your creation!
Buon Appetito!
Penne Pasta with Tomato Tuna Sauce
Ingredients
Tomato and Tuna Pasta Sauce
- 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves of garlic (minced)
- 1 small onion (chopped)
- 1/4 teaspoon crushed chilli pepper
- 660 ml jar Passata (Italian strained tomatoes I used San Marzano)
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 x 85 grams canned oil packed tuna (drained or 190 gram jar of tuna filets.)
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives (pitted and slivered)
- 2 sprigs of basil
Pasta
- 450 grams Penne Rigate (or other pasta of your choice)
- salt (for cooking water)
Instructions
Tomato and Tuna Pasta Sauce
- Heat the oil in a medium sized sauce pot over medium low heat.
- Sauté the garlic, chopped onions and the crushed chilli pepper just until the onions are soft, while stirring often for about 5 minutes.
- Add in the passata (Italian strained tomatoes), dried basil, salt and pepper and stir well.
- Fill the bottle of passata three quarters full with water. Give it a good swirl and add this to the sauce. Stir well.
- Bring the sauce to a boil then lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the sweet concentrated flavors of the tomatoes come through.
- While the sauce is slowly simmering, bring a large pot of water to boil.
- Salt the water and cook the pasta according to package directions.
- While the pasta cooks, add the drained tuna, slivered kalamata olives and fresh basil to the tomato sauce. Allow to simmer till the pasta is al dente.
Plating Pasta with Tuna Sauce
- When ready, drain the pasta and toss with some of the tomato sauce.
- Plate the pasta and top with more sauce and a sprinkle of basil.
- Serve while still warm.
My kind of dish! 🙂
Mine too Ronit, its one dish I could never get tired of eating…:)
Wow I’m going to have to try this some day! And oil-packed tuna is so much cheaper, too.
I really hope you get to try it, I’m sure you will enjoy it ?
Hello Marisa, hubby recently discovered his appetite for tuna and is a huge pasta fan. We will give it a go! This sounds perfect for him. What a coincidence! 🙂 Thank you!
Hi Nahdala, you are most welcome! Do let me know how it goes….?
Just the type of pasta dish I absolutely adore! Quality canned tuna make all the difference.
Hi Paula, yes I agree it makes a huge difference especially with so few ingredients in a recipe. Thanks so much for your comment ?
Hi Marisa. I want to dive right in and try a bite 🙂 It’s a perfect weeknight meal. Your photos always turn out so lovely!
Hi Ellie, thanks so much. My family loves this dish and we never get tired of it?
Sounds like dinner for this week’s Italian night – Thursday at our house – will be your tuna and pasta sauce recipe! Sounds delicious and I’m always interested in making delicious Italian food with simple ingredients.
Hi Stella, simple yet flavourful are the best and perfect for a weeknight! Thanks so much for your lovely comment?
one of my faves….what lovely pics too!
Hi Diana, mine as well. Thanks so much for dropping by…..have a lovely day?
This sounds just wonderful! To be honest I never thought of mixing tuna with a tomato sauce before. Looking forward to try it out.
Thanks Marisa! Have a wonderful weekend.
I really hope you get to try it out one day! The flavors are truly remarkable and so simple to prepare. Thanks so much…enjoy your weekend Redawna 🙂
Looks beautiful. I think it’s lunch time.
Lol…thanks so much Kim. Enjoy 🙂
Marisa, I have to tell you I love when Nicoletta makes this type of pasta, and that olive oil packed Tuna is so delicious and deepens the tomato sauce to such a richness it’s indescribable.I made Nicoletta a Tuna salad sandwich and she was in heaven. You have made me crave this so bad that it is going to be on the menu plan for next week. Great job great photos, and can you flip me a few of those olives, can never say no to olives and fresh bread, lol. Great job on this one! and beautiful photos!.
Loreto@SugarLoveSpices.
Hi Loreto, there is indeed much to love about this dish. Its quick, easy and so delicious. We too adore tuna salad sandwiches and my husband will only eat them if I’ve made them as he says no one makes them like I do but I think he is simply spoiled…lol.
I wish I could send some olives your way, maybe one day they will figure out how….thanks so much for your lovely comment and compliment! Happy weekend to you and Nicoletta 🙂
What a lovely dish, Marisa. The concept of the Italian poor kitchen is one that I am familiar with. My husband’s Nona just passed away a month ago and she had so many stories of growing-up during WWII and making do with what they had in the Piedmont region. Thank you for this lovely recipe and for turning my thoughts to a lovely and strong hearted woman.
The older generation always have the very best stories to tell. I have always enjoyed listening when my parents recounted tales about their own upbringing as it gave me a sneak peek into their younger years.
I am happy to hear that it brought back happy memories for you. Thanks so much for dropping by and your lovely comment. 🙂
Marisa, I am definitely going to try this yummy recipe. Love the addition of tuna and kalamata olives in the sauce.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi Sandhya, do let me know how you like it! Its one of our favorite pasta dish! 🙂
I sure will Marisa!
Always in love with Italian food. These must taste great, I’ll try to make them soon. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Alina, you will love them for sure and its a keeper! Thanks so much 🙂
Marisa, this looks so delicious! I love discovering new sauces for pasta, this sauce sounds amazing!
Hi Agnes, this is a family favorite pasta dish and so simple to make. I hope you get to try it and thanks so much for dropping by 🙂
I should not have stopped by your blog when I am fasting – my tummy is rumbling so badly after checking out this penne. I want it all!!
Lol….thanks so much for dropping by! Hope you get to have a wonderful feast when your done fasting!?
Hi Marissa,
I made this pasta today and love it so much! It is so flavourful and delicious! Plus making it was a breeze. And your photos look so tempting that they dragged me to your website from Pinterest. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Fouzia, apologies for the late reply. I’m in the middle of packing and moving. I’m so happy you love this pasta and tuna dish as much as I do. And yes it is a breeze to put together. Thanks so much for your lovely comment.
Can this sauce be made ahead?
Barbara, for optimal freshness, you can make it the day before or freeze it for longer storage.