This healthy tuna pesto pasta is a 15-minute dinner made with canned tuna, pesto, and pasta. Cherry tomatoes, crumbled feta, and a squeeze of lemon keep it fresh. No mayo, no cream, and 26 grams of protein per serving. Serve it warm, or chill it into a pasta salad. Use my nut-free basil pesto to keep it clean!
Tuna Pesto Pasta At A Glance
- ✅ Recipe Name: Healthy Tuna Pesto Pasta (15-Minute, 26g protein)
- 🕒 Ready In: ~15 minutes
- 👪 Serves: 4
- 🍽 Calories: ~412 per serving
- 💪 Protein: ~26g per serving
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Canned tuna, pesto, pasta, cherry tomatoes, feta, lemon, black pepper
- 📖 Dietary Info: High-protein, no mayo, no cream (gluten-free with GF pasta, dairy-free without feta)
- ⭐ Why You'll Love It: It's a 15-minute, high-protein dinner made from pantry staples, no mayo and no cream. Cherry tomatoes, feta, and a squeeze of lemon keep it fresh, and you can serve it warm or chill it into a pasta salad.
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
I started making tuna pesto pasta on weeks when training left me too wiped to cook but too stubborn for another sad desk lunch. Canned tuna was always in my pantry, pesto always in my fridge, and the two came together faster than I could overthink it. It's now one of the recipes I make most.
The version here is the one I landed on after testing it more ways than I'd admit. I tried Parmesan first, the way most recipes do, but feta won every time. It adds a salty, creamy bite that balances the pesto instead of doubling down on it, the same instinct behind my no-mayo tuna salad and orzo pesto salad. Cherry tomatoes and a squeeze of lemon were the last additions, and they keep this from tasting like every other tuna pasta out there.
I make a big batch on Sunday and eat it all week, warm the first night, cold as a pasta salad after. If you want to keep it healthier, my homemade healthy pesto is the homemade base I use across half the recipes on this site.
Jump to:
- Tuna Pesto Pasta At A Glance
- Why This Tuna Pesto Pasta Works
- Do Tuna and Pesto Go Together?
- Ingredients You'll Need
- Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
- How to Make Tuna Pesto Pasta (Step-by-Step)
- Video Tutorial
- Expert Tips + Notes From My Kitchen
- Serve It Warm or Cold as a Pasta Salad
- What to Serve With Tuna Pesto Pasta
- How to Store and Make Ahead
- Tuna Pesto Pasta FAQs
- More Easy Recipes You'll Love
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why This Tuna Pesto Pasta Works
- Real protein, no mayo or cream: Canned tuna plus pesto gets you 26 grams of protein per serving without a creamy sauce weighing it down.
- 15 minutes, pantry to plate: If your pasta water is boiling, the rest comes together in the time it takes to cook the noodles.
- Feta over parmesan, on purpose: Feta adds a salty, creamy bite that balances the pesto better than parmesan and keeps the dish from tasting heavy.
- Cherry tomatoes and lemon for freshness: They cut the richness of the pesto and oil, which is what stops this from feeling like every other tuna pasta.
- Warm or cold: Serve it hot tonight, then chill leftovers into a pasta salad for lunch. It's built to work both ways, not just survive the fridge.
Do Tuna and Pesto Go Together?
Yes, tuna and pesto go together really well. The basil, garlic, and olive oil in pesto cut through the richness of canned tuna, while the tuna adds protein and a meaty bite that keeps the dish filling. It's a classic pairing in Mediterranean cooking, and it's the reason this 15-minute pasta tastes like more than the sum of its pantry ingredients.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Canned tuna: I use albacore packed in water, but any canned or pouched tuna works. Drain it well so the pasta doesn't turn watery. You also need to try my healthy open-face tuna melts if you're a tuna fan!
- Pesto: The flavor base for the whole dish. I use my nut-free basil pesto to keep it clean, but a good store-bought jar works in a pinch.
- Pasta: Any short shape holds the pesto well. I reach for fusilli, rotini, or penne. Use whole wheat, chickpea, or gluten-free pasta if you want.
- Cherry tomatoes: Halved, for a fresh, slightly sweet bite that cuts the richness of the pesto.
- Feta: Crumbled, for a salty, creamy finish. This is what I use instead of parmesan, and it makes the dish.
- Lemon: A squeeze at the end brightens everything and keeps it from tasting heavy.
- Black pepper: Just enough to season. Go easy on added salt, since tuna and feta are already salty.
Scroll to recipe card for quantities!
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
This recipe is easy to adapt. Here's how to change it up based on what you have or need:
- Make it gluten-free: Use chickpea, quinoa, or any certified gluten-free pasta. Chickpea pasta also boosts protein.
- Make it dairy-free: Skip the feta or swap in a dairy-free feta. The pesto and tuna carry enough flavor on their own.
- Swap the protein: Use canned salmon, shredded chicken, or flaked everything bagel crusted salmon in place of tuna. For a vegetarian version, use white beans or chickpeas.
- Change the pesto: Basil is classic, but sun-dried tomato or red pepper pesto both taste great here and give it a different character.
- Add more veggies: Stir in baby spinach, arugula, artichoke hearts, or olives. They add bulk and freshness without much effort.
- Make it higher in protein: Use chickpea pasta and a second can of tuna to push it well past 30 grams per serving, just like my Greek chickpea pasta salad.
How to Make Tuna Pesto Pasta (Step-by-Step)
- Step 1: Cook the pasta and add the pesto. Drain, reserve a little pasta water, then stir the pesto right into the warm pasta.
- Step 2: Toss until silky. The starchy pasta water turns the pesto into a glossy sauce that coats every piece.
- Step 3: Add tuna, tomatoes, and feta. Scatter in the drained tuna, halved cherry tomatoes, and crumbled feta. Go easy on salt.
- Step 4: Fold it all together. Gently mix until everything is coated, keeping the tuna in bite-sized chunks.
- Step 5: Serve warm or chill it. Finish with lemon and serve, or refrigerate and toss with arugula for a pasta salad.
Video Tutorial
Expert Tips + Notes From My Kitchen
- Reserve the pasta water before you drain it: It's easy to forget and pour it all out. That starchy ¼ cup loosens the pesto into a sauce rather than a paste, so set it aside first.
- Salt the pasta water, not the dish: Tuna and feta are both salty, so I season the cooking water well and then taste before adding any salt at the end. You usually won't need it.
- Toss the pesto in off high heat: Cooking pesto over high heat dulls the basil and turns it muddy. I stir it in over low heat or with the burner off so it stays bright and green.
- Drain the tuna well: Watery tuna thins out the sauce. Press it in the can or a fine strainer before it goes in.
- For the cold version, slightly undercook the pasta: It firms up in the fridge, so pulling it a minute early keeps a pasta salad from going mushy the next day.
- It gets better overnight: The pesto soaks into the pasta as it sits, so leftovers honestly taste even more flavorful. It keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Serve It Warm or Cold as a Pasta Salad
This is the recipe's best trick: it works two ways from one batch. Serve it warm the night you make it, then turn the leftovers into a cold pasta salad for lunch.
- Warm: Serve right out of the pot with a squeeze of lemon. The pesto is glossy and the feta softens into it.
- Cold, as a pasta salad: Chill it for at least 1 hour, then toss with a few handfuls of arugula or baby spinach and another squeeze of lemon. The greens and acid wake it back up after time in the fridge.
A few notes for the cold version: pull your pasta a minute early when you cook it, since it firms up as it chills. And taste before serving, because cold food needs a little more seasoning than warm, so a pinch of salt or extra lemon helps.
What to Serve With Tuna Pesto Pasta
This pasta works as a main on its own, but it's easy to build a full meal around it. Here's what I pair it with:
- A simple green salad: Arugula or a lemony side salad keeps the meal light and echoes the fresh notes in the pasta.
- Grilled or roasted protein: If you're serving it as a side, it goes well next to these grilled Greek chicken kabobs.
- Crusty bread: A slice of air fryer garlic bread for soaking up any extra pesto left in the bowl.
- Roasted vegetables: Asparagus, crispy air fryer zucchini, or broccolini round it out without competing with the pesto.
How to Store and Make Ahead
This recipe is built for meal prep, which is half the reason I make it so often. Here's how to keep it fresh:
- Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The pesto soaks into the pasta as it sits, so it tastes even better on day two.
- Make ahead: Make the full batch up to 2 days in advance. If you're serving it cold as a pasta salad, hold the arugula and lemon until just before serving so the greens stay crisp and the flavor stays bright.
- Serving from the fridge: Cold pasta tends to dull a little, so give it a stir and taste before serving. A squeeze of lemon or a pinch of salt wakes it back up.
- Freezing: I don't recommend freezing this one. The tomatoes and feta turn watery once thawed, and the pasta loses its texture.
Tuna Pesto Pasta FAQs
It can be. This version has 26 grams of protein per serving, no mayo or cream, and you can make it gluten-free or boost the protein with chickpea pasta. The tuna brings lean protein, and the pesto adds healthy fats from olive oil.
This recipe is about 412 calories per serving, with 26 grams of protein. The exact number depends on your pasta and pesto, so it will shift if you use chickpea pasta or a store-bought jar.
Yes. Chill it for at least an hour, then toss with arugula and a squeeze of lemon to turn it into a pasta salad. It works warm the night you make it and cold as a lunch the next day.
Short shapes like fusilli, rotini, or penne hold the pesto best. Use whole wheat, chickpea, or gluten-free pasta depending on what you need.
Yes, both work. Tuna in oil is a little richer, so drain it well and go easy on any added olive oil so the dish doesn't turn greasy.
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it keeps for up to 5 days. The flavor deepens as the pesto soaks into the pasta, so leftovers taste even better.
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📖 Recipe
Healthy Tuna Pesto Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta , (fusilli, rotini, penne, or gluten-free)
- ¾ cup pesto, try this homemade basil pesto recipe or store-bought
- ¼ cup reserved pasta water
- 2 (5 ounce) cans tuna stored in water, drained
- 2 cups sweet cherry tomatoes, halved
- ⅓ cup crumbled feta
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to taste, (tuna is already salty, so taste the pasta in step 5 and add salt if you want)
- 1 lemon for serving
- For serving cold: 3 to 4 handfuls arugula or baby spinach
Instructions
- Boil the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, following the package timing.
- Reserve and drain: Scoop out ¼ cup of the pasta water and set it aside. Drain the pasta.
- Break up the tuna: While the pasta cooks, drain the tuna and flake it apart with a fork. Set aside.
- Add the pesto: Return the drained pasta to the pot over low heat. Pour in the pesto and the reserved pasta water.
- Toss until silky: Stir until the pesto loosens into a glossy sauce that coats every piece of pasta.
- Fold in the mix-ins: Gently stir in the tuna, cherry tomatoes, feta, and black pepper. Keep the tuna in bite-sized chunks.
- Season to taste: Taste the pasta and add salt only if needed, since the tuna and feta are already salty.
- Serve warm or cold: Finish with a squeeze of lemon and serve right away. Or chill at least 1 hour and toss with arugula to make it a pasta salad.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe tested and developed by Tati Chermayeff, creator of Healthful Blondie. A former Division I rower, Ironman triathlete, and recipe developer based in Austin, TX, Tati creates high-protein and healthy recipes that actually taste like the real thing.
Tati Chermayeff says
LOVE! It's a funny combo: pesto and tuna and pasta. But it works! Really yummy.