Healthy Tuna Pesto Pasta

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!

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Serving servings

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.

Notes

Serve warm or cold: This works both ways. For a cold pasta salad, chill at least 1 hour, then toss with arugula and a squeeze of lemon before serving.

Make it gluten-free: Use chickpea, quinoa, or certified gluten-free pasta. Chickpea pasta also adds protein.

Make it dairy-free: Skip the feta or use a dairy-free alternative.

Higher protein: Use chickpea pasta and a second can of tuna.

Canned tuna: Water or oil both work. If using oil-packed, drain it well and go easy on added oil.

Storage: Keeps in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days. Don't freeze, the tomatoes and feta turn watery.

Salt: Taste before adding any, since tuna and feta are already salty.

I used my homemade nut-free pesto recipe and regular fusilli pasta for the nutritional calculation below.

Nutrition

Course Dinner, Lunch, Side

Cuisine American

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Please leave a comment and star rating on this post and tag @HealthfulBlondie on Instagram & hashtag it #healthfulblondie!