Grab a can of tuna, a can of tomatoes and a packet of pasta from your pantry. Toss them together with a few other simple flavours. Within 15 minutes you’ll have a tasty and healthy meal on the table that everyone will love!

So you thought you’d left tuna pasta behind with your student days? Think again! I’ve added a delicious lemony, Mediterranean twist to this simple and yet elegant version of a classic quick, easy and economical meal.

What’s so great about THIS tuna pasta recipe?

Do a search for tuna pasta and you’ll find hundreds of different versions. Here’s why I think this lemony Mediterranean tuna pasta’s worth your time:

• It’s essentially a pantry meal – perfect for those days when there isn’t much left in the fridge.

• It’s very quick and easy to make and can be on the table in around 15 minutes.

• It uses just a few simple ingredients, but is extra tasty. Lemon, cinnamon, basil and 2 cheeses – parmesan and feta – take it to next level deliciousness.

• Admit it – you have various odds and ends of pasta in your pantry. This is a perfect recipe for using them up. I’ve called it tuna spaghetti, but really you can use any kind of pasta.

• It’s a crowd pleaser! Young or old, everyone in your family is likely to enjoy this flavourful meal.

It’s tuna pasta, but not as you know it. It’s made with simple pantry ingredients, but the zingy Mediterranean flavours will blow you away.

This makes a great simple weekend dinner as well! If you need more ideas, check out this list of 100 best Sunday dinner ideas.

About the ingredients

Pantry essentials: spaghetti (or any kind of pasta – you’ll see I used tagliatelle in my photos here), a small can of tuna (it goes a long way in the sauce!), a can of tomatoes (I prefer cherry tomatoes, but any tomatoes are fine)

Fresh ingredients: both the zest and the juice of a lemon for a nice hit of lemon flavour, a chopped onion, a couple of cloves of garlic and some fresh basil or parsley

Other herbs and spices: ground cinnamon (trust me), dried herbs, plenty of black pepper, a pinch of chili flakes or half a chopped chili if you like

cheeses: a handful of parmesan to mix in with the sauce, and some feta cheese for some extra Mediterranean tang

How to make it

After you’ve prepared all your ingredients, this can be on the table in around 15 minutes. Put the water on to boil for the spaghetti and by the time the pasta is cooked the tuna tomato sauce can be ready too.

Here are the basic steps:

Step 1: Cook pasta. While it’s cooking, make the sauce.

Step 2: To make the sauce, soften onion and garlic. Add dried herbs and spices.

Step 3: Add tomatoes and let simmer with a bit of water for a few minutes.

Step 4: Stir through tuna, lemon (both zest and juice!), cheeses and any fresh herbs. Add optional spice!

Step 5: Transfer pasta straight from the water into the pan. Serve and enjoy!

Pro tips

• The key to getting a thick, glossy sauce (instead of a watery one) is to use small kitchen tongs to transfer the spaghetti straight out of the cooking water and into the pan that you’ve cooked the sauce in.

• As a follow on from the above, once you’ve added the pasta add a bit more cooking water to get the consistency just right.

How to serve it

Serve the pasta immediately while the sauce is still glossy. Sprinkle with a little extra parmesan and fresh basil if you like.

It’s delicious served with a fresh green salad and olive oil toasts on the side. Or just serve it as it is.

When eating up some of my son’s leftovers, I discovered that this tuna spaghetti also tastes pretty good cold. Leftovers would make a great school or work lunch!

More easy pasta recipes

• 15-minute creamy pesto chicken with mushrooms and parmesan (I usually serve this with tagliatelle!)

• If you’re loving the Mediterranean style of this recipe, try this delicious Sicilian aubergine pasta (pasta alla norma) or this 12-minute casarecce pasta recipe as well.

• 6-ingredient sausage pappardelle bolognese (recipe includes a stove top or pressure cooker version)

• This creamy chicken and mushroom pasta takes only 20 minutes to make, and actually doesn’t contain much cream.

• Creamy chorizo pasta (not much cream!)

• lemony prosciutto pasta with farfalle or creamy pasta with pea sauce (these two are great for spring!)

Or take a look at all my pasta recipes.

FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, PINTEREST AND YOUTUBE.

IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, LET ME KNOW HOW YOU GET ON BY LEAVING A COMMENT AND RATING BELOW… AND DON’T FORGET TO SIGN UP TO RECEIVE ALL MY NEW RECIPES BY EMAIL!