Tuna Pesto Pasta

Tuna pesto pasta in a 6-quart dutch oven garnished with fresh basil. Halved cherry tomatoes are mixed in.

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5 from 1 vote

This creamy tuna pesto pasta recipe makes for an easy 15-minute dinner. Try it with store-bought or homemade pesto.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: tuna

Servings:

Calories: 340kcal

Author: Kelsey Smith

Cost: $9

Equipment

Ingredients

1 pound (16 ounces) pasta
1 tablespoon salted butter
4 cloves garlic minced
1 cup (8 ounces) pesto
15 ounces chunk light tuna drained
¼ cup (2 ounces) heavy whipping cream
¼ cup (22.5 grams) shredded parmesan
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
1-½ cups (10 ounces) cherry tomatoes, halved

Instructions

Boil pasta according to package directions, adding 1 tablespoon salt to the pasta water (optional). Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan on medium heat. Add minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Add the pesto and tuna to the saucepan, breaking up the tuna with the spatula. Heat until warm, about 2 minutes.
When the pesto-tuna mixture is warmed through, slowly add the heavy cream, stirring as you pour. Heat until warm, about 2 minutes.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the onion powder, salt, pepper, and parmesan until the cheese melts. Next, toss in the cherry tomatoes.
Combine cooked and drained pasta with the sauce in a large pot, stirring to coat the pasta evenly. Add more salt or pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Video

Notes

Pasta: Use 1 pound of any short pasta shapes. Try penne, cellentani, farfalle, rigatoni, rotini, salad rotini (pictured), macaroni, or cavatappi.

Pesto: Use store-bought or homemade pesto.

Garnish ideas: Fresh basil, parmesan, pine nuts

Storage: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerators for 3 to 5 days. Pesto pasta can be frozen but the flavors will not be as fresh after freezing and thawing.

Nutrition