This Tuna Pesto Pasta recipe is the perfect answer for a busy weeknight dinner or even a weekend cookout. It can be served warm, room temperature or cold, meaning it's perfect protein packed make ahead meal.
Canned tuna is one of my favorite solutions for a busy weeknight meal. I love to turn a couple tins of oil-packed tuna into crispy croquettes, a tangy tuna potato salad, or simply a delicious sandwich filling. But combining tuna with pesto works so well, we make this tuna pasta all summer long and the whole family loves it. All you need is pasta, a couple cans of tuna, sundried tomatoes, fresh tomatoes and basil pesto. You can either buy pesto from the grocery store or make your own quickly in a food processor.
Ingredients that Matter
A few pantry staples and fresh ingredients easily found at your local grocery store are all you need to make tuna pesto pasta:
- Pesto. If you have limited time, we absolutely recommend picking up some store-bought pesto. There are plenty of great options out there. Just be sure to read the label and purchase one with as few "extra" ingredients as possible. Or, if you have a little more time to make dinner, make a quick basil pesto in the food processor.
- Pasta. We love rotini, but any pasta shape will work just fine, especially if it has holes or grooves to catch that fresh pesto sauce.
- Sundried Tomatoes. Adding thinly sliced sundried tomatoes gives this pasta salad an incredible flavor that is both bright and sweet! Like buying tuna, we prefer oil-packed sundried tomatoes as they are nice and plump. And use some of that oil to drizzle into this pasta dish for even more flavor.
- Canned Tuna. A couple cans (or packets) of tuna is the perfect amount if you are serving about 4 people. Use yellowfin, skipjack, chunk light tuna or albacore. We prefer oil-packed tuna over water-packed (water-packed tends to be drier than oil-packed). If you can afford it (and find it), look for a brand that is "safe catch" sustainable tuna (you are looking for tuna that is tested for mercury levels and line caught, if possible).
- Fresh Tomatoes. A couple cups of chopped grape or cherry tomatoes provide a light and tangy flavor.
- Fresh Mozzarella. Creamy torn fresh mozzarella pairs incredibly well with pesto and pasta. You can also use bocconcini (small mozzarella balls).
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Tuna Pesto Pasta
This is a simple and delicious recipe but there are a few key steps to get the best results. Here's how this dish comes together:
- Cook pasta until just al dente, drain and cool at room temperature for 5-10 minutes (this well help prevent the heat from discoloring the pesto). Place in a large mixing bowl and add ½ cup of pesto; stir to combine.
- Add sliced sundried tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of the oil from the sundried tomato jar.
- Add halved cherry tomatoes and torn fresh mozzarella. Toss to combine.
- Finally, add the tuna (torn into bite size pieces) and gently toss.
Adam's Pro Tip
Adding the tuna at the end helps prevent it from breaking apart into really small pieces. You want some nice sized pieces of tuna for a pleasant texture. Add reserved pasta cooking water to thin out the dish just before serving, along with a bit more pesto.
Serving Suggestions
Tuna Pesto Pasta is a super versatile dish an ideal for meal prep! And there's some additions that can really take it to the next level. Try adding:
- Artichoke hearts (canned or frozen and thawed)
- Grilled zucchini or summer squash
- Baby spinach or kale
- Cannellini beans (drained and rinsed) for more fiber
- Add some more pine nuts
- Other fresh veggies like bell peppers, peas, sugar snap peas, etc.
As this pasta dish cools, the pasta will likely suck up the moisture from the pesto so we suggest adding another couple tablespoons of pesto just before serving if refrigerating first.
Substitutions
There are plenty of ways to tweak this dish to make it suite a variety of dietary restrictions and even flavor preferences. Here are some suggested substitutions:
- Gluten-Free - This recipe is NOT gluten-free, but you can simply swap in a GF pasta if desired.
- Dairy-Free - Leave out the fresh mozzarella cheese and use a plant-based pesto or cheese free pesto to keep this pasta salad dairy-free.
- Vegan - To make this vegan-friendly, simply follow the dairy-free instructions and leave out the cheese and use a plant-based pesto. You will also want to swap in canned beans for the tuna.
- Pasta Shapes - Try using other pasta shapes, like penne, fusilli, or even bucatini.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Be sure to add a small splash of water or more pesto just before serving as the pasta will dry out a bit the longer it sits. I do not recommend freezing this pasta salad.
FAQ
Yes, canned tuna goes well with a variety of flavors, especially fresh basil and garlic from pesto.
It is not recommended to freeze any pasta salad so I do not recommend freezing tuna pesto pasta.
You can enjoy tuna pesto pasta at any temperature. When served cold be sure to add a bit more pesto as the pasta will soak up much of the moisture from the pesto. For room temperature or hot, add a splash of reserved pasta cooking liquid to make the dish more saucy.
More Pastas
Looking for other pasta recipes like this? Try these:
Side Dishes
These are my favorite side to serve with pastas:
Print
Recipe
Easy Tuna Pesto Pasta
- Total Time: 20 min.
- Yield: 10 cups 1x
Description
This easy Tuna Pesto Pasta recipe is the perfect answer for a busy weeknight. A few pantry staples and fresh ingredients is all you need for this flavor-packed pasta dish. Serve warm, room temperature or cold (meaning it's ideal to make ahead).
Ingredients
- 12 oz. dried pasta (such as rotini)
- ¾ cup pesto, divided
- ½ tsp. table salt
- ¼ tsp. black pepper
- ¼ cup sliced sundried tomatoes, from 1 jar oil-packed sundried tomato (plus 1 Tbsp. of oil from the jar)
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup torn fresh mozzarella
- 2 (5 oz.) cans oil-packed tuna, preferably line caught
- basil leaves, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta to al dente according to package instructions. Reserve ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Drain and cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Transfer pasta to a large mixing bowl and add ½ cup pesto. Toss to combine. Add sundried tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of oil from the jar and gently toss. Add cherry tomatoes and mozzarella and toss to combine. Add tuna (see note) and gently toss until just combined. Serve warm, room temperature or cold (see note). Just before serving, add remaining ¼ cup pesto and reserved pasta water, (if needed) to thin out sauce. Garnish with fresh basil leaves.
Notes
- Use albacore, yellowfin, skipjack or chunk light tuna.
- If using tuna packed in water, drain the tuna. If using oil packed tuna, draining the tuna is optional.
- If serving pasta cold from the refrigerator, we suggest adding a couple more tablespoons of pesto.
- Try using our Homemade Basil Pesto recipe.
- Prep Time: 10 min.
- Cook Time: 10 min.
- Category: Main
- Method: Boiling, stirring
- Cuisine: American
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