Creamy Tuna Pasta with Chilli & Cherry Tomatoes

Name: Creamy Tuna Pasta with Chilli & Cherry Tomatoes
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: Global
Ingredients: 250g dried paccheri pasta; 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; 250g cherry tomatoes; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 x 160g tinned tuna in oil; 50g tomato purée; ½ tsp mild curry powder; small pinch of dried chilli flakes; 70g Parmesan; 80g double cream; handful of parsley, finely chopped; Freshly grated Parmesan; Olive oil, to drizzle

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Creamy, spicy, saucy… this Creamy Tuna Pasta is the weeknight pasta of dreams. I know some of the flavours might sound a bit peculiar, but it truly is one of those dishes that once you try it, you won’t be able to help making it again and again.

The sauce for this Creamy Tuna Pasta is made in the time it takes to cook the pasta - which is key to any weeknight pasta recipe in my humble opinion. It is also fuss-free with hardly any chopping or washing up involved. Yet, and this is the best bit, it really doesn’t taste like an everyday weeknight pasta recipe. I love a bowl of quick and easy Pasta al Pesto as much as the next person, but this Creamy Tuna Pasta recipe is just so packed full of flavour; it takes the whole concept of ‘easy weeknight pasta’ to the next level…

My love affair with this recipe goes way back to my childhood when we would have a version based on a recipe by the great Antonio Carluccio. His recipe used ginger in the sauce, then I saw Ixta Belfrage use curry powder (you can see her recipe here) and knew I had to give it a try. You wouldn’t expect the flavour to work, but it truly does. You just have to try it for yourself to understand how delicious it is…

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Why you will love this Creamy Tuna Pasta recipe:
Ingredients:
Substitutions and Variations:
Here's how to make Creamy Tuna Pasta with Chilli & Cherry Tomatoes:
Cooking Tips:
Frequently Asked Questions
Other recipes you might enjoy:
Made this recipe and loved it?
Creamy Tuna Pasta with Chilli & Cherry Tomatoes

Why you will love this Creamy Tuna Pasta recipe:

It is so quick and simple and will be on the table in less than 20 minutes!
It is packed full of flavour.
It uses affordable ingredients and accessible ingredients you probably already have to hand.
It is perfect for an easy lunch or midweek supper.

Ingredients:

Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!

Tinned tuna - whilst you can buy tuna in sunflower oil, I really recommend tuna in olive oil for the best flavour. Try to choose sustainably sourced options, if you can.

Olive oil - good quality olive oil adds such a lovely flavour to the tomato sauce.

Cherry tomatoes - this is the perfect recipe to make when cherry tomatoes are in season and at their plump and juicy best.

Tomato purée - a squeeze of this helps add a deeper tomato flavour to the sauce.

Salt - I recommend Maldon Salt for the best flavour. Their flavoured options would also work well.

Black pepper - freshly ground black pepper adds a hint of warmth. You could use mixed peppercorns for a more complex flavour profile.

Garlic cloves - using two cloves adds a subtle garlic flavour. You could use more if you prefer it stronger.

Mild curry powder - I know this might sound unusual but, trust me, it works!

Dried chilli flakes - you only need a small pinch for a subtle chilli kick.

Paccheri pasta - this large tube-shaped pasta from Campania in Italy is perfect for this recipe.

Parmesan - this adds a lovely umami flavour to the pasta sauce. I also always finish off with a (very) generous grating of fresh Parmesan just before serving.

Double cream - this adds a rich creaminess to the sauce and also helps balance out the spices.

Parsley - this adds a subtle peppery flavour to the delicious sauce.

Substitutions and Variations:

Paccheri pasta - you could use any pasta but a tube-shaped one works best. Rigatoni is a good substitute.
Parmesan - Pecorino or any strong hard cheese works well - you could even use a mature Cheddar if that is what you have to hand.
Garlic cloves - swap for garlic granules if you don’t have fresh.
Dried chilli flakes - swap for smoked paprika for a subtle smoky flavour.
Cherry tomatoes - you could use baby plum tomatoes instead of cherry tomatoes - they both have the most incredible sweet and juicy flavour.
Parsley - swap for coriander, if you prefer.
Spinach - if you want to add extra veggies, stir through a handful of spinach until wilted.

Here's how to make Creamy Tuna Pasta with Chilli & Cherry Tomatoes:

Here's a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe below for detailed instructions.

ONE: Cook the pasta. Then add oil to a large non-stick frying pan set over a medium heat and add the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring often, before adding the tomatoes.

TWO: Add tomatoes and season well. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until they start to burst. Mash them gently using the back of a wooden spoon.

THREE: Add the tuna with the oil from the tins, followed by the tomato purée, curry powder and chilli flakes. Season again and stir well.

FOUR: Add the cooked pasta and a good glug of the reserved pasta cooking water. Stir well.

FIVE: Stir in the Parmesan, double cream and parsley. Taste and adjust the seasoning, as necessary.

SIX: Spoon onto plates and sprinkle with lots of Parmesan. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and enjoy!

Cooking Tips:

Good quality tuna - the key to this recipe is buying tuna in oil (not water or brine) or else you won’t get the silky smooth sauce. You can easily find tuna in sunflower oil, but I would really encourage you to use tuna in olive oil. I know it is a bit more expensive, but it does make all the difference. For a really luxurious dish, use the ones you find in jars with big chunks of tuna. So delicious.
Starchy pasta water - adding a splash of starchy pasta water helps to create the smoothest, silkiest sauce imaginable.
Al dente pasta: you want the pasta to be firm and have some bite - not too hard or chalky (which means it is undercooked) or mushy (which means it is overcooked).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do you add pasta water to the sauce?

Using the pasta cooking water in pasta sauces is one of my favourite chef’s tricks. As the pasta cooks in the boiling water, it releases starch - creating a starchy pasta water. When you add this to pasta sauces, it helps bind and thicken them. If you have a buttery or oily sauce, it will help them become creamy and non-greasy. Put simply, adding a splash of pasta cooking water to your sauce will help you create the most delicious, silky smooth, pasta sauce and totally takes this Creamy Tuna Pasta to the next level.

Other recipes you might enjoy:

If you like the sound of this Creamy Tuna Pasta, I have so many other quick and easy pasta recipes for you to try. My Sausage Pasta Bake is the ultimate pre-ahead pasta dish which means all you have to do when you come in from a long day is pop it in the oven! Alternatively, my Creamy Pesto Pasta takes just 15 minutes to transform a few classic Italian ingredients into the most incredible cheesy, garlicky pasta. Speaking of simple suppers, this One Pan Pasta and Peas is a dream of a dish as the pasta cooks in the sauce, releasing all its starchy goodness, making it silky smooth and just so good. If you are looking for more tomato pasta inspiration, my Tomato Butter Pasta is a must-try - there is something about the creamy, buttery tomato sauce that is just too good to resist…

Made this recipe and loved it?

I would love love LOVE if you could leave a review in the comments… I love hearing what you thought, any changes you made, the stories behind what made you try my recipes. Also, if you share a photo on Instagram, please tag me @desertislanddishes, it makes my day to see you making my creations!