This easy tuna pesto pasta recipe with burst cherry tomatoes, spinach, and garlic is a weeknight meal you'll love. Ready in under 30 minutes, this dish is great for busy nights when you need something quick and tasty!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Tuna and pesto pasta combines comforting noodles with oil-packed, flaked tuna, sautéed garlic, sweet burst cherry tomatoes, savory basil pesto, and earthy spinach for a delicious and quick meal.
This pasta is so simple, yet so full of flavor. It's perfect for an easy weeknight meal!
The recipe is adaptable. Use any pasta shape you'd like, swap the tuna for salmon, throw in arugula in place of spinach, add some grated parmesan cheese--make this recipe however you like it best with the ingredients you have on hand.
Plus, the leftovers are delicious. They're great for work lunches or meal prep! You can also try it cold for a wonderful pesto pasta salad.
What You'll Need
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- Oil-Packed Tuna Tuna packed in olive oil is my recommendation for this dish. However, you can use canned tuna packed in water if you'd like.
- Pesto Use store-bought pesto, or prepare some homemade pesto. This almond pesto recipe is a favorite.
- Pasta I prefer a short shape here, like fusilli, rotini, or penne.
- Olive Oil
- Cherry Tomatoes You could also use grape tomatoes.
- Spinach I recommend baby spinach.
- Garlic If you don't have fresh garlic, you can use some jarred minced garlic in its place.
- Kosher Salt
Recommended Equipment
How to Make Pesto Tuna Pasta
Step One Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
Step Two Meanwhile, heat a pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and once it is shimmering, add the garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Step Three Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and pierce with a paring knife. Season the tomatoes with a bit of salt. As the tomatoes soften, use the back of a wooden spoon to gently crush the tomatoes.
Step Four Add in the pesto sauce.
Step Five Stir well and taste for seasoning.
Step Six Add the spinach and tuna to the pan with the cherry tomatoes, garlic, and pesto. Stir to combine.
Step Seven Once the pasta has finished cooking, reserve a cup of the pasta water and drain. Add the cooked pasta to the tomato, pesto, and spinach mixture and stir well to combine. If the pasta seems dry, stir a little of the pasta water to help loosen the pesto.
Step Eight Serve right away!
Variations & Substitutions
- Swap the tuna for salmon, chicken, chickpeas, or white beans.
- You can use arugula in place of the spinach.
- Try different pasta shapes to see what you like best!
How to Store
Fridge Leftover pesto pasta with tuna will last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Be sure to store in an airtight container.
Freezer I do not recommend freezing this dish.
Reheating It's easiest to reheat this dish in the microwave, or you can eat it as a cold tuna pesto pasta salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can add a bit of fresh lemon juice to your pesto to revive its green color.
This recipe has 520 calories per serving. A full recipe serves 6.
Absolutely! This tuna pasta makes a fantastic cold pasta salad. Try adding some olives or artichoke hearts to the cold dish for a real pasta salad feel.
How to Serve
This pasta can definitely be a meal on its own. Here are some ideas for dishes you can serve alongside.
Try a Side Salad with Lemon Herb Vinaigrette or this tasty Honey Lime Jalapeño Vinaigrette
Some roasted vegetables as a side or added to the dish would be lovely. These Spicy Roasted Vegetables and this Roasted Tenderstem Broccoli are favorites.
If you love a little bread with your pasta, how about a some air fryer crostini?
Expert Tips
- I recommend cooking dry pasta 1 minute less than the recommended cook times for al dente pasta. For example, if the box directions say to cook for 9 to 10 minutes, I'll cook for 8 minutes.
- Try adding some fresh basil to your finished dish for a bit of extra freshness!
- Adding a bit of starchy pasta water to a sauce can either help loosen a sauce that is too thick and, or help a sauce adhere to the pasta.
More Recipes to Try
Looking for more pasta dishes for busy weeknights? Try these recipes!
📖 Recipe
Tuna Pesto Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 1 pound rotini or other short shape, like fusilli or penne
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 6 ounces pesto store-bought, or try this homemade Almond Pesto
- 10 ounces oil-packed tuna from 2 cans
- 5 ounces fresh baby spinach about half of a regular bag
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
- Meanwhile, heat a pan over medium heat. Add the olive oil and once it is shimmering, add the garlic. Saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
- Add the cherry tomatoes to the pan and pierce with a paring knife. Season the tomatoes with a bit of salt. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, using the back of a wooden spoon to crush the tomatoes as they soften.
- Add in the pesto. Stir well and taste for seasoning.
- Add the spinach and tuna to the pan with the cherry tomatoes, garlic, and pesto. Stir to combine.
- Once the pasta has finished cooking, reserve a cup of the pasta water and drain. Add the cooked pasta to the tomato, pesto, and spinach mixture and stir well to combine. If the pasta seems dry, stir a little of the pasta water.
- Taste for seasoning and serve!
Notes
- I recommend cooking dry pasta to 1 minute below the lower recommended cook time for al dente pasta. For example, if the box directions say cook for 9 to 10 minutes, I'll cook for 8 minutes.
- Adding a bit of starchy pasta water to a sauce can either help loosen a sauce that is too thick and, or help a sauce adhere to the pasta.
- You can use water-packed tuna if you'd prefer. Oil-packed tuna has a bit more flavor.
- Fridge Leftover pesto pasta with tuna will last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Be sure to store in an airtight container.
- Freezer I do not recommend freezing this dish.
- Reheating It's easiest to reheat this dish in the microwave, or you can eat it as a cold tuna pesto pasta salad.
Sharina says
Tuna pesto pasta is my favorite and this recipe is a must! It was so good and I love the addition of cherry tomatoes in it.
Genevieve says
Thank you! Love those cherry tomatoes, too. 🙂
Greta says
I loved this dish. It easy to make and so fulfilling. My family approved it too. My favorite pesto os also made with almonds.Big love!
Genevieve says
Wonderful! Thanks so much, Greta!
Addison says
This was such a great lunch to meal prep for work! Loads of flavor but super easy to make!
Genevieve says
Thanks Addison! I'm so glad you enjoyed it.
Heidi says
I'm always looking for a good pasta salad as it's one of my favorites. This one did not disappoint! It was full of flavor, for sure!
Genevieve says
I'm glad to hear it! This one is great cold for sure.
Traci says
Spot on recipe and absolutely delicious! Really enjoyed the combination of the tuna and pesto together! So good!!
Genevieve says
Yay! Thanks Traci!