This tuna pesto pasta is an easy and delicious meal that comes together in less than 30 minutes. Made with only a handful of ingredients, this tuna pesto pasta salad is not just perfect for a busy weeknight but also as an easy, healthy make-ahead lunch idea.
Made with kitchen staples, this tuna pesto pasta is perfect for when you need something quick and tasty. Made with protein-packed canned tuna, pesto, peas, onions, and tomatoes, this pesto pasta with tuna is simple but full of fresh, bright flavor.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Like most pasta salads, this pesto tuna pasta salad is an easy make-ahead lunch idea. It’s also perfect straight from the fridge, so you don’t have to take the time to heat it up before enjoying it at work.
- The only cooking you’ll be doing for this pesto tuna pasta is boiling water to cook the pasta! Similar to my orzo pesto salad, the hardest part about the recipe is probably cutting the grape tomatoes in half.
- I love using canned tuna as it’s a quick and easy way to add protein to a dish. Since you don’t have to cook canned tuna, this tuna pesto pasta comes together in less than 30 minutes. Less than 20 minutes if you’re quick at chopping!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- pasta — I like using a short pasta shape such as farfalle, but cavatappi, orecchiette, macaroni, penne, and fusilli are great as well.
- peas — I use frozen peas as I always have some in my freezer. If you want to use fresh or canned peas, go right ahead!
- pesto — feel free to use homemade pesto or store-bought pesto. My go-to store-bought one is the Costco brand bottle! Tip – freeze the leftover pesto from the jar and use it another day!
- grape tomatoes — grape or cherry tomatoes add a nice pop of color and I love the texture they add to the pasta.
- red onions — another pop of color and texture enhancer for the pesto tuna pasta! If you find raw red onions to be too strong, you can soak them for 15 minutes in some cold water to mellow out the flavor.
- canned tuna — I recommend using good-quality canned tuna. As the ingredients list is short, each ingredient will stand out and you want it to taste amazing. Make sure to drain as much liquid as possible so the pasta is not watery.
- lemon — I love the bright flavors that lemon juice and lemon zest adds to the pasta.
How to Make Tuna Pesto Pasta
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water has boiled, add the pasta and stir occasionally as it cooks. I use farfalle which takes 10 to 11 minutes. Add the frozen peas one minute before the pasta is done so it can cook. When done, drain.
- Add the pesto to the pasta and peas.
- Give it a stir, making sure the pasta is well coated.
- Add the chopped onions and tomatoes to the pot.
- Add the tuna, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the pot.
- Mix well to combine and serve immediately or chill in the fridge before serving.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- You can simply toss everything together and then stir to combine. I find stirring each component in batches easier and makes sure everything is evenly distributed.
- I like to garnish the pasta with some basil but that’s optional.
- Make sure the pot you use to cook the pasta is large enough that you can stir the pasta without splashing any water out. Stirring the pasta while it cooks helps them cook more evenly, especially if some pasta is stuck together.
- Salt the water the pasta cooks in generously.
- You can add additional vegetables such as chopped spinach, bell peppers, carrots, and more.
- Remember to zest the lemon before juicing. You can also roll the lemon on the counter under your palm to loosen the juices, to make juicing the lemon easier.
- Try my homemade cottage cheese pesto if you want to make this higher in protein.
Make Ahead Tips
- Meal prep: once cooled, store the tuna pasta salad with pesto in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge.
- Reheat: I love enjoying this pasta salad chilled but you can always heat it up in the microwave by putting the pasta in a microwave-safe container and reheating it for 30 seconds to 1 minute
Tuna Pesto Pasta
This tuna pesto pasta is an easy and delicious meal that comes together in less than 30 minutes. Made with only a handful of ingredients, this tuna pesto pasta salad is not just perfect for a busy weeknight but also as an easy, healthy make-ahead lunch idea.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 2½ to 3 cups farfalle pasta, *
- 1½ cups frozen peas
- 1 cup pesto, or 1½ cups if using 3 cups pasta
- ¼ to ½ red onion, chopped or thinly sliced
- 10 oz grape tomatoes, halved (284 grams)
- 2 cans tuna, well-drained, (150 grams per can)
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice, (half a lemon)
- zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water has boiled, add the pasta and stir occasionally as it cooks. I use farfalle which takes 10 to 11 minutes. Add the frozen peas one minute before the pasta is done so it can cook. When done, drain.
- Add the pesto to the pasta and peas and stir to combine, making sure the pasta is well coated.
- Add the chopped onions, tomatoes, tuna, lemon juice, and lemon zest to the pot.
- Mix well to combine and serve immediately or chill in the fridge before serving.
Notes
- *Barilla suggests ¾ cup of dried farfella pasta per serving, but it’s up to how much pasta you’re in the mood for.
Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥
Nutrition Per Serving
Calories: 507kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Trans Fat: 0.003g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 753mg | Potassium: 532mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 2299IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 144mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition Disclaimer
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Deb
I am not a fan of tuna but for health reasons, I’m trying hard to “expand my horizons”. I made this recipe using the homemade cottage cheese pasta–link is in this article and that stuff is YUMMY all on it’s own!! This pasta was satisfying and despite the tuna, I will be making it again.
Carmy
I’m so happy you enjoyed this tuna pesto pasta! It’s a great way to sneak in tuna without it being an overpowering flavor!
Deb
In the comment above, I meant to say I made this recipe with the homemade cottage cheese pesto!