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Tuna Marinara Pasta Recipe

September 2, 2011 by Jeanette 25 Comments

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Tuna Marinara Pasta is a quick and easy dinner idea that comes together in 30 minutes or less. There are nights when I stare into my refrigerator and just don’t feel like cooking. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. Thankfully, I always stock a few cans of tuna fish and tomatoes in my pantry. This tuna marinara pasta dish is a great pantry recipe for days when you’re short on time and haven’t had time to get to the supermarket.
Tuna Marinara Pasta - made with pantry ingredients, this easy dinner recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make. Healthy, quick and delicious. Serve with gluten-free pasta, whole grain pasta, or zucchini noodles for healthier options.

I first made this easy recipe for Tuna Marinara Pasta in 2011 right after hurricane Irene hit our area. Many supermarkets were closed for several days. Thankfully, my pantry was stocked with emergency canned food, including tons of tuna fish that my husband bought.

This recipe is based off of a recipe from Rachel Ray, the queen of 30 minute meals. I had to make a few adjustments to the recipe as the cooking time was way off. She serves this dish using ravioli, so for a lighter take on this recipe, I used plain pasta. Cooking is not an exact science, so the lesson learned is that you should use your instincts when cooking. Follow recipe directions, but be ready to make adjustments along the way based on your own observations (eyes and nose wide open).

This would be a great meal for busy families or college students. It’s budget-friendly, quick, easy and healthy.

Tuna Marinara Pasta - made with pantry ingredients, this easy dinner recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make. Healthy, quick and delicious. Serve with gluten-free pasta, whole grain pasta, or zucchini noodles for healthier options.
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Tuna Marinara Pasta

Course dinner
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 people
Calories 393 kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces whole grain pasta
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 6 ounces tuna fish in oil, drained
  • 1/4 medium onion finely chopped
  • 4 tablespoons kalamata olives pitted, chopped
  • 15 ounces crushed tomatoes or chopped
  • sea salt
  • black pepper
  • 4 tablespoons fresh parsley or basil chopped, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Cook pasta according to instructions on package.

  2. To make the Tuna Marinara Sauce, heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add olive oil, then add onion and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add tuna, breaking and mashing tuna up; cook 2 minutes, stirring often. Add olives and tomatoes, and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add chopped parsley.

  3. 7. Toss with cooked pasta and serve.

Recipe Notes

6 Freestyle points if served with whole grain pasta.

227 calories, 4 Freestyle points, 15 grams carbs if served with steamed cauliflower in place of pasta.

 

Nutrition Facts
Tuna Marinara Pasta
Amount Per Serving
Calories 393 Calories from Fat 108
% Daily Value*
Fat 12g18%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 7mg2%
Sodium 422mg18%
Potassium 553mg16%
Carbohydrates 51g17%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 22g44%
Vitamin A 630IU13%
Vitamin C 15.6mg19%
Calcium 74mg7%
Iron 4.3mg24%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

 

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Filed Under: dairy-free, Dinner, gluten-free, Pantry Recipe, Pasta and Noodles Tagged With: marinara, pantry items, pasta, tomato, tuna

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Comments

  1. Susan Lindquist says

    September 2, 2011 at 1:09 pm

    This looks delicious! Rachael does like her pasta dishes, doesn't she? I made one last evening that had hazelnuts, arugula, onions, garlic, and her ever-present Parm-Reg cheese. Simple and delicious like your dish of pasta!

    Reply
  2. Pretend Chef says

    September 2, 2011 at 2:55 pm

    This sounds like a pasta dish my household would love. Going off of how many servings she says the recipe makes I know in advance I better up the time on the treadmill or cut the portion in half. Haha!

    Reply
  3. Jeanette says

    September 2, 2011 at 4:02 pm

    Susan – would love to try the pasta dish you made – Yum-O!

    Rochelle – yes, Rachel Ray's portions are huge, so either cut back, be prepared for leftovers, or double the workout routine!

    Reply
  4. Alison @ Ingredients, Inc. says

    September 2, 2011 at 6:09 pm

    looks great! I will have to give it a try

    Reply
  5. Kathy says

    September 2, 2011 at 7:04 pm

    Thanks for the recipe ^^ I'm trying this, because it's super easy and I have almost all the ingredients (except for the olives >:3)

    Reply
  6. Mary says

    September 2, 2011 at 11:22 pm

    What a great choice. This really sounds delicious and I know my family would love this. I hope you have a great weekend. Blessings…Mary.

    Reply
  7. Kalyan says

    September 3, 2011 at 1:53 pm

    this one looks so mouth-watering and easy to prepare…delicious!

    Reply
  8. Junia says

    September 3, 2011 at 1:59 pm

    i LOVE rachel ray! tuna marinara sounds awesome!! i bet your sons loved it too 😀 have a wonderful long weekend!

    Reply
  9. Deborah says

    September 3, 2011 at 4:05 pm

    You know I'm a big Rachael Ray fan!! I love how you made this healthier. And what a great recipe from pantry staples! Thanks for submitting to Saturdays with Rachael Ray!

    Reply
  10. Shirley @ gfe says

    September 3, 2011 at 4:35 pm

    I love using tuna in pasta dishes. This looks great, Jeanette! 🙂

    Shirley

    Reply
  11. France@beyondthepeel says

    September 3, 2011 at 5:47 pm

    I'm not a big fan of canned tuna but it would be easy to substitute some other kind of fish or protein.
    Love her or hate her, in the last ten years she's accomplished more than most of us will in our lifetime.

    Reply
  12. girlichef says

    September 3, 2011 at 10:53 pm

    I just love that she is so versatile…you can pretty much count on her to have a recipe for some of the ingredients you have around the house. This dish looks beautiful and sounds delicious 😀

    Reply
  13. Katie says

    September 4, 2011 at 1:08 am

    This pasta dish is chock full of goodness. I like how Rachael Ray can turn a dish into a meal!

    Reply
  14. Miranda says

    September 4, 2011 at 2:16 am

    I don't even know what Italian tuna is, but this dish looks great!

    Reply
  15. Jeanette says

    September 4, 2011 at 3:04 am

    Thanks everyone for your comments – we have plenty of tuna fish left from stocking up for Hurricane Irene, so I have a feeling I'll be making this for the next year!

    Reply
  16. Lexie says

    September 4, 2011 at 4:03 am

    I find Rachel Ray infectious, in a good way. She makes things so simple … just like this recipe : ) Looks YUM!

    Reply
  17. marla {family fresh cooking} says

    September 4, 2011 at 10:02 pm

    Jeanette, this pasta looks great. I am a huge fan of those minion shells.
    I would love if you added this and any other links to my "Happy Post" today. http://su.pr/1bZ8fp

    Reply
  18. Jackie says

    September 4, 2011 at 10:26 pm

    This does sound really good. We always do a lot of pasta dishes in my house. This one is sure to be a winner at the dinner table.

    Reply
  19. newlywed says

    September 4, 2011 at 11:08 pm

    I'm the choir in terms of being a RR fan, but this one looks great! She does write recipes with huge portions, doesn't she? I often have to cut the pasta in half, or we end up eating the same leftovers forever!

    Reply
  20. Jeanette says

    September 4, 2011 at 11:47 pm

    This is the first Rachel Ray recipe I've made in a quite a while, but now I am reminded of why I liked her recipes – they're simple and accessible (although the portions are enormous!). I'm going to have to take a look at her more current recipes, I'm sure they're probably healthier than when she first started out.

    Reply
  21. Taryn (Have Kitchen, Will Feed) says

    September 5, 2011 at 2:54 am

    Looks great – never thought of making marinara with tuna before!

    Reply
  22. 5 Star Foodie says

    September 5, 2011 at 3:21 am

    Nice pasta dish, and a fun cooking group, will check out what the others made too!

    Reply
  23. Beloved Green says

    September 5, 2011 at 5:21 am

    I like how you worked with what the storm threw at you, great dish!

    Reply
  24. Gay says

    September 10, 2011 at 12:17 pm

    Very tempting! I love anything with tuna.

    Reply
  25. Julie Saldana says

    January 10, 2019 at 11:25 am

    My TUNA MARINARA recipe is slightly different from yours. But instead, it will be a way of changing. I have a new idea to change the familiar TUNA MARINARA in a healthier way. Thank you

    Reply

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Hi! I'm Jeanette - welcome! Step into my kitchen, where you'll find healthy dishes packed with flavor and goodness.

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