Canned Tuna Pasta

This tuna pasta with lemon and dill is my go-to when I want a cheap and easy pasta dish. It uses up canned tuna or leftover cooked seafood, so think of it as a seafood version of aglio e olio (garlic and olive oil spaghetti). Only difference, besides the tuna, is the welcomed flavour boost of lemon and dill. You may see many versions of this pasta, also called Neptune’s Pasta, an old recipe title known for making a little bit of seafood stretch a long way.

Neptune’s Pasta

USES UP canned tuna, cooked seafood, pasta

SERVES 2

TOTAL TIME 30 minutes

KEEPS FOR up to 2 days in the fridge

INGREDIENTS

• 3–4 Tbsp olive oil
• 1⁄2 cup finely chopped onions or shallots
• 2–3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp hot chili pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 Tbsp lemon zest and lemon juice
• 1–2 cans of tuna (6 oz each), drained and flaked (see substitutions)
• 2 1⁄2 cups cooked pasta or 4 oz dried pasta, cooked (see substitutions)
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
• Salt and pepper
• Optional Garnishes Hot chili oil, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, grated

METHOD

1. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the oil and sauté the onions until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Lower the heat if the garlic starts to burn, but a little toasty is OK. Add the chili flakes, if using.
2. Stir in the lemon zest and juice and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the flaked tuna.
3. Stir the cooked pasta to coat in the Neptune’s sauce, fold in fresh dill, season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish as desired.

Zero-Waste Tip How do you buy canned tuna that is safe for the planet? At the moment our best option is “pole and line” or “troll”-caught tuna. The terms “wild caught” and “dolphin safe” don’t really mean much when it comes to sustainability. Also look for the MSC-certified label.

CAN SUBSTITUTE
• Canned tuna with 1 to 2 cups raw or cooked seafood (if using raw seafood, sauté until cooked all the way through)

• Pasta with one 3-pound spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, other gluten free pasta alternatives.