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Pantry Tuna & Tomato Pasta

There are nights when dinner needs to come from the pantry.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 2
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 450
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 4 ounces dry pasta
  • 1 can 5 ounces tuna, drained
  • 1 cup canned diced tomatoes with juices
  • ½ cup chicken or vegetable broth
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon dried minced onion or onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried parsley
  • ¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese optional
Optional additions
  • Use what you already have.
  • A tablespoon or two of canned peas
  • A few dehydrated vegetables rehydrated
  • Red pepper flakes if you enjoy them
  • A spoonful of tomato paste
  • A small amount of shredded mozzarella
  • A handful of canned white beans

Method
 

Cook the pasta
  1. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
  2. Cook the pasta according to the package directions until just tender.
  3. Before draining, reserve about ½ cup of the pasta water.
  4. Drain the pasta and set it aside.
Build the sauce
  1. While the pasta cooks, heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat.
  2. Add the onion, garlic powder, parsley, and Italian seasoning.
  3. Stir for about 30 seconds.
  4. Add the diced tomatoes and broth.
  5. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the tuna
  1. Drain the tuna and gently break it into pieces.
  2. Add it to the tomato mixture and stir.
  3. Don't overwork it—you want some recognizable pieces of tuna rather than turning everything into a paste.
  4. Simmer for another 2–3 minutes.
Bring everything together
  1. Add the cooked pasta to the skillet.
  2. Toss gently until the pasta is coated with the sauce.
  3. If it seems too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water.
  4. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Finish
  1. Divide between two bowls.
  2. Sprinkle with Parmesan if desired.
  3. Serve hot.

Notes

Kitchen Confidence

This is one of those recipes where the exact ingredients aren't nearly as important as the basic formula.
Pasta + protein + tomato + seasoning = dinner.
If you don't have diced tomatoes, tomato sauce will work.
If you don't have Italian seasoning, use parsley and garlic powder.
If you have a little leftover vegetable, add it.
If you have a different shape of pasta, use it.
The pantry doesn't have to be perfectly stocked for this meal to work.