Tuna Pasta with Capers & Olives 🐟🍝 Briny, Bold, and Fast — Pantry-Driven Mediterranean Flavor

This is weeknight pasta with a salty attitude. Canned tuna gets leveled up with punchy capers, briny olives, chili flakes, and a garlicky tomato base — all tossed with pasta for a dish that’s fast, flavorful, and unapologetically Mediterranean.

It’s the kind of recipe that proves pantry staples can taste like a coastal escape. No cream. No cheese. Just big, assertive flavor.

Ingredients (Serves 2–3)

• 6 oz spaghetti, linguine, or bucatini
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, but encouraged)
• 2 tbsp capers, drained
• ⅓ cup pitted olives (Kalamata or green), sliced
• 1 can (5–6 oz) tuna in olive oil, drained slightly
• ½ cup canned crushed tomatoes or passata
• Zest of 1 lemon
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp chopped parsley (optional)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Reserved pasta water (as needed)

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the Pasta

Boil pasta in well-salted water until al dente. Reserve ½ cup pasta water before draining.

Step 2: Build the Base

While pasta cooks, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced garlic and red pepper flakes. Sauté until just golden — about 1 minute.

Add capers and olives. Stir for another minute to bloom their flavor.

Step 3: Add Tuna and Tomato

Flake in the tuna and stir gently to warm through — don’t break it down too much. Add crushed tomatoes and simmer 2–3 minutes to combine flavors. Add a splash of pasta water to loosen if needed.

Step 4: Toss and Finish

Add drained pasta to the skillet along with lemon zest and juice. Toss to coat in the sauce. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Add chopped parsley if using.

If it feels dry, adjust with more pasta water or a drizzle of olive oil for gloss.

Flavor Variations

• Add anchovies: Start the sauce with 2 anchovy fillets melted into the oil
• Make it green: Stir in spinach or arugula right before serving
• Go spicier: Use Calabrian chili paste instead of flakes
• Switch tuna: Try oil-packed mackerel or sardines for deeper flavor

Pro Tips

• Use oil-packed tuna for best richness — water-packed gets lost in the sauce
• Don’t overwork the tuna — you want bite-sized flakes, not mush
• Pasta water is key — it ties the sauce to the noodles and gives sheen
• Garlic burns fast — add it to warm, not screaming-hot oil
• Make it vegan by swapping tuna for chopped sun-dried tomatoes and extra olives

Final Thoughts

Tuna Pasta with Capers & Olives is fast, fierce, and full of Mediterranean energy. It’s the dish you make when you’ve got nothing fresh in the fridge but still want something bold and deeply satisfying.

Crack the can. Boil the pasta. Let the pantry sing. 🐟🍝🫒🔥

🦐 More Coastal Seafood Recipes

From cozy casseroles to zesty grilled fish and elegant seafood pastas, this collection of Seafood Recipes covers every ocean-inspired craving — whether you’re planning a dinner party or a quick weeknight win.

• 🐟 Classic Seafood Dish Recipes – Think pan-seared salmon with lemon dill and timeless coastal favorites.
• 🦞 Delicious Seafood Boil Recipes – Spicy, saucy boils packed with crab, shrimp, and corn. The ultimate feast.
• 🍝 Seafood Pasta Recipes – Elegant and indulgent, like shrimp linguine in a white wine sauce.
• 🍤 Shrimp Recipes – Versatile, fast, and flavor-packed; smoky grills to sizzling stir-fries
• 🐟 Salmon Recipes – Baking & grilling to bowls, pastas, and more — healthy, flavorful, and easy to make/
• 🦞 Seafood Casseroles – Bubbly, Buttery & Oven-Ready. Comfort food meets coastal flavor.
• 🥣 Flavorful Seafood Soups – Rich chowders, bisques, and broth-based favorites.
• 🍽️ Easy Seafood Dinner Recipes – Quick, delicious, easy recipes bring bold flavor with minimal prep and cleanup
• 🥗 Healthy Seafood Recipes – Light, fresh & packed with protein and omega-3s with bright, satisfying flavor
• 🍚 Risotto Recipes with Seafood – Creamy, silky rice dishes meet the richness of the sea.
• 🌊 Seafood Stews – Mediterranean, Latin to classic American, hearty stews with satisfying depth in your bowl.
• 🍝🧀 Seafood Lasagna – Lasagna meets the sea in these rich and satisfying delicious twist classic bakes.